Ukrainian football coach now sharing football expertise with Aussie kids

A displaced Ukrainian coach who fled the war in the country now calls Australia home, and is helping kids in Western Sydney improve their football skills. Roman Sanzhar managed a top-flight team in Ukraine and led them to a major European competition.

From a war zone to the UEFA Europa League, Roman Sanzhar [[roh-man SAN-zar]] managed professional football club Olimpik Donetsk in Ukraine over two periods, from 2013 to 2018, followed by a stint in 2021.

Both terms were disrupted by war, forcing him and his team to flee.

In 2014 they escaped Donbas to Kyiv, after anti-government separatists backed by Russia declared the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

The team was homeless for seven years, training on rented fields and competing without fans.