On Saturday, Moscow “Locomotive” interrupted its winning streak of nine matches. “Tom”, who came to visit the bronze medalists of the last championship, withstood the railway onslaught and took home a productive draw - 1: 1. One of the symbols of the current “Locomotive” - midfielder Marat Izmailov - entered the field in the second half, further strengthening the fans' confidence that his strained relations with the head coach of the team Slavo Muslin were gradually disappearing. Izvestia correspondent Yuri Zubko met with him.
question: “Locomotive” started the season quite unsuccessfully, now the results are much better. What was the reason for the starting failure?
answer: The fact is that a lot of new players came to us, they didn’t really understand where they were, they didn’t understand Russian football. Maybe they didn’t react to our championship, they were underworking somewhere. A new coach came to us, of course, that he has his own views on football. At one time, I did not fall into the main team, but now this period has already passed, everything is getting better.
Q: Aren't you confused by the number of legionnaires in Lokomotiv?
A: I’ll say a pretty commonplace thing: it all depends on the player. If he is a strong legionnaire, then he helps the team, he raises competition, and if there is an average player who we can grow up, I don’t see much point in his arrival. I think that now that the clubs have a lot of money, if the legionnaires come, their level will be higher than before.
Q: The other day, Guus Hiddink arrived in Moscow. Do you hope that with his help the Russian team will finally be able to achieve something?
A: Our team is played by fairly strong players. Many guys who used to be just considered talented have now moved to the age when the necessary experience has been accumulated. So here you can put together a very strong team. Guus Hiddink is a qualified specialist, if he achieved results with less ambitious teams, then I think he can raise our strength even more. Although, if Yuri Semin had remained at the helm of the main team, the prospects for our team would not have become worse.
Q: Did you manage to see the world championship in Germany?
A: Completely - no, we had fees. But I watched individual games, of course.
Q: Did you root for someone?
A: For the Argentines, I like the players there. And Brazil surprised: probably, not only I expected more from this team.
Q: The removal of Zinedine Zidane was perhaps the most talked about event of the championship. Do you have your own view on this scandal? Who is right, who is to blame?
A: Sitting at home, watching television, it’s hard to evaluate such episodes, but it seems to me that if Materazzi offended Zidane with something, then the Frenchman could prove the Italian was wrong on the football field. Although Zidane can be understood - such a tension, pressure on himself, because all the hopes of the French for this finale were built around him ... It’s just that the man could not stand it, emotions overwhelmed him.
Q: Can you tell me how often you have to deal with insult on the football field?
A : Very often. Wherever the game takes place, players throw a lot of insults at each other. This is part of the game, in my perception at least. Someone says rudeness intentionally, someone in the heat of the fight, but this is a common practice for today's football. Although I understand that for those who play football in the yard, it’s hard to understand ...
Q: By the way, when you were already a Lokomotiv player, you didn’t forget yard football. What is the situation now?
A: I love playing in the yard. If any tournaments of yard teams are held, then I am always ready to participate in them. The main thing is that there should be free time and the coverage suits: if we are talking about artificial or natural grass, then I am always for it!
Q: Do you have any other options to kill leisure activities?
A: I have very little free time, unfortunately. Like any football player. But if the weekend is given, then I try to spend it with my family, sometimes I go to the cinema or theater. I really like the theater. I do not forget about books. Now here, for example, I am reading Theodore Dreiser.
Yuri ZUBKO