Former coach and current football analyst Velislav Vutsov warned Georgi Ivanov — Gonzo that he will not allow the president of the Bulgarian Football Union or anyone connected in any way to the Central Office to “crush” his sons Petar and Svetoslav. A scandal broke out around Levski goalkeeper Vutsov, with Svetlyo at least temporarily withdrawing from the national team. Vili, on the other hand, commented on the situation with his youngest son in his podcast Sesame_Liga_Vutsov, writing "Topic sport".
The former Levski coach recalled an incident from the time when he was the coach of “Gerena“, and the captain of the Blues was Georgi Ivanov. Then Gonzo, ignoring the order for Nikolay Dimitrov-Hicho to be the executor, took a penalty against BATE Borisov, which he missed, and Levski surprisingly dropped out of the Belarusians on the way to the Champions League. Vili, on the other hand, was fired after BATE lost 0:1 to “Gerena“.
Here's what Vili said about the attitude of the national team camp towards his son Svetoslav:
“My first question to him was “Are you crying? Because I know the child's voice, I don't know what they did to him, but he was almost in tears every time. He made me call a player, the boy told me “Father Willy, if I were in his place – one punch and I'd leave“.
What they're doing is a disgrace.
When I got back I spoke to another guy who was there every day – he told me “Goodbye Svetlyo, he turned out to be a big man“.
As a father, I can only say “This bullying was non-stop. I'm not going to take things “out of the kitchen“.
The day before the match with Spain he told me “Dad, I'm adamant that I want to leave“. I told him “Wait for this match – whether you play or not, when you get home, we'll think about it.“ &ndquo; “No, I don't feel well. They're waiting for me to make a mistake every second.“
A 5-minute delay – “Systematic violation of discipline“, we heard from Mr. Dimitrov – but that's indiscipline – I accept, he paid the fine.
Let them check if there are any disciplinary offenses at Levski.
For me, they put him on against Spain as a starter with two debutants in defense to crush him. If we were playing against another team, they wouldn't have put him on.
He landed at the airport, spoke with Bozhidar Mitrev, Julio Velasquez and Nasko Sirakov at “Gerena“. I found out about what was happening from his declaration, after 3-4 hours. I heard him and just told him “Don't give statements, but take some position.“ Rumors have spread that Bozhidar Mitrev is an intriguer, a bad person…
One of the people to whom Svetlyo owes the most is Bozhidar Mitrev. He changed his mentality and his work. Bozhidar's wife is a great psychologist, Svetlyo works with her every day, they have accepted him into their family as their child. And he owes the whole change in his life to them.
We spoke to Bozhka on Monday and he told me under his breath “Svetoslav has a big problem, the coaches have been attacking him constantly. I have information from other people in the staff. When the match is over, I will come out with a declaration, if Levski does not support me, I will quit my job“. Our conversation is around 12 o'clock — one without something in the evening. – “I think he will play tomorrow. They won't be able to push him because he's well prepared.“ – And he's been scouting him from one to five. Something that the goalkeeper coach in the national team hasn't heard of or if he has, he didn't do it because of him. No one in the national team has given him even 1/100 scouting. Bozhidar did it for him without knowing if he's playing.
As a father, I support him, I won't say whether he's right or not. I think that Svetoslav hasn't closed the doors for the national team. If someone is looking for him, he's told them very clearly, apparently his higher education has had a good effect on him. – “I'll train and prepare, and if you want to look for me, really look for me. And you're not just playing tricks, throwing me in and waiting for me to make a mistake. To throw myself on the soap, fall into the bathroom and break my head. Because this match was played in the youth national team.
Bulgaria is so tiny, our football world is even smaller, and whoever sits down and speaks, can be heard.
And the stories “We will crush the psyche of this funny little goalkeeper of Levski, “We will not leave that clown until we write him out.“ Let the BFU leadership ask “Is it true or not?“ And if they call me, I will tell them who to ask. And the witnesses will not be one or two, but dozens, even hundreds.
I guarantee you that the president of the BFU knows what happened. This is madness. The mentality is something no goalkeeper can handle.
When a player is not wanted, you don't invite him. You get rid of an evil, he is like that in your declaration, get along without him“, said Vutsov.
And then he commented on Georgi Ivanov's statement that Bulgaria cannot be proud of the football players from the current national team.
„The football players are not at a lower level than the BFU leadership. Let everyone look for their own fault.
Mr. President, I will start with a story. August 13, 2008. Because there are accusations that Svetoslav is undisciplined.
Do you remember this date, Mr. President?
A match at „Gerena“, in which I am the coach and you are my captain. In the match I had made a very serious analysis, we had „taken down“ the pants of BATE Borisov. I had determined the penalty takers — first Nikolay Dimitrov, second Georgi Hristov, third — Joasinho.
Mr. Ivanov, you jokingly told me that if there was a fourth penalty — „I will take it.“ And because days before that in Sandanski you missed a penalty against Vihren and we lost 0:1, I said „Take a break, the time will come for you to take another penalty“.
I think I was talking to a person who, as the captain of the team, should bear much greater responsibility.
What happened in the match Mr. Ivanov — penalty of the match for us in the 29th minute. I went forward and saw that you pushed Hicho and took the ball out of his hands. The whole stadium started shouting „Gonzo, Gonzo“. I sent Emil Velev — Kokala, who was my assistant, told Dimitrov to take the ball and kick immediately, and you told him “Get out of here, you s**t“.
Let someone say that one word is a lie.
You missed the penalty, Mr. President. The match ended 0:1, after that match they fired me. My career was at its peak and then it went downhill. If we had been BATE Borisov, we would have played in the Champions League. That team later became champions. But I watched that team on TV. Even in the final, they didn't think to invite me as a coach, to give me a medal. After I entered the locker room after the match, already fired, I hugged you and told you that I was neither angry with you nor offended and that I would always defend you. Mr. Ivanov, from 2008 to 2025 are 17 years. I assumed that there would come a day when, as a mature man, you would look me in the eye and say to me “Friend, coach, I missed the penalty, I missed the penalty because….“
But, Mr. President, you violated my orders as captain.
But tell me which is a bigger mistake and greater indiscipline — a captain taking the penalty and missing it, and spending some ten million since Levski entered the Champions League, or a young goalkeeper being 5 minutes late for the airport? Compare them. But I haven't received an apology from you to this day.
The first year I had 500 views from people who told me that you missed the penalty on purpose, Mr. President. And I have defended you everywhere and to this day I am not angry with you. Even though you ignored my request. The institution of "coach" of Levski or CSKA is like a minister. You took advantage of the fact that I am a beginner, there was tension, because shortly before us Nasko and Murray were released, I was in an uncertain state and could not do it. And even if I had done it, the moment I entered the field and said "He's going to beat Hicho", the entire audience, who was shouting "Gonzo", would have said that there was a conflict between the coach and the captain. But I never accused you. Never! And you never apologized to me.
Now to accuse me of making promises against you… This is complete nonsense. If then I “swallowed“ all the frogs, accepted the downgrading of my career and did not say a word, now I tell you.
Now I turn to you: Georgi, if you touch my children, as you threatened, you will see me in a different light. I am not threatening you. Hell will come upon you, you know. If you touch my children… If he does not look at it, hand it over to him. Because I have never encroached on anyone's children and family. Whatever you have — call me, shout at me and tell me. Leave my children alone. Now I know — against Petar in Pernik, three cards in a row, all three with a warrant. Will you continue in this version — The army that will attack you will be terrible. For me, I have "swallowed" all the frogs. And I swallowed Ventsi's nonsense in the name of the children. I didn't answer him because Borimirov was shouting at me "No, please, my friend, don't answer, please, because he will attack Svetlyo".
But when someone touches my children, believe me, it will be terrible. But since I hear that you are threatening to end both of their careers, that you will do some things... I promise you, Mr. Ivanov, I will stand up to them. But you greatly underestimate me, Mr. President. The Vutsov family, Mr. President, was, is and will be! It will be, believe me! Because what Ivan Vutsov has built in the years, 15 or how many he was in Pravets, you are trying to destroy in 3-4 years. And you can't forgive yourself for not being able to step on his little toe. And you are taking revenge on me, on my children. Stay safe! Do whatever you want to me — you will stop my show — come stop it, let me see how you will stop it. But my children — no!“, said the heated Vili Vutsov, then apologized to the audience and added that he would not comment on the topic any further.