- For how long have you signed a contract with Fulham?
- For two and a half years.
- Did Moscow Dynamo receive any compensation for this transition?
- I think it is better to ask Dynamo this question.
- Already on Friday you were not in Moscow. When did you sign the contract?
- On Saturday. And he immediately went to the match of his new team. Fulham played for the FA Cup with Stoke City and won 3-0. And on Friday, I really landed in London and even managed to practice.
- Not having signed the contract yet?
- Yes. But the lesson was individual. That is, I worked separately with a specialist in physical training, because without a contract I had no right to train with the other players. At Fulham, they were supposed to evaluate my physical condition. I haven’t been playing football for two months. I went through several tests, then I was taken to the gym and allowed to work with the ball.
- I heard that you temporarily stayed in London with friends.
- Not. He rented a hotel room. By the way, not far from these very acquaintances - a family of businessmen who have long since moved to London from Russia.
- And when will you find permanent housing?
- In England, two options are accepted: either the club helps to search for a house, or you are looking for yourself. I’ll probably find it myself.
“Tomorrow Fulham is playing with Sheffield.” Did you just get to the pre-match training session?
- We were divided into two groups: the main one, which will enter the field, and the rest ... Of course, I was among the "rest". Spent an easy short job, very dynamic.
- Fulham coach Chris Coleman seems to be the youngest Premier League coach so far?
“Also from Wales.” He remembered our famous game with his compatriots in Cardiff. I didn’t even forget that I played there as a defender. What am I - Viktor Onopko remembered! Says: you had such a guy ...
- What is the goal of Fulham this season?
- In England, any place is worth its weight in gold, because depending on the final position, the club receives prize money. Even in the contracts of the players of "Fulham" there is a clause about additional bonus in case of falling into the top ten. But I want to take a place above the tenth.
- For that, they probably bought you ...
- Of course. I read in Coleman’s interview that he counts on me as an opornik who can move forward and drop into the center of defense, as sometimes in the Russian team. So I will definitely strengthen the team.
- Why did you choose Fulham?
- Why not? This is a strong middle peasant Premier League with an ambitious coach. And it is located very conveniently - in the Chelsea area. And most importantly - this is the London club! There were suggestions from Wigan. “Newcastle” still surfaced, “Charlton” ... But after the struggle for survival in Russia, I did not want the same problems in England.
- How are Welshman training different from classes, for example, Portuguese?
- In Chelsea there was a European approach to training, in Fulham it was purely British. You can talk about this for a long time. Well, for example, at Fulham, even the daily routine is not the same as Mourinho’s: a day off is given in the middle of the work week. This is in the tradition of the British school.
“Is Fulham's training base inferior to Chelsea’s luxury?”
- On the contrary. The Chelsea base is in unfinished condition. There are still working temporary huts there. So in this sense, Fulham is no worse.
- Strongly lost in salary as a result of this transfer?
- I will not talk about this. In the situation that developed in Dynamo, I was ready to consider any option that would appear on the horizon. And they appeared. Now the Dynamo leadership has set more modest tasks than a year ago, when a group of good players with ambitions came to the club. The current leaders objectively assess the situation and understand that there is no need to fight for survival, but you should also forget about high places.
- Was there a moment when you wanted to leave Dynamo anywhere?
- If there were proposals from France, for example, I would consider them. But the English clubs voted, and immediately went to negotiate. After all, I have so many friends and acquaintances in England! Sasha Gleb, for example. Or singer Brian Ferry, whom I met at a social gathering.
“Are you happy to be back in England?”
- I am happy that I returned to English football. No more. England is not my country. My country is Russia.
- Offended that Hiddink did not invite to a match with the Dutch?
- I would not want to talk about the national team.
“But would you like to return there over time?”
- Let's not talk about it ...
Anton OTKIDACH