In a country with an internal brake
- How many years have passed since you settled in Estonia?
“Actually, I've been here all my life.” He played for Tallinn Dynamo. Here he began his coaching career. But, since returning from Russia, two years have passed. And even then I live according to the schedule: a week in Tallinn - a week in Moscow.
- And what kind of football do you have to watch in Estonia?
- I have already seen two full championships. And I can say that there are only four standing teams in it: Levadia, TFMK, Flora and Trans. The rest is a completely different song, the level of the second league of Russia, if not lower. There is a UEFA recommendation that there are ten clubs. That’s why you have to keep explicit outsiders in the top division. But they love football in the country, surprisingly. Still, the Baltic states is considered a basketball region. And Estonian historians have lately been trying to prove that there was no football in their country. There is clearly a problem with history here - this is clear to everyone.
- Do not say: they are going to demolish the monument to the soldier-liberator.
- Exactly. My attitude to this, like any normal person: you can’t touch the monuments. In 90, during the World Cup in Italy, our delegation was taken with tours of Rome. Among other things, the monuments of the times of Mussolini were shown. The KGB officers on the bus asked, “Why weren't they demolished? This is fascism! ”“ This is our story. Whatever it is, we must remember it, ”the guide’s response disarmed them.
- Are Russians really hard in life in Estonia?
- At the household level, I do not feel any problems. I am a citizen of Russia, in Estonia I have a residence permit. However, I do not know the Estonian language - why do I need it? Never before have I had any problems because of this. Everywhere they want to make money, they speak Russian. True, I once went into a zucchini where a very young girl was a waitress. She could not say anything in Russian. But when I left her a good tip, seeing me off, she shouted “thank you” to the whole establishment in pure Russian. And this story with the monument is the affairs of politicians on the eve of the election. If they do not remind of themselves, they will be forgotten 24 hours after the last appearance on the TV. By the way, Estonia has an important quality for a small country - to remind itself. Like rapists: they jump out, make a painful shot and go back to defense.
- How plausible are the stories of Estonian slowness?
- Each country has features. Estonians like to think. But honestly, there is nothing wrong with that. It would be better if we thought longer, but would make the right decisions. Now they plan to introduce a new law on roads: increase fines tenfold. And well thought, for whom is this done? For those who are driving, or for those who are driving? Russia sometimes lacks an internal brake.
Karpins are not gone
- Is it right to assume that your coaching career has already been completed?
- There is a phrase, not very beautiful, but true: there are no former cops. A coach cannot be a former one either.
- Then what should happen for you to return to coaching practice?
- Interesting offer. So far, I just analyze what is happening in football and watch the development of Levadia, where there are several very promising guys. One of them is Russian Nikita Andreev. Very talented guy. He is from Narva. Therefore, I am 99 percent sure that we will have a new Valery Karpin, only a striker.
- This winter, he was on a viewing at CSKA. Why did not stay in Moscow? Lack of chances for a place in the roster?
- Injury. At the Commonwealth Cup, a Belarusian BATE player broke his two ribs with a powerful blow. Evgeny Giner proposed to leave Andreev in CSKA and be cured, but we decided to take him to our place. So it's not about chances. A footballer - if he is a footballer - always has a chance to break into the base. If Andreev could not do this, he would not have come to CSKA even for a viewing.
- Another large club from Russia - Spartak - has already acquired one gifted player from Estonia - Tarmo Kink. And where is he now?
“At us, in Levadia.” I think he should play, if he changes his attitude towards life. Still, he was in Spartak at the worst period, and they did not give him the right advice. He is already changing it, this attitude, and everything is getting better. Now in the Baltic League I have already scored a couple of goals. By the way, the Baltic League is a new experiment here. The best teams from three countries are divided into groups and play in their free time from their championships. At first, Fedorychev showed interest in the tournament, but then all the banks took over the expenses.
- It looks like a mini-reincarnation of the USSR Championship, which fans have been dreaming of in recent years, hungry for big shows.
- I understand the fans. Anyone who has seen the Union Championship and is now seeing the Champions League will agree: in terms of levels, these are actually equal competitions. To hold a new tournament in parallel with the national championships is a very real idea. If the RFU wants to implement it, I assure you: it will succeed. But while the RFU, apparently, already has enough problems.
Advocacy and advertising
- If you describe Estonian football in one word, then what kind of word will it be?
- The verb "progresses." A pair of parameters to compare. The population of Russia is about 140 million, Estonia - one million three hundred thousand. One, comma, three, as Estonians would say. What place did Russia take in the group in the selection for the 2006 World Cup? The third. Estonia is the fourth. We look at the difference in population. How many new stadiums were built in Russia in the post-union time? Two - Saturn and Lokomotiv. In Estonia - one, “A Le Kock Arena”. Again, look at the difference in population.
- That is, in your opinion, it will not be possible to relax in this match of the Russian team?
- I myself will root for Russia. And God forbid that the match was an easy walk for her. But I doubt it very much. Firstly, the field. It has just snowed recently, and the clearing cannot be perfect. Secondly, Estonians are a strong team playing team football and tuning in to Russia in a special way.
- In a special way?
- For Estonia, this is the most important match in the group stage. Because of the political relationship that we have already talked about. In addition, the resonance: everyone wants to see. And the effect of advertising is of great importance. After a match two years ago, Kruglov became the first Estonian to move to a real super club - Lokomotiv. Many want to repeat his fate. In my opinion, now the main candidate for departure is the midfielder of Levadia Dmitriev. Crazy, by our standards, opornik.
- Dmitry Kruglov for a year and a half did not really play in Russia. Why?
- Not only he did not play. Estonians in Russia, in principle, fail. Why? I can not explain. Here the Opera is now playing in Holland and scoring, albeit not for the leading club - "Rod". He didn’t play Torpedo like that. Maybe because all Estonians are in essence players of team actions and cannot adapt to Russia. Maybe they are treated somehow especially. But they leave for the north of Europe - to Holland, Finland, Norway - and play well there. And with us - well, nothing comes of it. Although Kruglov with the correct work of the coach could play. And Opera is still a striker at the level of Moscow clubs.
- This season, Mart Pome did not play a single match for Arsenal. Is he still the first goalkeeper of the Estonian national team?
- Yes. There is such a thing - a national hero. Poom - everything for Estonian football. He is the most experienced, most famous and most skilled player in this country. He was in the team, is and will be - as long as he plays football. And it doesn’t matter at all that he is the third goalkeeper at Arsenal. His successor, Arthur Kotenko, is a capable guy, but he can only be included in the event of a Pooma injury. As it was in the match between Estonia and Russia two years ago.
Tales of Hiddink
- It’s even scary to imagine how Estonian players worry before this game.
- No, we talked about the internal brake and calm. Another case when such qualities help them.
- Because of what Russia may not win in Estonia?
- Only if there is no dedication. If they think that they are not a team, and will play half-Fedor. This is how CSKA is in the match against Dynamo: 1-0, there are already ten rivals ... How did the match end? 1: 1.
- Guus Hiddink was waiting in the team as a savior. In less than a year, they were disappointed in him.
- Dutch football covered Europe. The local trainers work in the national teams of Russia, Estonia, Poland, Kazakhstan ... Russia has the best of these Dutch. Perhaps the best trainer in the world. But the question is: is Senka a hat? I will not discuss this. I can only say that in childhood my mother read fairy tales to Hans-Christian Andersen and I found out that there is such a wonderful country - Holland.
“So Andersen is a Danish writer.”
- True?
- Well yes. And the monument to his Mermaid stands in Copenhagen, and not in Amsterdam.
- Ugh, chickpeas! He always thought he was Dutch. It even became interesting: I will come to Tallinn - I’ll figure it out.
Yuri DUD, PROsport - specifically for “Sport Today”