"Service in Russia is better compared to the rest of the world"

RPL teams have already come out of vacation and are preparing for the spring part of this season. Some of them underwent medical examinations at the end of last week and the beginning of this week before leaving for the training camp. In particular, this was done by Rubin Kazan, which after 18 rounds of the Russian championship is confidently positioned in the middle of the table in eighth place, having a big gap from the leaders (11 points from third place) and a serious gap from the outsiders (nine points from the zone of transition matches).

In an interview with Izvestia, Rubin defender Konstantin Nizhegorodov shared his opinion on the club's performance in the last part of the season, explained why the autumn rumors about the resignation of head coach Rashid Rakhimov did not interfere with the stable collection of points, said, what his father, two-time Russian champion with Lokomotiv Moscow and former Russian national team defender Gennady Nizhegorodov, does for a living, as well as compared the service in Europe and Russia and assessed the chances of Albanian striker Mirlind Daku, the leader of the Kazan team, to play in top clubs.

- How was your vacation between the last match before the break and the first winter training camp?

- Wonderful. I spent the vacation with my family and friends. I celebrated the New Year with my parents in the mountains in Austria. Then I went to Munich for the training camp.

- Do you allow yourself to ski in the mountains? Or is it not allowed under the contract with the club?

- It is not allowed. Everyone in the club is a professional, so no one will risk their health. We were just inspired by nature - it is very beautiful in the mountains. We enjoyed the time together with our family.

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- Have you ever gone skiing at all?

- I went skiing when I was a kid. I really like the nature there and winter in general. But now, due to my occupation, I can't afford to go skiing.

- Are you satisfied with what you showed in the first part of this season?

- Yes, I am grateful to the coaching staff of Rubin and the whole team for this. I had a difficult period earlier, when I was recovering from injury. And thanks to the head coach that after that he started to trust me and allocate playing time. I tried and will try to justify this trust and bring benefit to the team.

- Can we be satisfied with the results that Rubin has by the winter break?

- Well, this is not a question for us, not for the team. Our business is to go from game to game and win every match. And to evaluate the results of the team... Let the experts do it.

- Are you more happy with the current result, that you are away from the bottom of the table, or disappointed that you are far from the leading group?

- Of course, we always want to be higher, to strive for the top. So now our task is to prepare for the second part of the season as best as possible, to go from game to game and gain points in every match.

- Are there any chances to reach the top five?

- Why not? This is soccer - everything is possible in it. Especially now, when there are still so many games before the end of the championship. If we give some good winning streak, we will join the fight for the highest places. I think we can do it, because we have a good team.

- In the fall, the media constantly rumored about the possible resignation of Rashid Rakhimov. Why did the team managed to defend their head coach with their successful results?

- Frankly speaking, we didn`t pay much attention to it. Because these are all football-related topics - they do not concern us. And our business is to train and play soccer. And do the result.

- Did not react to it inside the club at all?

- Rashid Mamatkulovich talked to the team and said: "Do not pay attention to it. Your business is to play soccer. I take all the blows". Among other things, his merit is that we had no panic. The head coach found the right words, and we tried to do everything he said.

- Nothing has been heard about your father for a long time. What has he been doing since 2017, when, according to Wikipedia, he left the coaching staff of Chornomorets Odessa?

- Everything is fine with my father. He is alive and well.

- What does he do?

- Raises his children. I have two sisters and a little brother. Daddy and mommy take care of them.

- And he doesn't want to go back to soccer?

- Maybe he does. I haven`t discussed these moments with him, but now he has other things and worries.

- Does he appear in Russia, cross paths with his partners from Lokomotiv and the national team?

- No, no, he hasn`t come for a long time.

- Since you often visit Austria and Germany, can you compare how much more comfortable it is to live there in comparison with Russia?

- In what respect?

- In terms of prices and service.

- It is clear that in Europe there is a bit more spending in terms of prices. Life is more expensive there than in our country. But our service is the best in the world. At least in Moscow and Kazan.

- Compared to Austria and Germany?

- I think, compared to the whole world.

- When you were 16-19 years old you were in the youth teams of Schalke (Gelsenkirchen) and Hansa (Rostock). How much the work with youth in Germany differs from what you had in Odessa and then in Russia?

- Well, if you compare training in youth soccer in Germany and Odessa, it is heaven and earth. In terms of conditions and training. And in Russia plus or minus the same, if you compare it with Germany. At the youth level we are not inferior to what is there. Another thing is when the period of transition from youth soccer to adult soccer comes. Here you can already feel that the level is higher in Germany.

- With regard to Mirlind Daku, there are constantly rumors about the interest of clubs from the top European championships. In your opinion, will he reach their level?

- Well, I think there is interest from Real Madrid. If I'm not mistaken, Barcelona are also interested in him. Maybe ManCity will take him to replace Hollan.

- You are good at saying it with a serious face.

- Well, I am serious. Maybe one of these days there will be such insider information about it on the Internet (smiles). What, you think Mirlind won't be able to afford such clubs? I think he can.