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Great USSR Coach Beskov Died

Konstantin Beskov, the legendary coach of the Soviet Union, has died on Saturday following a long sickness. Beskov was 85 when he died, and was the last of the FC Dinamo Moskva`s members to tour Britain in 1945, playing against Chelsea FC, Cardiff City FC, Arsenal FC and Rangers FC. Beskov will be remembered for his extraordinary coaching skills and many believe he was as great as the late FC Dynamo Kyiv coach Valery Lobanovsky.

Beskov led the Soviet Union to second place at the UEFA European Championship in 1964 but was still sacked after losing the final to hosts Spain. He also steered the Soviets to bronze at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and coached them, in tandem with Lobanovsky, at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, where they reached the second round.

Beskov coached both of Moscow`s biggest clubs, FC Spartak Moskva and Dinamo, leading the former to two Soviet league titles in 1979 and 1987. His wife, daughter and son-in-law Vladimir Fedotov, who was appointed Spartak`s interim coach last week, replacing Aleksandrs Starkovs, survive him.