- In a person’s life, as a rule, it all starts with the parents. For you, probably, especially. After all, your father - a professional footballer, and then a coach - could not but influence your choice?
- In fact, everyone should make their own choices, at least as was customary in our family. But I nevertheless followed in the footsteps of my father - of course, his example played a big role. And since I made my choice, my father leads me through life and, of course, through football. By the way, he does it with his mother, who is well versed in sports.
- Is it easier when parents understand football, that is, your father, for example, can talk with you both as a father and as a coach?
- I, as you understand, have nothing to compare, in another way I'm not used to. I think it’s even better when your parents talk to you about football and understand what they’re talking about.
- Does this mean that during the discussion of some sports moments, family ties fade into the background? There is an expression "any coach should be able to be tough." Does this also apply to father?
- A coach is a coach on the field, regardless of who you are. In everyday life, of course, everything is different: here the conversation about football will be more thorough and detailed - after all, my own son is nearby.
- Many of the beginning football players are deprived of mentors who could advise what to do and how to behave in a particular game episode. You are more fortunate in this regard. How did your father prepare you for the big football?
- Training began in childhood. At six, my brother and I went to play football, that is, the emphasis was placed on sports. Although we also managed to go to school. A peculiar sports schedule was established over the years, and parents helped in every possible way with the study of some new disciplines.
- Most mothers would be extremely painful for the child to devote himself entirely to sports. Moms usually reason like this: school is first and foremost. And everything turned out differently for you.
- No, why! Nobody was exempting my brother and I from classes, and we tried to keep up with school too. But in order to skip training because of the lessons, this was definitely not the case.
- That is, the final choice in favor of sports was made with the participation of parents?
- Yes, and I think it is not without reason. Apparently, our sporting successes were noticeable. And often it happens that parents, not seeing a particular forward movement, try to reorient their child from sports to something else.
- Which of you was the first to understand that it is in football that you can succeed: are you or are you parents? When did it happen?
- Probably, this happened when we lived in the Czech Republic. There, very good conditions were created for our athletic growth. We can say that we practically lived on the football field. We already played for the local team along with the older guys and stood out from the rest on the positive side. Although I will not say that then we played at a high level. And upon returning to Russia, it became clear that we needed to grow and change something. We started by changing the football school, and then everything was completely spinning, and I realized that I can’t live without football anymore. Although before the trip to the Czech Republic I did not build any grandiose plans related to football.
- Was your trip to the Czech Republic a kind of sports trip? So you went to learn to play football in good conditions?
- No, it just so happened that my father played for the Czech team at that time, and the whole family moved to live there. The team that my father played for was from a small town, and we were settled in a house allocated specially for visiting football players. He was almost next to the stadium. We even had windows overlooking the football field. It all started with the fact that we played with local guys, then we were spotted and taken into a team, for which we opposed clubs from neighboring cities. There were no strict age restrictions, and my brother and I played in a team with the guys born in 1983, although we were younger than them. As for the conditions, the fields there were gorgeous. It is a pleasure to play on such.
- Now you are a professional. Do you still have the feeling that just going on the field and hitting the ball is happiness, and not just work?
- Of course. For example, every day I think how lucky I am: I can do my favorite thing. And for this you can thank fate. You go out onto the field, you see the fans, and you feel good. But with regard to support, here our fans are a little behind European fans. That is, during a key game, the stadium can be jam-packed, and in other games there will be few people.
A lot also depends on the mood and mood for the game. When you go to a good field in clear weather, you see full stands - this is one thing. But it happens differently. The stands are empty, the rain is pouring - who will like it? But even then you understand that this is your favorite thing - you go out onto the field and give yourself completely to football.
- From this point of view, is it more pleasant to play in European competitions?
- Not only. In the central matches of the championship of Russia, too. Although it is precisely with the fans that Lokomotiv has no problems. Each game supports us powerfully and in a modern way, including banners and chants.
- Now they say a lot about the fact that the central matches of the Russian Premier League, CSKA - Spartak or Lokomotiv - CSKA, are close in level to the games of the best European teams. Do you agree with that?
- Probably, it is slightly far-fetched. Although one always wants to believe that everything will be fine, there is always something to strive for. For example, CSKA is now very confidently playing in the Champions League. I would not say that Spartak was very bad. It’s just that the red and white had a long Euro Cup stagnation, for which they slightly increased the champions spirit. Need to constantly evolve. Take, for example, the Bremen Werder Bremen. The team started not so hot, but now what football in the Champions League shows! I would like to believe that Russian clubs playing in European competitions will not face their face.
- “Lokomotiv” just flew out of the UEFA Cup, although after the first match against “Zulte Waregem” the impression was that the level of teams is very different that you can win both 7-0 and 10-0. What is the reason for the failure?
- The first match we played confidently, but everything broke the goal in the last minutes, which served us as a punishment for the game laxity. Although this happens not for the first time. We already had a similar negative experience with both Rapid and Workers. It seems that this is some kind of evil rock “Locomotive” - fly out due to unnecessary and optional goals. In the second match it would have been much easier to play, if we had implemented at least three 100% scoring chances. But it didn’t work out. We were not in the best mood for the game, and the line of attack lacked aggression.
- In the second match with the Belgians, several key players of the team did not take part. If Muslin’s resignation is the result of a failure in the UEFA Cup, can it be said that it was his decision that predetermined the outcome of the confrontation?
- Now Lokomotiv is a team with a status that is still significantly higher than Zulte Waregem. In my opinion, even in the absence of several key players, the Loko players who participated in the match should have been head and shoulders stronger than their rivals. Nevertheless, it didn’t work out well. There was some kind of wrong attitude, a misunderstanding between the players.
- The resignation of Slavolyub Muslin was predetermined only by the result in the UEFA Cup?
- When the team was introduced to the new head coach, they explained Muslin’s resignation in this way - failure in the European Cup.
- Recently there was an episode when Oleg Dolmatov, who had played three matches with Lokomotiv at that time, said he did not know who was on the penalty spot. Can you say now that the players and the head coach have a complete understanding?
- I think now is a period when there is neither time, nor opportunity to radically change the game, break it. Now, for the most part, we use game schemes that were familiar to us from working with Muslin. That is, there are no global changes, but, of course, there are some small nuances. In any case, such events do not pass without a trace and the consequences are still felt. I believe that now the main task of the entire Lokomotiv team is to take points from rivals in all matches. After all, it is clear that the team has not played its game for the past three or four rounds. And, probably, certain changes occur not only within the team, but also within each player.
- Two words about the unfortunate unbroken penalty kick in the goal of Dynamo. Did you agree before the match, who will come to a point if necessary?
- No, I just told Loskov: "Dima, let me hit." He replied: “Go beat.” As you know, the initiative is punishable. Which is what happened.
- The partners then reproached you for not being able to realize the one-meter?
- No, this year Loskov did not score either, and Evseev. Another thing is that even without reproaches it is clear that he is 100% to blame for himself. I wanted to do the best, climbed - and it didn’t work out.
- By the way, in Lokomotiv it is customary to pronounce each other for mistakes on the field? Does the team have an element of hazing when veterans teach young people?
- No, it’s not customary for us to allow older and experienced ones to infringe on or “strangle” younger ones. Dialogue is another matter. You need to tell each other as often as possible. If the players on the field are silent - the game is half ruined. On the field you need to talk and prompt more often, then everyone - and you and the partners - will always be in good shape. Even if someone shouts at you, it can be beneficial - you will start up and play better.
- Can you yell at someone on the field?
- Certainly can. In principle, this can be done by any player. The main thing is not to cross a line, for example, not to stoop to insults. Then all these cries are quickly forgotten.
- It seems that in Lokomotiv the atmosphere of unity has reigned for years. Players change, but the atmosphere remains. Is it really?
- Unfortunately, it seems to me that this is what the team is missing most of all now. There is no integrity, cohesion, charge on the game. It would seem, here it is, first place: fight, get it, show what you want and you can win. But something is missing. We can’t tune in properly. And now, at the end of the championship, the mood for the game is the key to success. Attitude, attack (in the good sense of the word). And when this is not enough, it is very difficult to achieve a result. And it turns out offensive misfires - as is the case with the same "Zulte Waregem."
- Is there a position on the field that makes you more comfortable playing? If you need to close the entire edge, can you handle it?
- First of all, everything depends on the coach and the requirements that he makes. In today's Lokomotiv, the edge is closed by extreme defenders, and we play with Marat Izmailov in the position of insiders. Although, if necessary, I can close the edge. And I can shift to the center - the first games as part of Lokomotiv I played just in the position of a defensive midfielder.
- You tried yourself as a player of the Russian national team. What did you manage to do for the team and what didn’t?
- I have not yet fully revealed. The first experience in the team was under Yuri Pavlovich Semin, and now under Guus Hiddink I play in a different position, completely unusual. It is determined by a minimum of creativity and a maximum of dependence on partners. I have not had time to get used to it yet.
- Would you like the model of the national team to repeat the model of Lokomotiv?
- Of course. With your usual partners and in your position, playing is much freer and more comfortable than by an unusual scheme.
- Do you agree with the opinion that the Russian team needs to use the defense along with the goalkeeper from CSKA, the middle line of Lokomotiv and the forwards from Zenit?
“I think that for the most part this is someone's wish, no more.” There is a head coach who has his own vision of events on the field. There should be tapes with the recording of the games of the potential opponent. And, starting from certain game episodes, only the coach can choose a player for any position according to his role and form.
Alexander Shmurnov and Alexei Andronov ( Gazeta ) spoke with the midfielder of Moscow Lokomotiv and the Russian team