In the lobby of the hotel, where the team is located, there are now many Russian fans. They try to express their attitude to the players as soon as they can.
- Guys are good fellows. Tomorrow you need to win. Do you get it? they shouted to players returning from training.
“Understood,” the athletes answered.
By the way, these were the only words of the new captain of the Russian team Andrei Arshavin in recent times. When journalists turn to the person who is now the face of the team, he only shakes his head. Lips tight and funny.
But Arshavin behaves softer with the fans. True, if before class, waiting for the bus, he talked with them, posed and gave autographs, then after that everything changed. There was even a curious scene.
Bystrov, Anyukov and Arshavin took the elevator to the lobby and saw those who considered them idols. Football players got up to their feet. And after a second they made a decision.
“Well, all this,” they said, turned around and drove back.
Those who saw the occupation of the national team, diminished optimism. The fact is that the best was again ... Alexander Borodyuk. When practicing shots on goal after a cross from the flank, only he hit the target. Yes, not just on target, but sent the ball into the “nine”, leaving no chance for the goalkeeper.
- Maybe we put Borodyuk? - the fans laughed. - And let them train, they still can’t play.
Every blow of the former footballer was greeted with applause. And every blow of the current athlete - albeit not with a loud, but with a laugh. Because the balls after their shots flew anywhere, but not into the goal.
Of course, you can refer to the quality of the field. The lawn in the arena is not the best. Now it resembles the field of the Dynamo stadium during the last match of blue and white with CSKA. The penalty is even worse. The Russians were not even allowed there, putting the gate on the penalty line.
The mood of the players spoiled every hour. Suddenly, even the team coach Igor Korneev was capricious.
“You promised an interview.” Has this time come?
Korneev, without answering, ran off to the bus. Kindergarten - and also played abroad.
Guus Hiddink, by the way, spoke much more often than everyone else. But there was little information:
“Aldonin is ready for the match,” he said. - And the field, of course, was not the best.
Then the Dutchman said that he had not yet decided on the composition of the game.
The players were silent. And only thanks to Alexander Borodyuk (he ordered the athlete) Alexander Kerzhakov came down to the press.
- Are you ready for the match?
- What about me? I am ok.
- What can you say about the opponent?
- Yes, they showed us only five minutes of the first half and five minutes of the second half of the game in St. Petersburg. They didn’t see anything else.
Somehow scary for this team.
Alexey Shevchenko, Tallinn