"The profession of a coach is like that of a sapper, the most vulnerable"
Legendary Russian coach Oleg Romantsev believes that the coach of the national team and Dynamo, Valery Karpin, has the right to his own opinion on the issue of the limit on foreign players. Also in an interview with Izvestia and Sport-Express, the ex-Spartak coach spoke about Dmitry Vorobyov's unusual goal against CSKA, the possibilities of young Russian talents, the increase in the fees of RPL referees and Stanislav Cherchesov's proposal to limit the number of foreign coaches in Russian football.
— In October, our national team played against Iran and Bolivia. How do you think Karpin's team looked in these meetings? Many explained her victory over the Bolivians by the fact that they play much weaker "on the plain" than at home in the highlands.
— It might have been more difficult for our guys in Bolivia, although it's unlikely that it would have been much more difficult. According to the match in Volgograd, there is no doubt both about the pattern of our victory and about the qualification of a far from simple opponent. I have played in Venezuela, where the stuffiness also creates conditions that are not the most comfortable for football. Somehow they adapted. As in my time in Tashkent, where, as a player, meeting with Pakhtakor, I often complained to his striker Volodya Fedorov about the deadly heat. To which he replied, sighing.: "Here you are, Oleg, you came for one day, played, and went home. And we've been steaming like this for a whole year." So references to certain weather conditions, high altitude, humidity, and scorching sun, which are more familiar to some of the competitors, are not a reason to question the regularity of the result. And Arsene Wenger was right when, after Spartak defeated Arsenal in the Champions League (4-1 in 2000), when asked if he considered the cold and frozen Luzhniki field to be the reason for the defeat, he said: "No. Everything was the same for both teams today!"
As for the playing level of our national team, it was noticeably higher with Bolivia than with Iran, which showed organized and technical football. This was especially felt in the first half of the meeting with the Asian team, when we allowed the opponent to control the ball more and take the initiative. And although, thanks to the wit of Anton Miranchuk, who caught Vorobyov's opening, Russia took the lead, there was little sharpness before the break. And only after the missed ball did the team move, turned on the momentum, and the shot of the young Batrakov set the winning point. In Volgograd, our guys looked much more interesting — from the very first minutes they turned on their maximum speeds, attacked a lot and sharply from the flanks, and through the efforts of Barinov, Kislyak and Oblyakov they controlled the center of the field. The appearance of Alexei Miranchuk in the middle line, who knows how to feel a partner, gave her harmony and creativity. Hence the unconditional 3-0 and the satisfied fans, who that evening hardly thought that it was all about the lack of highlands.
But seriously, the packed stands in Volgograd and Moscow indicate that, no matter what, the Russian national team is alive and does not stand still. She has young Kislyak, Batrakov, Glebov, Lukin, Melekhin, experienced Safonov, Golovin, the Miranchuk brothers, and Tyukavin and Zakharyan, who are getting into shape. And most importantly, we see that the door to it is open to everyone who is devoted to the game and for whom it is a great honor to defend its colors. This is the history of our football!
— In an interview, Valery Karpin stated that the limit on foreign players, which Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev insists on tightening, is evil. Is Valery Georgievich at risk of falling out of favor with the minister, who has already hinted that he may "disagree" on the figure of the head coach?
— To put it bluntly, the question is unexpected, but very important. In this regard, I remember how after the match with the French team, I don't know for what reason, Karpin clashed with Zidane, who was considered an indisputable authority. In no case do I want to draw any parallels. It's just that the years of working together with Valery have convinced me that he is one of those who is used not only to express his opinion directly, but also to defend it. Both in life and on the field. Karpin was such a football player, and he remained so in coaching. For which some people respect him, while others do not like him. Especially now, when the role of a coach is being pushed into the background. But even this did not make Valera change her principles. Therefore, having already gone through a difficult coaching school, having gained sufficient work experience and more than once finding himself in critical situations, he has the right to his own opinion. As for the option of "falling out of favor," in this regard, the profession of a coach is like that of a sapper, the most vulnerable. As they say, ce la vie...
— You often repeat that you closely monitor the coaching affairs of your students. How was Dmitry Parfenov's departure from Torpedo, who was fired after just a month of work, perceived?
— I don't even know how to comment on such an absurdity — a panopticon, that's all! Like a lot of things that happen in a club with a rich and glorious history. However, it's hardly surprising if it's run by random people in football... I'll start with Kononov, to whom there are no complaints and there can be no complaints, since the idea of parting with Parfenov, who replaced him, probably did not belong to him. Oleg is a professional coach whose fate is in the hands of those who pay. They gave me a job, thank you, and showed me the door. Goodbye. They called me again, thanks again... The costs of the profession. That's why I treat him with respect. But I've never seen or heard of such a reverse substitution combination in my football career. So she belongs in the Guinness Book. As for Dima Parfenov, he is one of my favorite players, who managed to perform a small football miracle with a modest "Tosno" — to win the National Cup.
This means that this is a person with character, the ability to go to the goal and the ability to fight for it. This was exactly what the long-suffering Torpedo needed, trapped in the tournament swamp. But his superiors apparently confused Dmitry with the old man Hottabych. And a month later, without seeing their team in the lead, they stunned the people with the message: "Thank you to the specialist for the work done and wish him good luck in his future coaching career!" And this on behalf of a club with factory traditions, which has always been distinguished by working honesty and decency? It's a shame! It turns out that just like that, "in a friendly way", you can spit in the coach's face, deprive him of his job, without even giving him time to really look around in a new place! I repeat, a panopticon, that's all! I'm sorry, but there's nothing more to say. And I don't want to!
And to those who remember and knew Torpedo from its glorious victorious days or are familiar with the long, rich history of the team, I express my condolences on the passing of one of the great players of those times, Viktor Shustikov. Unfortunately, I was not familiar with him. But I've heard and read a lot about this legendary football player and a man with a huge soul. May your memory be blessed, Viktor Mikhailovich…
— How did you react to the announcement by the head of the judiciary, Milorad Majic, that in the near future the payment of arbitrators will be increased again? He explains it this way: "So that no one thinks they can get something on the side, and people don't even have the thought to act dishonestly." Is such a measure capable of improving the quality of judges' work and turning them into crystal-clear honest people?
— After such a question, you immediately think about how much money you should officially pay the arbitrators if dark personalities can offer them even more "for help"? It's like in the old joke when the unscrupulous gas station director is asked how much he should be paid to stop diluting gasoline. He thought and thought, and then shrugged his shoulders, saying, I can't imagine. But seriously, it is usually accepted to increase earnings for a job well done, and not for someone not to take bribes. So there is judicial know-how here. And you can go the other way — to track which of the referees had the least complaints during the season, and increase his financial rating. That would be fair. Therefore, in this form, I consider the idea of encouragement far-fetched. This means that she is unlikely to be able to change anything in the current judging situation.
— To this day, there is a lot of talk about the goal of Lokomotiv forward Vorobyov against CSKA. Is this an accident or a mistake by goalkeeper Hurry? Can you remember a similar ball in your football life?
— I don't want to offend the author of such an unexpected and memorable goal, but, in my opinion, the element of chance prevails in it. This situation reminded me of the goal scored by Dutch van Basten in the Euro 1988 final to Rinat Dasaev, after which the striker admitted that he did not understand how he managed it. I think the same thing happened with Vorobyov, who hardly expected to hit the goal from almost zero angle. Rather, he was just shooting back in the hope that one of his partners would respond to him. And the football god rewarded him for striving to go to the end in an almost hopeless situation. Just like the whole of Lokomotiv, who managed to beat the strong and skilful CSKA team in everything that evening. As for the guilt of the goalkeeper of the army, in my opinion, it is negated by what I have already said.
— Do you agree with those who believe that the current level of our football and the talent of its young players can be objectively assessed only after returning to the international level? When asked which of the Russian football players can play for PSG now, Matvey Safonov replied: "Probably no one yet."
— I would not consider Matvey's answer unexpected. He has already managed to get acquainted with European football at a high level, how the work is set up at a top-level club, and he has something to compare it with. Although, by saying "probably" and "for now", Safonov seems to be hinting: it takes time to understand which of our guys is capable of proving themselves at the European level. Someone more, someone less. So far, Arsen Zakharyan is not doing well at Real Sociedad due to injuries. And Golovin immediately managed to become one of the leaders at Monaco. The Miranchuk brothers had different foreign destinies. Anton did not like the Swiss "Sion", and he accepted Valery Karpin's offer to move to Dynamo. But Alexey seems to be satisfied with everything in the MLS in the USA. In short, a foreign contract remains a lottery, in which only partially everything works out according to the principle of luck or bad luck. And here I completely agree with Karpin, who tells talented young people: if you want to test what you really are worth, go to Europe, where everything will depend only on you! Dima Alenichev is an example of this. Before winning the Champions League with Porto, he went through the harsh school of Italian football, where he left Roma on loan to Perugia. And only then did he end up in Portugal with Mourinho's team.
— How do you feel about the fact that the current success of Lokomotiv is sometimes associated with the choice of a course to create a team of Russian football players? Have you ever noticed this in your work? After all, there was a time when coach Romantsev did not hide his skeptical attitude towards foreign players.
— I'm not against foreign players in our football. But only those whose arrival makes the championship brighter, more interesting and who have a lot to learn from the youth. Such as Hulk, Promes, Danny, Wendell, Carvalho. The street is green for them, let them come and play! And not the faceless average people who just train and polish the benches. Unfortunately, there are most of them. But they are being transported — apparently, the business is profitable. I still believe that our football, like other sports, has many talents of its own. In my Krasnoyarsk alone, how many world and Olympic champions have grown up — wrestlers Yarygin and Saytiev, track and field athlete Masterkova, skier Medvedeva, biathletes Ustyugov and Rostovtsev, hockey player Lomanov. In football, however, it is more modest, but it is quite possible to boast of such players as Tarkhanov, Gladilin, Redkous. Although, I'm sure there will definitely be talents here.
As for the success of Lokomotiv, I would not explain them solely by the course towards the Russian backbone of the team. But the fact that Mikhail Galaktionov gives the opportunity to prove himself to young Batrakov, Pinyaev, Pogostnov, Saltykov, is worth noting. And the fact that they are in the national team's mind speaks volumes. Now it's up to the experience they lack so far. And the sooner he arrives, the more confident the team's pace towards big victories will become.
— Discussing the topic of tightening the limit, Stanislav Cherchesov unexpectedly proposed to introduce restrictions for foreign coaches as well. Not for the main ones, but for the "retinue of their numerous assistants," who were often brought to Russia. Whereas Cherchesov was allowed to take no more than two or three assistants to Legia and Ferencvaros. Weren't you surprised by Stanislav Salamovich's suggestion?
— I admit, I've never heard of a coaching limit before, so I didn't think about it. But in Poland and Hungary, it turns out that managers impose restrictions. And first of all, in order not to leave their specialists without work, whose places can be taken by newcomers. Moreover, as was the case with Cherchesov, they warn about this in advance. I do not exclude that this issue should be given the same attention as the limit on players. After all, this will enable our specialists in physical training, rehabilitation or analytics to continue working in the coaching staff and grow in the profession. However, now in our Premier League, only four of the 16 clubs are headed by foreigners, whose assistants include the majority of Russians. But for the future, I would support the introduction of such a limit with both hands.
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