Viktor Skrypnyk


Viktor Anatoliyovych Skrypnyk is a Ukrainian former professional footballer and current manager of Zorya Luhansk. As a player, he helped Werder Bremen to the league and cup double in 2004.
Skrypnyk became the first Ukrainian head coach in Bundesliga.

Playing career

Before playing professionally, in 1987–88 Skrypnyk participated in the reserve competitions of the Soviet Top League for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk playing some 46 games. In 1987 Skrypnyk also played one game for Dnipro in the Soviet Cup.
In 1989 Skrypnyk signed with the prime Zaporizhia club Metalurh that played at the Soviet First League and for which he started his professional career. His debut in the Soviet Top League, Skrypnyk made for FC Metalurh Zaporizhia in 1991 along with the club's debut at the top level. He continued to play for the Zaporizhia team after dissolution of the Soviet Union when the Metalurh Zaporizhia was admitted to the Vyshcha Liha in 1992–1994. In the mid 1990s Skrypnyk returned to his "home" club in Dnipro for couple of seasons. In 1995–1996 he played for FC Dnipro when it was coached by Bernd Stange who later recommended Skrypnyk to Werder that was coached by Hans-Jürgen Dörner. Around that time he also became to be called for the Ukraine national football team for which Skrypnyk debuted in 1994. In 1996 he was sold for 1.5 million DM to the German side Werder Bremen with which he stayed for about 20 years. In 1999–2000 Skrypnyk was injured several times and even hospitalized, because of that he did not play neither for the club or the national team. At the end of 2002–03 season Skrypnyk again received a major injury and recovered only by the winter intermission of the 2003–04. After the 2003–04 season aged at 34, he decided to retire.

Coaching career

After retiring from playing career Skrypnyk stayed with Werder as a coach at the Werder's football academy. His coaching UEFA license "A" Skrypnyk received initially in Kiev and supposedly it had to be good across whole Europe. But in Germany no one was acknowledging the license and he had to take the couching courses again in Germany. At first it was the category "B" license which allowed Skrypnyk to train children. With time he received the top category license.
Skrypnyk became head coach of Werder Bremen II from 18 June 2013 until 25 October 2014 when he took over the first team of Werder Bremen. He finished with a record of 31 wins, seven draws, and nine losses for the reserve team. He made his debut against Chemnitzer FC in the DFB-Pokal on 28 October 2014. He was sacked on 18 September 2016 along with assistant coach Torsten Frings.
On 5 July 2018, he was appointed as the new manager of Latvian Higher League club Riga FC. On 5 February 2019 it was announced, that Skripnik had left the club.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
111 October 1995Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia1–02–3UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
213 August 1996Olimpiyskiy NSC, Kiev, Ukraine2–15–2Friendly

Managerial statistics

Honours

As player

Werder Bremen
Riga FC