Handballtransfert presents the Ukrainian goalkeeper Bogdan Klepa who is currently on the transfer market, looking for a new challenge.
Hello Bogdan, for our many readers can you introduce yourself ?
Hello to everyone. My name is Bogdan Klepa. I’m 27 years old and I am from Ukraine.
You have an atypical path to say the least after having spent several years in Ukraine, notably on the side of Burevestnik Lugansk then the ZTR Zaporozhye, then you decided to join Finland. Why this choice ?
I play a handball seams I was 10 years old. I start at the ZTR handball school. There I become an a goalkeeper. At the age of 18 played for junior team and also for the Ukrainian youth team (U-18 ; U-20 ; U-21) . To raise my professional skills, I’ve decided to change a team to (Burevestnik Lugansk), which was playing at that time in the highest Ukrainian league. After a successful season, I was invited back to the ZTR.
Unfortunately it wasn’t much of the game time for me. So after the season was over, I made a decision to change the club. I was young goalkeeper, but I always had an ambition to get more of game time and grow as a player. So I start to search for a handball club in Europe. Because there I could see more opportunity. I send all my information to a different handball clubs. And eventually I receive an answer from the Finnish club HIFK, Helsinki. Where I spend a quite good 2 seasons and got a lot of game time. Also had to play in the Slovak club "HC START " Nove Zamky. After end of the contract there. I went to Ukraine, where in the summer I received an invitation to come back to Finland. But now to a famous local club BK-46. In which I am at the moment already spend 3 seasons in a row.
Can you give us your feelings on the level of this championship, as well as Finnish handball ?
What can I say about handball in Finland ? Well I think every year it’s become more and more popular. Also teams become stronger with a good approach to their sport. My team is located in Karis. It’s a small town, but with a very long handball history. Everything residents of this city in some ways connected to handball. It’s like a family tradition for them. That’s why I love this city.
What are your sporting and personal goals this season ?
As for this season we have made a great achievement already in this season and we won the Finnish Cup 2019. This is a great achievement for the team in recent time. Last time BK-46 won the cup in 2006. In the Finnish championship we are still on a 2nd place. But just one point behind from the first place. But it’s only half of the season. In April the playoff will begin. And I think we have all the chances to win a Finnish championshi. It’s great to live and play a handball in Finland. But every year my ambitions are growing.
Any plans for next season ? Have you had any proposals for extensions or from other clubs ?
I am now 27 years old. And for the last 3 years, I have been playing at a consistently good level. I feel that it’s time to take a step forward in my career.
Of course I would like to play in the strongest leagues in Europe and for that I need to move on. At the moment there are no offers from other clubs. But I am open for discussing my further in this game .
For what reasons, did you decide to use HandballTransfert ?
I saw HandballTransfert on Facebook and decided to chat a little bit with you. And tell my story as a player. So different clubs could learn a little more about me.
Thank you for your time. Best regards.
Discover Bogdan's profile and if you want to contact him, it's here :