# Yuri Kovtun

Yuri Mikhailovich Kovtun (Russian: Юрий Михайлович Ковтун; born 5 January 1970) is a Russian football coach and a former defender, well known as a 1990s Russia national football team player, as well as Dynamo Moscow and Spartak Moscow stopper. He is an assistant coach of Kazakhstani club Aktobe.

## Playing career

Kovtun's career started in minor Russian club Luch Azov in 1988. Then he started his career as a professional player in SKA Rostov-na-Donu and Rostselmash Rostov-on-Don. In 1992, Rostselmash and Kovtun starred in the first Russian championship where they unexpectedly promoted to 8th place. Kovtun was impressive during the season so two top teams were interested in him at the same time : Dynamo and Spartak Moscow. In 1993, Kovtun chose Dynamo Moscow and became their key player for years, until his move to Spartak in 1999.
Whereas Kovtun's only honour during his 6-year spell in Dynamo was a Russian Cup in 1995, he won 3 titles in 1999, 2000 and 2001 after joining Spartak. Moreover, he took part in numerous UEFA Champions League games and found himself a regular Russian national football team player.

## International career

Kovtun played for the Russian international team 50 times, scoring 2 goals. The most notable moments of his international career were his long shot goal to Yugoslavia during a 2002 World Cup qualifier and an own goal in a 0–1 away loss to Iceland Euro 2000 qualifying. He was a part of the Russian squad in the Euro 96 and World Cup 2002 finals. Kovtun was sent off in a Euro '96 match for a lunge at Germany's Dieter Eilts.

## Strengths and weaknesses

Kovtun's strong points as a defender were mainly great tackling, tight marking of opponents and scoring goals in the crucial matches. The main weakness of his game throughout his career was a lack of pace and acceleration. Stemming from this lack of speed, he often had to play too dirty so he could easily receive yellow cards or even be sent off (he holds the Russian League record for number of bookings).

## Current activity

During 2005, already a Spartak's veteran, he could not gain a place in the first team and most of the season he played for the reserves. In January 2006, he left Spartak Moscow for just relegated into Russian First Division Alania Vladikavkaz. He retired in 2007 and became a manager for MVD Rossii Moscow. MVD promoted to the Russian First Division under his supervision.
On 8 June 2009, Kovtun resigned from MVD manager position and was replaced by Vladimir Eshtrekov.

## Career statistics

| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Luch Azov | 1988 | Soviet Second League | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 36 | 1 |
| SKA Rostov-na-Donu | 1989 | Soviet First League | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 0 |
| SKA Rostov-na-Donu | 1990 | Soviet Second League | 38 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 42 | 0 |
| SKA Rostov-na-Donu | Total | Total | 61 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 0 |
| Rostselmash Rostov-on-Don | 1991 | Soviet First League | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 38 | 1 |
| Rostselmash Rostov-on-Don | 1992 | Russian Premier League | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 0 |
| Rostselmash Rostov-on-Don | 1993 | Russian Premier League | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 |
| Rostselmash Rostov-on-Don | Total | Total | 64 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 1 |
| Rostselmash-2 Rostov-on-Don | 1992 | Russian Second League | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 1993 | Russian Premier League | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 31 | 1 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 1994 | Russian Premier League | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 26 | 2 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 1995 | Russian Premier League | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 32 | 0 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 1996 | Russian Premier League | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 1 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 1997 | Russian Premier League | 28 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 38 | 1 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 1998 | Russian Premier League | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 1 |
| Dynamo Moscow | Total | Total | 156 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 193 | 6 |
| Spartak Moscow | 1999 | Russian Premier League | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | – | 34 | 2 |
| Spartak Moscow | 2000 | Russian Premier League | 17 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 1 |
| Spartak Moscow | 2001 | Russian Premier League | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 1 |
| Spartak Moscow | 2002 | Russian Premier League | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 1 |
| Spartak Moscow | 2003 | Russian Premier League | 23 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| Spartak Moscow | 2004 | Russian Premier League | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Spartak Moscow | 2005 | Russian Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Spartak Moscow | Total | Total | 122 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 175 | 8 |
| Spartak-2 Moscow | 2000 | Russian Second League | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Alania Vladikavkaz | 2006 | Russian Second League | 26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 28 | 5 |
| Alania Vladikavkaz | 2007 | Russian First League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 |
| Alania Vladikavkaz | Total | Total | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 5 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 470 | 19 | 37 | 2 | 58 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 568 | 21 |
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in the UEFA Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
* ↑ Two appearances in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, three appearances in the UEFA Cup
* ↑ Appearances in the UEFA Intertoto Cup
* ↑ Six appearances in the UEFA Champions League, one appearance in the UEFA Cup
* 1 2 3 Appearances in the UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in the Russian Premier League Cup
* ↑ Four appearances in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, two appearances in the UEFA Cup

## Honours

* 1999, 2000, 2001 Russian Premier League
* 1995, 2003 Russian Cup