"Satisfied with everything except the end of the match against Syria."
The year 2024 is over for the Russian national team. How did it turn out for the team? About this and much more - in the interview of the head coach of the national team, which he gave to "Izvestia" and "Sport-Express".
Lineup
- The games with Brunei and Syria are behind us. Let's summarize the results. What are you satisfied with and what are you not?
- I am satisfied with everything except the end of the match with Syria. I did not like the last 15 minutes. We stopped to position ourselves correctly, to run, to press. We allowed two shots on our own goal.
- Has the team sagged physically?
- I think there is a complex of reasons: fatigue, heavy field. And we were already leading 3-0, so we got a little bit relaxed....
Otherwise, no problems. The training camp went perfectly. It concerns not only the game and the result, but also the conditions for work, the attitude of players to the training process.
- What do you mean by "perfect"? Illustrate with a concrete example.
- Let's take the match with Syria. The first 75 minutes - everything is very good. We played great, kept the opponent away from our penalty area, allowed to make one half strike. Then we relaxed a little bit, and the Syrians managed to shoot twice at our goal, even hit the bar. Hence the conclusion: if we had played the whole match like we did in the last 15 minutes, it would have been an equal game. A telling moment!
- You haven't said a word about Brunei.
- This match is less informative, given the level of resistance. The opponents had one single shot in 90 minutes, and that was from the center of the pitch. We have 11 goals scored and the same number of unrealized chances.
- On what principle did you determine the squad - who will play against Brunei and who against Syria?
- We were based on different factors: who played in the RPL on November 9, and who played on November 10, who had more days to recover. Or take Alexei Miranchuk. We didn`t plan to play him against Brunei. We gave him time to adapt - complicated logistics, long flight, sudden change of time zones....
In short, when preparing for the matches, we mainly proceeded from the physical condition of the guys, rather than from tactical considerations. But they were also taken into account, realizing that Brunei will be easier than Syria.
- As soccer doctors like to say, only Diveev was unavailable for medical reasons among those called up for the training camp?
- Yes, we decided not to risk it.
- Together with him Oblyakov went from Krasnodar to Moscow.
- It was planned. Ivan also has health problems. However, it didn't prevent either of them from playing for CSKA on Saturday.
- In March, you said: "If you compare two squads on paper - the one against Serbia and the one that could have played against Paraguay - I don't know which one is stronger. How would you answer this question now - in relation to the November matches?
- If we take into account that center backs Osipenko and Soldatenkov have more experience than Morozov and Paltsev, who played in this position in the first match, - probably, the "Syrian" squad is stronger. Although it could be strengthened by the same Oblyakov, Karavaev, Krugovoy or someone else from Brunei.
Rivals
- Over the last two and a half years, has the Russian national team had a weaker opponent than Brunei?
- Probably Cuba. They are comparable in terms of level.
- What do you say to those who say: "We humiliate ourselves with such matches"?
- If people do not understand elementary things, they call black black white... Why do you need to answer anything? Or do you think it is necessary to change someone's mind?
- You don't perceive these meetings as humiliation?
- Absolutely! What can we say about the qualifying cycle, where we face San Marino and Liechtenstein? Everybody plays with them. Or do they humiliate themselves?
- This is an official tournament. You can't go anywhere.
- Stop! We have nowhere to go either. These matches are official for us. There are no other matches. There we have to play San Marino as part of the selection process. And here we have to play friendlies with Brunei. Or not play at all. Which is better?
- You have already said that you see no point in meeting with the national team. Is another format during the sanctions period possible?
- What is it?
- A match with the team of foreigners playing in the RPL. Or with the youth team.
- We can even play a bilateral match. Conditionally - the Brunei squad against the Syrian one. It seems to be a great option, we don't need to think of anything. But! Immediately loses the heat of competition. Because the players take it all as a training session.
- You can't compare it to an official match.
- Of course! When there are 20-30 thousand spectators in the stands and you are facing the national team, it's a completely different feeling. The status of the match affects the atmosphere.
- The best match of the Russian national team in 2024?
- With Cameroon and Serbia.
- We played with Cameroon in 2023.
- Then I would also name the game against Belarus. A good match. It's not about the big score, I don't pay attention to that now. I'm talking about the quality of play. About how many chances we created and how many we allowed at our goal. By the way, even with Syria in the first half we could easily lead 4:0. But in some episodes the players simply did not hit the ball.
- The worst match of the national team in 2024?
- So... Tell me, who did we play against this year?
- Serbia, Belarus, Vietnam, Brunei, Syria.
- Although we won 3-0 in Vietnam, the quality of soccer was lower than expected. But I would not judge the guys harshly. It is so hot and humid in Hanoi that even on the pitch it is unpleasant to stand. And even to run... Plus the pitch, to put it mildly, is not ideal.
- Now I see that you were not lying when you said at a recent press conference that you do not remember with whom the national team played this year and with whom last year.
- I really had everything mixed up in my head. If you ask me when we hosted Cameroon - in September, October or November - I will not answer. Of course, I can pick up the papers and look - but what's the point? If it were an official competition, it would be a different matter.
Defense
- The main disappointment - 2024 - as a coach of the national team?
- Last-minute canceled matches. It's already difficult to play with opponents, and then there's force majeure. Play with Thailand was prevented by a typhoon, with Paraguay - the tragedy in Crocus....
- The disrupted match with the "people from Pakistan" did not seem to cause much regret.
- No, no, we wanted to play with Pakistan, especially since the players had already arrived at the training camp. But with Paraguay it turned out to be more frustrating. The opponent is strong and interesting.
- They say that the Paraguayans have such a tight schedule that now we will not be able to meet with them until 2026?
- I do not know, the question is not for me.
- The national team has not conceded for six matches already. Explanation?
- When the ball reaches the defenders "torn and bloody", and sometimes it does not reach them at all, it is the merit of the whole team. Starting with the forwards and those who play in the middle line. In recent matches, this has often happened. And sometimes our opponents didn't give us super tasks.
- What does the optimal four defenders look like at the moment? In the center, obviously, Diveev and Osipenko. And who on the flanks?
- I will not answer this question. I don`t want to single out anyone.
- Six months ago you said that the center of defense is the most vulnerable zone. Among other things, because of the low competition. Is it different today?
- Unfortunately, there is still not much choice in this line. Let's calculate which of the Russian defenders are constantly playing in the center of defense in the leading RPL clubs.
- Let's do it.
- Krasnodar. Both central defenders are foreigners. It's the same at Zenit. As well as in "Lokomotiv", "Dynamo"... In "Spartak" Litvinov is occasionally used in the center of defense. CSKA has Diveyev. That's it!
- Yes, it's not much.
- Six first clubs - and only two central defenders with Russian passports!
- You said that Chernikov was the captain against Brunei, because they played in Krasnodar. Four days later in Volgograd, Miranchuk was entrusted with the armband. As the most experienced?
- Analyze the starting lineup for the match against Syria. Which of the players deserved the captain's armband?
- Miranchuk or Osipenko, who is a year older.
- You see how simple it is. No background.
- Is there a captain in the national team now?
- No. We have a large group of experienced players - Golovin, Barinov, Miranchuki, Kuzyaev... Each of them can go out with the armband.
Record
- Dzyuba said in an interview that you were planning to call him up in the spring of 2022 for the knockout matches with Poland. "We already had an agreement," he added. Really?
- It was a possibility. But not an agreement. It certainly wasn't and couldn't have been. Why would you tell a player a few months before a match that he will definitely be called up to the national team? And if he loses his form?
- What would have to happen for Dzyuba to be in the national team in 2025?
- I will put the question differently: why should Dzyuba get a call-up to the national team? We decided a long time ago that we would not invite age players who we would not be able to count on in a few years when Russia returns to the international stage.
- If there were official matches now, would you call up players aged 30+?
- Of course! As it was in the qualifying cycle of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Why today it's all about Dzyuba again, I don't understand.
- People want to know if Artem has a chance to break Kerzhakov's record for goals for the national team.
- Are you serious?
- Quite. What's not an event?
- Yeah, "event"... As far as I'm concerned, all this is worthless.
- Since we are still in isolation, should the RFU organize a farewell match for Dzyuba, Smolov and other veterans?
- Ask the RFU.
- Your opinion - is such a match necessary or not?
- I have never thought about it.
- The other day it was announced that Tyukavin won the "Gentleman of the Year" award. Among those who voted were Semin, Gazzaev, Cherchesov. You too?
- No, I'm not on the jury. I don't even know what criteria are used to choose the winner.
- Then about something else. The year is ending. Best soccer player in Russia 2024?
- Golovin.
- Why him?
- Because he is in a leading role at his club and plays well in one of the strongest European championships.
- Do you have any idea what the year 2025 will be like for the Russian national team if the sanctions are not lifted?
- The same as 2024. But I really hope it will be against opponents of a different level.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
