"We are building a team, slowly the victories will come"

Voronezh "Fakel" is still in last place in the current Russian Football Championship draw. He scored two points in the first six rounds. In the spring, Oleg Vasilenko's team returned to the RPL after a year in the first league. Immediately after the promotion, the club's management changed — Roman Askhabadze left the post of CEO. He worked in this position for seven years. Under him, in 2022, after a break of 21 years, Voronezh residents returned to the RPL and for the first time in history lasted there for three years, having the smallest budget in the elite. And after last year's relegation, we managed to immediately return to the Premier League.

Dmitry Kondratov, a well—known lawyer in football circles, now works as CEO. In 2023-2024, he will be chairman of the Board of Directors of FC Nizhny Novgorod. In an interview with Izvestia, he assessed the start of the season, spoke about the financial capabilities of the club, trust in the head coach, communication with the former defender of the Russian national team, Spartak and Lokomotiv, Roman Shishkin, and commented on rumors that he had initiated the scandal around Krylia Sovetov in 2024, when the governor of Samara Vyacheslav Fedorishchev of the region announced rumors about the club's debts of 36 million rubles to the judiciary.

— How would you rate the start of the "Torch" in the season?

— So-so. We're in last place. It is clear that the result is not very good, but... we are building a team. I think that slowly the victories will come. There's still a lack of skill and luck. But I think it's all coming.

— Judging by these words, you are not going to resort to the methods of your predecessor, who had three head coaches in the RPL during the previous three seasons.

— No, I'm not going to act that way yet.

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CSKA has a problem with the squad in front of Zenit, Spartak hopes for a "plan B" in the derby with Dynamo — the announcement of the 7th round of the Russian Premier League

— So you're going to believe in Oleg Vasilenko all the way?

— So far, I definitely believe in our coaching staff.

— Are you still planning to strengthen the squad?

- yes.

— To what positions?

— We are looking for a man in the center of the field. We'll try to find it. And, most likely, there will be another striker (the day after the interview, Fakel announced the lease of Krasnodar forward Alexander Koksharov until the end of the season. — Ed.).

— Roman Shishkin was sitting next to you on the podium during the cup match with Krasnodar, before that he was seen in Moscow at the away match of Fakel in the championship against CSKA (0:1). Are you planning any kind of cooperation with him?

— We just have a good relationship with Roma. There's nothing like that. He is a local, a native of Voronezh, a pupil of Fakel. He comes to football and cheers for the team. We may use him at some points, but only as an expert.

— So the question of official employment for any position at Fakel is not worth it now?

"That's right.

— Are the finances at Fakel stable now?

— Yes, there is the support of the regional government and sponsors. Thank them very much for being with the club and helping us develop at the RPL level.

— Has the budget changed compared to last season?

— He hasn't changed compared to last season and the season before last.

Cup of Contradictions: CSKA will play with unexpectedly leading Rostov

Spartak will compete with the outsider of the championship, Zenit will host Makhachkala, which does not like draws — the main intrigues of the 3rd round of the RPL

—How much?"

— About 1.5 billion rubles.

Is he still one of the smallest in the RPL?

— Even the smallest one. I can say with confidence that we are the 16th in the Premier League financially.

— Two years ago, there was active talk that you would be appointed General Director of Krylia Sovetov. Why did the Samara option fail in the end?

— There is an explanation for this. Perhaps, over time, I will voice my version of the reasons for the disruption of my appointment. But I don't think the time has come for that yet.

— A couple of months after your appointment was disrupted, there was a scandal that became famous throughout the country. Then the governor of the Samara region, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, announced corruption in Russian football and the words of one of the Krylia employees about the alleged debt of 36 million rubles to "criminals involved in corruption in the judiciary." The Baza Telegram channel further claimed that you heard this from one of the club's employees and passed the information on to the regional leadership.

"It's a rumor. Whenever I hear that someone attributes this information to me, I take it with a smile.

— Did you hear something about the 36 million rubles back then?

— If only as a background at the level of some conversations. So that I have clear information on this, I can't say.