True Joy Beyond Titles: Celebrating Alfred Yunusov’s 65th Birthday

In Bashkortostan and beyond, Alfred Yunusov (affectionately known as Asfanych) is remembered with profound warmth; speaking of him brightens the spirit. These aren`t forced attempts to idealize a man who passed over a decade ago, but rather genuine expressions of deep respect for an outstanding hockey player and coach.

One might argue that Alfred Yunusov didn`t accumulate many awards or titles, but I`d contend that not everything in hockey, or any human endeavor, is measured by accolades. True, as a player, he secured only two bronze medals in the mid-90s, and as a coach, he achieved more. However, his overall contribution far exceeds these distinctions. Anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of hockey`s development in Bashkortostan would readily agree that Yunusov was a monumental figure for the sport in the region.

Remarkably, Yunusov became a legend of Salavat Yulaev seemingly after his prime hockey years. He returned to Ufa in his thirties, having spent a dozen seasons with Kharkiv Dynamo after two initial seasons in Minsk. He came back to his roots at a time when both the country and the club he had faithfully served for so long (Yunusov was one of the few leaders who saw the brief yet vibrant history of Soviet-era Kharkiv Dynamo through from start to finish) had ceased to exist. He rejoined Salavat to rebuild everything from scratch, just as Russian hockey was striving for organizational stability, and new challenges weren`t appealing to everyone. The main Bashkir club was brimming with enthusiasm and ambition but sorely lacked experience; the “guys from Zorge Street,” destined to win the first medals, were still young. They needed time and the guidance of experienced mentors to mature for greater achievements.

Alfred Yunusov`s experience in the Soviet top league was limited to two years, when Kharkiv Dynamo finally reached the elite division in the late 1980s, a threshold the team had long struggled to cross. Little good awaited the former farm club of the mighty Dynamo there; despite a roster of skilled players (Alexei Traseukh, Mikhail Anferov, Oleg Shargorodsky, among others), an imminent relegation was inevitable, which occurred in 1991. So, what could a forward who spent most of his career in the first league offer Salavat? It turned out, quite a lot. His limited time at the top level was less important than his readiness to help young teammates ascend to it. One can be a superb player without competing in the elite league, but proving it requires demonstrating one`s capabilities at a new level.

Indeed, Alfred Yunusov`s performance only improved after his return to Ufa. There was a one-season hiatus due to a “loan spell” in Hamburg, during which Salavat Yulaev secured its first bronze medals in 1995 without the veteran. However, for the subsequent two seasons, Salavat would not have seen bronze without Asfanych. At 35 years old, with 37 points, Yunusov ranked among the top five scorers in the 1995/1996 MHL championship, trailing only Anatoly Emelin (Lada), Andrey Tarasenko (Yaroslavl Torpedo), Nikolay Marinenko (Avangard), and Vladimir Leonov (Elektrostal Kristall). His five goals in the MHL Cup also seemed to be a long-standing record for a 35-year-old. That Salavat team, largely built on its own trainees, earned bronze medals by finishing 3rd-4th alongside Yaroslavl Torpedo in the regular championship.

The following year, these medals had to be hard-won in a direct struggle against the favorites of the “bronze” playoff series, Magnitogorsk Metallurg. It was a glorious battle, arguably one of the most dramatic series of the mid-90s, in which Salavat, and specifically Alfred Yunusov, spoiled Valery Belousov`s debut season as Magnitka`s head coach. Belousov succeeded Valery Postnikov in October 1996, and by the following spring, it was entirely his team, poised for greatness – at least in terms of its roster. A couple of years later, with strategic reinforcements, Magnitka would dominate everyone, but even then, it was already a formidable force, boasting players like the Koreshkov brothers, Sergei Gomolyako, Sergei Osipov, Dmitry Popov, Andrey Kudinov, and other great masters (their defensive line was particularly strong), all brought in by the most ambitious Russian club with championship aspirations.

Salavat`s roster appeared considerably weaker, and Rafail Ishmatov`s team`s seventh-place finish after the second stage indicated that reaching the medals would be much harder than before. In the regular championship, Salavat lost to Magnitka twice. In the playoff semifinals, the bronze medal contenders were defeated by Yaroslavl Torpedo and Togliatti Lada, respectively – Salavat in two games, Magnitka in three. The question remained: who had stronger motivation for the consolation final?

After the first encounter, it seemed Magnitka desired the medals more; the visitors returned from Ufa with a 4-3 victory, needing only to secure success at home. However, Belousov`s charges underestimated the formidable form of Ufa`s line: Denis Afinogenov-Rail Muftiev-Alfred Yunusov. It was Yunusov who opened the scoring in Ufa, and he also assisted Muftiev when the hosts narrowed the gap to a minimum in the final minutes.

I commentated live on TV from the I.Kh. Romazan Ice Palace for both return matches in Magnitogorsk on April 8th and 9th, 1997 – the first, an “exciting” 0-0 in regulation with Afinogenov`s overtime goal, and the second, which became a showcase for the 36-year-old Yunusov. The home team clearly didn`t expect Salavat to put up such a fight. Magnitka hadn`t yet developed a “killer instinct” and only reacted to a 0-2 deficit, caused by an early Yunusov goal, at the beginning of the second period, turning the game around to 3-2 within three minutes. But there was no sign whatsoever of the visitors giving up. Zyuzin equalized, Plotnikov put the guests ahead again, and even Gomolyako`s late equalizer couldn`t calm the Magnitogorsk fans.

Then came Yunusov`s moment, his minute of glory. Throughout the game, he relentlessly tormented the formidable home defense, proving omnipresent despite being the “oldest” player on the ice. It was no coincidence that fate presented him with an overtime opportunity, which Yunusov seized brilliantly. The goal seemed to materialize out of nowhere, from an almost empty space, but the veteran, perhaps desiring it more than anyone, put everything into that decisive shot. To say that what happened in the 67th minute was a shock for Magnitogorsk fans would be an understatement. Indeed, it was this bronze epic that truly revealed Alfred Yunusov to the wider hockey community as a great master. As for Bashkiria, it goes without saying – the architect of Salavat`s third bronze became a club legend.

If only everyone could “play out their career” like Yunusov, who concluded his tenure with Bashkortostan`s main team on the cusp of his 40th birthday. But he didn`t stop there; as a player-coach, he continued to play for Salavat-2, scoring his last goals at 41 – ten goals were on his account in the 2001/2002 season.

Alongside such a master, his young teammates matured – the very ones who, under Sergei Mikhalyov, would go on to win Salavat`s first championship in the season before the KHL launched. Alfred Asfanovich Yunusov, having established himself as head coach of Salavat-2, was then given a completely new assignment: to become head coach in Neftekamsk and elevate the local Toros team. Coincidentally, around the time Yunusov and his associates arrived, Toros acquired its own ice palace. That Toros became a top-tier club by second-echelon standards is entirely to the credit of Asfanych and his colleagues. It was a young team that needed to not only gain experience but also to establish a system organizationally and instill a winning mentality in the players. In the formation of Toros, Yunusov, with his professionalism, high human qualities, and ability to fine-tune processes, played an enormous role. The fact that the team from the city of Bashkir oil workers rose to leading positions in the higher league by the end of the 2010s was, to a certain extent, predictable, because the “Neftekamsk project” could serve as an example for much larger centers. This all happened because the city was fortunate to have such dedicated hockey people.

By 2010, when Neftekamsk secured its first silver medal, Alfred Yunusov was no longer the head coach of Toros, yet his influence on the team`s progress remained paramount. This can be attested to by Vasily Chizhov and his successor as head coach, Ruslan Suleymanov. The Suleymanov-Yunusov tandem led Toros to two Bratina Cups in 2012 and 2013. For Alfred Asfanovich, this was akin to a heroic feat, as he was simultaneously battling a severe illness daily. In his final season, he worked relentlessly, guiding Toros to victory in the regular championship and finishing the season with a silver medal. Only then did he step down, having fulfilled his duty to the very end. Toros claimed its third championship without the legend. “His respect from athletes, colleagues, and people close to the sport was immense, his authority impeccable” (from a Toros club press release).

A glorious but short life, almost entirely dedicated to hockey; the life of a hard worker, modest by many traditional standards, yet wholly devoted to his beloved craft. That is why Alfred Yunusov is remembered with such warmth. Let us remember him too.

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