- Igor, after all, even the season has not started yet, and you are already going to the Netherlands for a friendly match with the national team. Is he really needed?
- I take it calmly. Not the players, after all, make such decisions. This is a matter for the leadership of the national team - the coaching staff, the RFU. As far as I know, this is the last test before the European Championship qualifying round match. There will be no harm in the fact that we will meet once again, see each other, make connections, talk.
“But will you not be killed for the sake of victory in Amsterdam?”
- Entering the field, any team strives to win. And what will happen there ... I’m sure that no one will play after the sleeves. Another question is that everyone has different readiness for this match.
- Spartakman Yegor Titov says that he just wants to visit the Amsterdam Arena, he really likes it. Have you ever played in this stadium?
- No Unfortunately. Those clubs for which I played did not play very often in European competitions. So the foreign arenas that I have ever been able to enter can be counted on the fingers. I definitely have not been to Amsterdam.
- But have you heard about this stadium?
- Yes. They say that this is almost the best stadium in the world. It will be interesting to see and feel the atmosphere.
- Have you studied the composition of the Dutch team?
- Not. But the Dutch have a strong team from year to year. I am sure that the match with the Russian team will not be an exception. In any case, it will not be easy for us.
- Let's talk about club affairs. Tell us what Dynamo will appear in this championship? You have some strange changes happening.
- This year we will be a "dark horse." Yes, I agree, everyone is at a loss - Dynamo no longer buys star football players, like last year.
- Do not be afraid ...
- (interrupts) No one is afraid of anything, especially after the last championship. A difficult season is coming, not only for us, but for all clubs. There will be many equal teams capable of claiming high places.
- No, it's not about that. Are you not afraid that you will again find yourself in a peculiar analogue of the “Torpedo”? You will be the only star in the team that does not set any tasks.
- As I understand it, Dynamo is going to be reborn. And the manual for this is doing everything possible. Stabilization of the composition, coaching staff. Bet on Russian football players. It will be interesting to participate in such a revival. Indeed, the team over the past 4-5 years has greatly lost its position.
- Wow rebirth. Instead of Smertin and Derley, Kurochkin and Sysuev.
- I think the coaching staff understands that both newcomers will not be able to replace the leaders in the near future. There are other players for this. Kurochkin and Sysuev - perspective. No need to dramatize the situation. Everyone thinks that instead of Smertin and Derley, no one came. But it is not so. Our composition is fairly even. Pimenov and Karpovich added. Yes, and the selection is not yet complete.
- The club is definitely getting rid of high-paying players. Maybe they were going to attach you to another team?
“Am I highly paid?”
- Yes. Especially now, when the most expensive have left.
- I do not think that Dynamo is specifically getting rid of those who receive a lot of money. It just happened that way - I'm talking about the departure of Smertin and Derley. Maybe they themselves wanted to leave the team.
“But there were no conversations with you?”
- It seems that they are still counting on me. At the end of last season, I talked with both the coach and the CEO. They said that there is interest from me, there are proposals, but they want to see me at Dynamo. True, it was at the end of the season, but as of now, I don’t know.
- It's good that there was interest.
- They say it was. But I have a valid contract. In general, I do not dwell on this. Everything is in the hands of the club.
Alexey Shevchenko