Due to injury, the Russian national team midfielder Alexei Smertin will not be able to withdraw the first team of the country as a captain, although her coach Guus Hiddink counted and continues to count on him as a football player with experience playing in France and England. By the way, the French period still plays a significant role in Alexey’s life and football career, so Smertin’s conversation with Alexander Shmurnov and Mikhail Melnikov did not go without stories about him.
- Your first impressions of the national team, of the figure of Hiddink?
- It is difficult to judge for the reason that I was not in the team because of problems with the meniscus. I arrived at the base, talked with Hiddink. I knew him in absentia: it was very nice to hear his voice on the phone when he called and inquired about my health.
- Was there any formal invitation?
- I would say an informal invitation, consent from Hiddink, from Borodyuk. And I gladly came. But what’s interesting: after moving to Russia, I began to communicate less by telephone with those guys whom I called from England, not to mention meetings. And it would seem that we live nearby. For example, Dima Khokhlov and Semak have the same situation. When Semak played for Paris Saint-Germain, they called up periodically, and when Semak came to Moscow, they met. And now it turns out that everyone has their own concerns. It’s very difficult to make time.
In short, I arrived at the base, talked with the guys, with the leadership, watched the training, the process itself, noticed the excitement that reigned in Bor in connection with the arrival of a new coach. It was a great workout and a great atmosphere.
- You had an idea that they might not call for training?
- I have not been called to the camp before because I had an injury. If I am not mistaken, there was an initial list, which included the same Egor Titov. But due to an injury, he was not invited to the training camp. As I understand it, the same situation is with me, if I'm not mistaken, of course. Since I myself had not trained yet, at that moment, of course, it was ridiculous to wait for some kind of invitation. Although a new coach came, a new era, but I did not have such a fear that this time they would not cause.
- How do you feel: how much more can you play for the national team?
- Oliver Kahn believes that he can play up to 56 years. And then for youthful still ... You can give an example of Beckham, who is now not called. Incidentally, he recently announced that he wants to get ahead of Shilton in the number of matches for the national team. And Shilton 130 with something matches spent. Beckham is now 31 years old, he is my peer. He played 90 matches, if not mistaken. Imagine, he hoped to play more than 40 matches in a few years, thereby overtaking Shilton.
Well, McLaren did not call him now. Maybe still cause. And then it is not known how long this coach will hold out at the helm. And 31 years is not the age when you can talk about sunset. Another thing is injuries.
- We ask because there are reverse examples. Here is Dado Prsho, who plays for the Rangers and who, incidentally, is not much older than you and Beckham, said that he would no longer play for the national team. And the federation agreed with his decision. Do you have such thoughts yet?
- Not. Moreover, maybe this expression is getting tired, but I am proud that I play for Russia, and I am ready to come, and not just come, but be useful and win. This is not some kind of posturing, but an inner feeling.
- In addition to being less likely to communicate with Aldonin and other guys, what else has changed in your life upon your return?
- Much. It’s one thing, when you come as a certain tourist for several days, literally every minute everything is planned out, and it is these plans that include meetings with those people with whom I can’t see each other right now. And now I am an ordinary layman, a resident of the city of Moscow. No need to think about when you have a plane and when to go to the airport. You live a normal life.
Naturally, this leaves its mark. I am faced with the routine that any citizen faces. The same traffic jams in Moscow, which I just can’t get used to.
For the family, I think this adaptation process will be delayed because they later came to Russia. My son Vlad had to finish his studies at school in England. And then his vacation began, and they went to rest in France, in Bordeaux.
“Is there anything left in Bordeaux?”
- A small house on the coast, where we go to sunbathe, eat oysters and generally indulge in gluttony.
“Is this also your native place?” You are now a citizen of the world, do you have many native places?
- For me, really Bordeaux is a native place. I recently spent three days there. And my heart bleeds, of course.
- Which of the players there had a restaurant that you went to together? Lusland, it seems?
“Yes, at Lasland.” This restaurant is wildly popular with Bordeaux. Lasland has found its niche. His restaurant is not far from the place where marijuana is smoked. And when they smoke it, you always feel hungry. Here they come to Lasland. But he also has a wonderful kitchen.
- Bordeaux is a port city, and therefore these bad habits, right?
- There was a port city. Well, maybe the habits have remained.
There are also Dugarri restaurants. He is constantly there. In the place where we go, the scythe between the ocean and the bay of Argasho. Oyster province, one might say. So, things are worse with Dugarry, he, in my opinion, opened a third restaurant, and in no way does business go on.
- The last reference point in Russia for you is Dynamo. And we have to talk about Dynamo. The feeling is strange: the players were gathered that last year were upscale, that this year - and nothing came of it. Why?
- I have my opinion on this. Another thing is whether to talk about it. One thing I can say: all factors influence the result, the successful performance of a team. I also mean details that seem insignificant at first glance, although, in my opinion, there are no trifles in football. I was convinced of this in England, where everything is clearly organized, perfect infrastructure.
I understand very well that Dynamo is undergoing some reform, the leadership is changing, the coaches are changing. In this regard, the base is frozen. They began to build it, but at some point the work was stopped. The team lives in Novogorsk not in the best conditions, although we are very welcome there. Here is one, for example, of the reasons. I think that there are many reasons, and “thanks” they are not able to achieve the result that the club was counting on at the beginning of the season. Arriving at Dynamo, I saw cool players who must, at least at the Russian level, compete successfully and win medals. But, unfortunately, this does not happen.
- How do you react to this? You are tearing your hair out or you think: okay, I got a salary - okay ... What do the players in the team say to each other?
- By the way, about the salary ... It is known that the salary was delayed, it was not paid for several months. I can assume what the Russian football player thinks about it, although he himself never faced a delay in salaries, no matter where he played (and changed a lot of clubs). But you can’t get into the head of the same foreigner from South America. Maybe he needs to solve some problems. The delay in salary in any case leaves some imprint on the game. Those days when naked enthusiasm were played have sunk into oblivion. You can speak like that for the national team, for the club, but not systematically. In any case, this is reflected in the football player’s subconscious.
But this is only one of the reasons, and how many I have already named them. Therefore, Yuri Pavlovich Semin really had a difficult task, it remained to rely on the ambition of each player.
- And what, ambition was not enough?
- Yes, apparently not enough.
- Yuri Pavlovich worked in France, in England, knows the European club level. Was it interesting for you to work with him as a professional?
- I can’t say no, I respect him as a coach, as a person. In any case, it is incorrect to say bad things about a person, especially in the back, after leaving.
- We do not urge to criticize, just want to hear how your day is built abroad, and how here. Are there any fundamental differences?
- The differences are large, but it did not depend on Yuri Pavlovich, it generally depends on the concept of Russian coaches, which is preached here from year to year. They cannot assemble a team in an hour and a half, as in England, at the stadium, if only for the reason that in Moscow you will not gather anyone in an hour and a half. Someone can walk on foot in 15 minutes, while someone can get in just ten hours. It is very difficult here, in Russia, to preach the principle that is preached from year to year, from generation to generation in the same England. Mourinho, when he came to Chelsea, wanted to assemble a team the day before the game at the hotel. He was told: "This is not done here, they are not used to it." They explained to him that the team was being assembled on the day of the game.
“Are the Portuguese used to it?”
- The Portuguese are used to it. The French are used to gathering the day before, but the British are not. As a result, the Chelsea players began to collect four hours before the match, which in principle is considered very unusual ... In the same “Portsmouth” or “Charlton” collect for an hour and a half. There was such an incident before the game with Totenham: they blocked the road, and I had to cross all of London to get to Charlton Stadium. I had time right to set up the coach: I went into the locker room and, listening to the coach, quickly changed clothes, and as soon as he finished, I immediately jumped out to warm up. We played well at that time, but, unfortunately, lost 0: 2.
- Interesting story. It's hard to imagine here.
- It is unrealistic to imagine and transfer it to Russian football. Therefore, Yuri Pavlovich Semin has a typical approach to the training process. He is not good, not bad - just a normal approach. Moreover, the fees are due to the fact that our climatic conditions are not the same as in Europe, of course, we need to prepare more, we cannot meet the three summer months.
- More foreigners complain: but we are not allowed to listen to music in the locker room! Or, let's say, the players in Argentina are used to laughing and telling jokes during training, but here you have to sit with a serious face and listen to the coach’s setup for two hours. They do not understand why. Football is a joyful thing, but here, in Russia, everything is too serious.
- Most of the coaches we have are Russian. Leaving Russia in 2000, I did not see a single foreigner in the team. Chuise was one of the first, first he played in Chornomorets, then in Spartak. Then in the same “Spartacus” appeared Robson. This is the first galaxy of foreigners. Yes, the trainers are not yet used to, apparently, working with such a large number of foreigners, with such a diverse composition, people of various nations, religions ... even eating habits. And the legionnaires themselves, by the way, have long been accustomed to this.
- Do you think we need legionnaires, we need to adopt something from them, is such an international useful for the development of Russian football?
- I am for foreigners. Very good players are coming now, it is clear that they are really professional in their work. Confirmation of this is the successful game of CSKA. I do not want to belittle the professional advantages of Russian football players, but mostly Brazilians score in CSKA. Dynamo haven't scored much, but Derley is still scoring.
I believe that foreigners contribute a lot to our football, and it only benefits from this. Russian football players have the opportunity to learn how to play the same way, to be as technical, professional. Indeed, for all the slovenliness of foreigners, they are still quite responsible people on the field.
- In more detail, please, about the slovenliness of foreigners. We seem to be used to the fact that slobs are just what we are.
- I can give an example from my own experience in England. You will never say that John Terry is a slob of slobs. But in everyday life he is like that. When everyone is warming up before the game, he sits thoughtfully, picking his nose ... Mourinho's assistant passes and says that there are ten minutes left before the exit. Terry slowly, listlessly puts on leggings, lazily pulls on his underpants, puts on a T-shirt already on the go and goes out to warm up. But when he appears on the field, this is a completely different person.
Foreigners are able to switch from everyday life, leisure to the game. Football, in their understanding, is work.
For example, I do not understand the position of some players who claim that they enjoy the game. This is hard, hard work. You can then have fun watching the match, dangerous moments, but during the game it is very difficult. But this is my opinion.
I want to close the topic of Russian football, Russian coaches. In no case would I like to talk negatively about them. So a man came from England, France and begins to teach everyone ... I do not want to engage in comparative analysis. I left one championship and came to a completely different one. The level of Russian clubs has really grown, there are great teams, there is competition, that is, what will happen in the championship is not known in advance. Passion has grown, there are surprises. This is wonderful, and I am very glad to be back.
- Let's talk about Alexei Smertin - a man, not a football player. Maybe talk about cooking?
- I’m great at cooking fish. Cooked today. True, I was in a hurry to interview you and ate raw fish. When I put on a shoe in a hurry, and shrimp stuck out in my mouth, my wife said to me: “There is never any hot stuff.”
- Is the fish the best or you love it the most?
- At school, I avoided fish days. Managed to run home and pick up a packed ration. The French say "gourmet gourmet" about a man who eats a lot and eats quality food. So, I became one. I cook a lot myself, maybe for the reason that I stay alone periodically, but I don’t want to eat constantly in the restaurant. I cannot go to a restaurant alone, even if I am hungry, because for me it is already a kind of cult. I can’t eat quickly, I chew thoroughly, and not because it is healthy, but because it is simply delicious. Moreover, after watching how the French eat, you are convinced of this.
In France, everything is so tasty, even the same bread. When I arrive in Bordeaux, I definitely go to the store where the best croissants are prepared. I recently learned that a croissant can only be good if good butter is used. The French have all sorts of rituals: a baguette must be shoved under the arm, and the croissant should be in the package. The French wake up, put on their pants, sit on a bike (and the bike must be old) and go for croissants. We are already in our second year in France, because in the second year (not to mention the third) we forgot about Russian food. The only thing that Larisa’s wife continued to cook was pies. We moved on to practical food, but it was delicious anyway. In fact, it’s not me who cooks, but the machine that cooks, and I only buy good, high-quality products. At the same time, the process itself satisfies me, even makes me happy.
- But what about the diet?
- This is precisely what is connected with the diet, because I like to cook the same fish, the same meat, salad ... I will invite you for sure.
- Thank. And who will you become after your career - a coach or, perhaps, a restaurateur?
- No, probably a musician. Most recently I bought a guitar, and we need to start playing it. Very good teachers picked up. This is Victor Zinchuk, who wants to show me the first three chords. This is Dima Revyakin from the Kalinov Bridge group, with whom I went to choose a guitar.
- Do you have musical roots?
- No, I just have a love for modern music.
- What did you change your hair style, where did your long hair go?
“It's harder to look after, and then that time has passed.” I once had a period of motorcycle enthusiasm. I remembered the old Ural, which I drove with my grandfather in the village, and wanted to buy a motorcycle. Especially in Bordeaux they treated me so loyally that they allowed me to acquire this miracle. I traveled on it for a year, moved to England, looked at the weather, and this passion passed.
There was long hair. I now look back and think: why did I go for so long with long hair? And then it seemed so cool!
- You obviously will not be lost, since you have so many hobbies.
“But you have to be professional in something.”
- You are already a professional, many consider you the best football player in a huge country.
- Thank.