Valentin Gavrilovich Ivakin (26 March 1930 – 24 November 2010) was a Soviet football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 goalkeeper

Goalkeeper (football)

In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...

 and manager.

Playing career

Valentin Ivakin was born in Uryupinsk

Uryupinsk

Uryupinsk is a town in Volgograd Oblast, Russia, situated northwest of Volgograd on the Khopyor River. It serves as the administrative center of Uryupinsky District, although administratively it is separate from the district...

. At the age of 17 without former training in football he joined the local football club Pishevik. In 1952 he was sent for military service to Riga

Riga

Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...

, Latvian SSR

Latvian SSR

The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...

 where he won the Latvian Higher League title and the Latvian Cup playing with AVN Riga

FK ASK

FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...

. After the season Ivakin was selected to join Daugava Riga - the top football club in Soviet Latvia. Over two seasons he played 32 matches for Daugava, showing impressive performances which led to him being transferred to one of the top Soviet clubs - CDKA Moscow. In 1957 he moved to another top Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

 side - Spartak Moscow

FC Spartak Moscow

FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...

 with which he won the Soviet Top League

Soviet Top League

The Soviet Top League since 1970 was officially known as the Supreme League serving as the top division of Soviet Union football since 1936.It was one of the best football leagues in Europe ranking second among the UEFA members in 1988-1989 seasons...

 gold in 1958 and 1962, in addition to the Soviet Cup

Soviet Cup

The Soviet Cup, or USSR Cup , was the premier football cup competition in the Soviet Union.-Finals:-Performance by club:-Performance by republic:-References:*, rsssf.com. Accessed on 16 May 2006....

 in 1958. At the age of 32 Ivakin had to leave Spartak as it was a usual practice in Soviet football to force footballers to retire at the age of 31-32, however Ivakin moved to FC Shinnik Yaroslavl

FC Shinnik Yaroslavl

FC Shinnik Yaroslavl is a Russian football club, based in Yaroslavl.From 1957 to 1960 the team was called Khimik.- Russia:- Current squad :, according to the .-Out on loan:- Notable players :...

 with which he played until 1967. Ivakin also played one international match for USSR national football team

USSR national football team

The Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...

 - in a 1-0 victory against China

China national football team

The China PR national football team is the national association football team of the People's Republic of China and is governed by the Chinese Football Association...

 in 1959.

Coaching career

Upon retiring from playing Ivakin was appointed club director of Shinnik Yaroslavl. In later years he mostly worked with young footballers in Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

, his only experience coaching a senior club was in 1979 when he was the head coach of second league club FC Spartak Ryazan

FC Spartak Ryazan

FC Spartak Ryazan was a Russian football team from Ryazan. It played professionally in 1949 and from 1959 to 1999. It played on the second-highest level in 1949, 1959-1962, 1968 and 1992-1993...

. From 1986 to 1987 he coached the USSR U-21 national team. He was the first coach of Dmitri Kombarov

Dmitri Kombarov

Dmitri Vladimirovich Kombarov is a Russian footballer who plays for FC Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League. He is an identical twin brother of Kirill Kombarov.- Career :...

 and Kirill Kombarov

Kirill Kombarov

Kirill Vladimirovich Kombarov is a footballer currently playing for FC Spartak Moscow. He is an identical twin brother of Dmitri Kombarov. He is a skillful right-sided attacking midfielder, but often plays a right defender.- Career :...

.