"Now I understand some football things even better than before."
Russian football has taken a competitive break, leaving a lot of topics for discussion. Izvestia talked with legendary coach Yuri Semin about the main events and personalities: the national team's performance, Stankovich's dismissal, Batrakov's prospects, Krasnodar's leadership. We started by commemorating Nikita Pavlovich Simonyan, who recently died at the age of 100. May his memory be blessed.
"Send Semin to Moscow"
— What were you thinking about when you said goodbye to the man who became your godfather in big-time football?
— At first, there was a feeling of tragic emptiness. It is clear that no one on this Earth is eternal. But it's a shame that time is merciless even to such bright people as Nikita Pavlovich was. Those who make the world a kinder and cleaner place by helping others.
— As well as the Oryol boy Yura Semin?
— That's exactly how it was 60 years ago, when he invited me from Spartak Orel to Moscow. I don't even know where Nikita Pavlovich noticed me or why he liked me. But it was by his decision that the official paper came to Orel: "Send Semin to Moscow." That's how fate brought me together with this great man!
— What kind of coach was he?
— If the players say about the coach that they want to fight for him, then there can be no higher assessment. So, no matter which team Nikita Pavlovich worked with, that was the only way they talked about him. And above all, because he respected his players, lived by their problems, which arose not only on the field, but also in life. He never raised his voice or broke down, but always spoke clearly and clearly, conveying his demands to us. And I've never heard him criticize a rival coach. Never! He followed the code of coaching honor at the highest level. I can give you one vivid example.
— Come on.
— It is known that Beskov and Lobanovsky, to put it mildly, were not friends. But we always spoke respectfully about each other. The same applies to Nikita Pavlovich. Therefore, he was irreplaceable in all positions, he found a common language with everyone. In terms of internal culture, understanding of football and a particular player can only be compared with Nikolai Petrovich Starostin. They were very subtle psychologists!
— Do you remember your debut in Spartak?
— You bet! Moscow, Luzhniki Stadium! We accept Victor Maslov's Kiev. I replaced Vyacheslav Ambartsumyan during the break. And in the next game against Kutaisi, Torpedo was already in the starting lineup.
"There are no irreplaceable players. Lokomotiv has its own reserves"
— Spartak, then Dynamo! Anyone could envy such a career start. And then he spent more than 20 years at Lokomotiv— Semin's main team. Do you continue to follow the "railwaymen"?
"What about it?" It's a part of my life.
— Then it's interesting to know how you reacted to the fact that Dmitry Barinov, the captain of Lokomotiv, is rumored to have refused to renew his contract with the club and CSKA wants to see him?
— There have been no official reports yet, it is difficult to comment on anything. It is quite possible that these are the games of some people who are pursuing their own benefits. Unfortunately, this is not surprising in today's football. So it's better to wait for specific information. In a nutshell, nothing terrible will happen. Football players, like people in other professions, can change jobs. It's a normal phenomenon: everyone is looking for a better place.
— Don't you think that Barinov's departure will be a huge loss for Lokomotiv?
— There are no irreplaceable players. Lokomotiv has its own reserves. Some leave, others come. This is life.
— You've been out of the profession for four years now. When Karpin and Stankovich left Dynamo and Spartak, Semin's name was among the possible candidates in the press. And it was reported that you are ready to listen to suggestions.
"Why not?" I'm sure now you're going to ask if I'm going to return to football.
— You guessed right.
— And I'll tell you: I don't know. But it seems to me that I am even more aware of some football moments now than before.
— It's interesting...
— I have some free time. I've never watched as many football matches as I do now! I know all the top teams in Europe and the Russian Premier League thoroughly, and I understand who is moving in which direction. I analyze and draw conclusions.
— Have you received offers from RPL clubs lately?
— There was no such thing.
— And it doesn't bother you?
"Why should I be offended?" Surely you want to ask me about the Locomotive?
— We want to.
— I'll just say one thing. We have all made a beautiful history of the club together. And by no means do I separate myself from everyone else — managers, coaches, administrators, doctors, stadium staff, fans. All together, starting from the first league, we have done one common thing. The team was developing. What is especially important is that there are more fans! The results have come — wins in the championship, Cup, performances in European competitions. I am grateful to Lokomotiv for their trust and support! Perhaps there were contradictions somewhere, but solely in the interests of the cause. We did a great job. So my conscience is clear before Lokomotiv and the fans.
"Kislyak, Glebov, Batrakov — God forbid that they don't stop"
— How do you like the current generation of the team led by Alexey Batrakov?
— Lyosha is a good boy! Keeps the brand. The syndrome of the second season did not cover him. Many people thought that Pinyaev would play at this level, but today Sergei is not succeeding. Let's see how he goes on.
— Which of your former players does Batrakov remind you of?
"Nobody." He has his own way. It is clear that the hard worker does not give himself any indulgences. Alas, now many young players, having only achieved some success, already believe that they have achieved everything, and slow down - they did not reach here, they did not reach there.… As a result, they quickly turn sour. These are not the kind of farmhands — they are eager to play and grow!
— Did Loskov have the same character?
— I think our players, who were second after Spartak for a long time, were very proud, greedy for victories, and lived by the game. And they had a lot going on — Gurenko went to Italy, Gorlukovich — to Germany, Ovchinnikov and Izmailov — to Portugal, Bilyaletdinov — to England. By the way, Alenichev also started here. And in the end he won the Europa League and the Champions League. Because they loved football, not themselves in football. If today's youth understands that it is necessary to constantly develop, then everything will work out for them. And not a single coach or agent will move any of them anywhere if they don't rush into the game and plow themselves! An example of this is Kislyak, Glebov, and the same Batrakov. God forbid that they don't stop.
— Is Marat Izmailov the greatest talent you've ever worked with?
— The most gifted is Khvich Kvaratskhelia. It was immediately clear from him that his talent was incredible! But at the beginning of his career, he did nothing but stroke, although dribbling is outstanding! A very smart football player who knows how to listen to the coach. There were some demands on him at Napoli, and others at PSG. But he's in leading roles everywhere. And when he briefly played for Dinamo Batumi, he did not pretend to be a star. He didn't ask everyone to play for him, but worked for the team. And he assembled full stadiums in Georgia. The coaches were changing, but he was growing and moving forward.
Marat Izmailov is certainly a very talented and extraordinary football player! But he still did not have the same health as Khvicha, and was often injured.
— How did it happen that Lokomotiv missed Khwich?
— And you will ask those who made decisions on Hvich about this. If only you can find these leaders. I will say that my opinion was not taken into account. Sorry… He would have gone to Europe anyway. But only from the Locomotive!
— Will Batrakov leave Loko in the summer?
- why?
— And what is his athletic motivation? It's hard to believe that the Railwaymen are the champion.
— Why did you decide that? Doesn't the club have the resources, the budget? There is a great stadium, there is an army of fans. Everything is always stable at Lokomotiv. And it should be used.
— But is it possible to compare the squad with Krasnodar or Zenit?
— That's what they used to say about our Lokomotiv when they compared it to Spartak. But we were able to change everything and win gold medals. So everything is in the hands of the current managers, coaches and players. Loko has no right to be without titles.
Krasnodar with Murad Musaev shows the highest quality football"
— Why was there such a frequent change of club presidents at Lokomotiv, and people with an incomprehensible background in football? Smorodskaya, Lipatov, Kiknadze… Is this a coincidence?
— Everything depends on the result. If there is no result, permutations occur. For example, CEO Leonchenko believed in the German specialists, supported them, and even said that Lokomotiv would ride like Sapsan and almost win the Champions League. But the reality turned out to be different. That's probably why they broke up with him. So, again, the result decides everything.
— Do you agree with those who consider Valery Filatov to be the most professional president in the history of Loko?
- of course. The formation of the "Locomotive" took place during his lifetime. And we won the most victories under Filatov. There can't even be two opinions.
— The championship took a winter break, during which Lokomotiv left three points from the first place. Which of the current leaders is the favorite of the golden race for you?
— Krasnodar, which shows the highest quality football with Murad Musaev. We must pay tribute to this young coach who managed to make his way. But they didn't believe in him — they said he couldn't do it, he didn't have enough experience. But Galitsky gave him a chance. Musaev is a hard worker who proved himself in the Krasnodar system and got a chance. He started from the grassroots, is completely absorbed in football, he has a flair for the players. And he was already becoming a champion. So he knows how to do it.
— How has the Bulls' game changed compared to the golden season?
— Krasnodar has become stronger. The players lost their temper. I gained confidence and a champion's spirit. Remember the last championship. Back then, Musaev's wards were often openly outraged by the judges' decisions. Now they perceive everything much more calmly. They understand that they need to focus primarily on their game, but they are determined to win anyway. And Musaev himself is a very balanced specialist who rarely crosses the line.
"Why didn't Messi, Neymar, Mbappe come to Paris?"
— Do you have any questions for Zenit?
— Semak's team has very high-level players. But they are not showing their full potential today. Hence the fluctuations. At the same time, I believe that the club has not made any transfer mistakes. I mean the legionnaires.
— And if we talk about Sobolev?
— Time will tell. If he often stays in stock, it means that there are questions about him. Sobolev has to figure himself out. It's one thing to go to Zenit, another thing is to play consistently in it. No one in St. Petersburg will make room for you so easily. I thought he would be more useful to Zenit. After all, St. Petersburg players often attack from the flanks, making passes to tall attackers. But so far, Sobolev's business is creaking. I repeat, at Zenit you have to compete every day for a place in the sun.
— If we talk about big strikers, does it surprise you that Dzyuba still keeps himself in shape, scoring for Akron?
— Dzyuba really benefits his team. But if we talk about the development of Russian football, I would like to see as many fast players as possible like Glebov at CSKA.
Our football clearly lacks speed. And in the broadest sense of the word — the speed of working with the ball, passing, speed of decision-making.
We need to focus on the leading clubs in Europe. Let's take PSG. Hakimi plays on the right in defense. Reactive. On the left, Nuno Mendes or Hernandez with incredible physical attributes! And Dembele? And Hvicha? And Vitinya? And Barkol? All are surprisingly efficient. Why didn't Messi, Neymar, Mbappe suit Paris?
- why?
— They can't work both forward and backward! Today, we are lagging behind in Europe in terms of speed data. Although in Soviet football, Reinhold, Evryuzhikhin, Urin, Belanov, Blokhin could boast of their speed. And if we take Russian time, then these are Kanchelskis, Karpin, Zhirkov, Arshavin, Izmailov.
— Who would you call the strongest forward in the RPL?
— Cordoba. A powerful striker who successfully conducts martial arts. Although defenders often play dirty and cruelly against him. The referees don't always notice this, they don't protect the Krasnodar forward. But it should be! He's the best player in our league.
"Alexey Miranchuk was no worse than Kai Haverts"
— Does it bother you that the best in the Russian championship is called a legionnaire, and in Europe, only Golovin is playing at a high level among Russians in the field?
— This is just about the issue of the shortage of high-speed players in our football. Golovin meets European standards. But as soon as Sasha stops giving Monaco the volumes that he showed at CSKA, he will immediately lose his place in the squad. So far, he's doing well and looks very decent.
— What about Alexey Miranchuk?
— This is an example of the fact that all our players need to know where they are going when they go to Europe. You have to be clear about whether the club's coach is interested in you or not. And after watching the matches of the team you are going to, ask its coach a question about what position he sees him in. Maybe you don't fit the style? Unfortunately, this is often the case.
— Are you saying that Alexey Miranchuk's style of play was not suitable for Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini?
— I remember we played with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. So Alexey Miranchuk was no worse than Kai Haverts. I'm not exaggerating. In terms of understanding the game, he was definitely not inferior to the German in decision-making speed. But Alexey brings tremendous benefits to the team when he is played for, when he gets a lot of balls. His trump cards are field vision, penetrating passes, and completion. And Atalanta just have a different style of play.
— Which of our players is ready to move to a serious European club?
— Kislyak, Batrakov. Probably Glebov.
— Can you name the three best RPL players in 2025?
— Cordoba, Kislyak, Batrakov.
— Do you put Kislyak higher than Batrakov?
- no. I just gave you the top three.
"Well, 50 people can't go through the national team!"
— How do you like the recent games of the Russian national team?
— Our football is in a very difficult situation. But the national team lives, plays, finds rivals, and has not sunk low in the FIFA rankings.
He plays with the mood, the desire to defeat any opponent. When such strong national teams as Peru and Chile came, difficulties arose. But the team is being created, it does not stand still. And to what extent it is combat-ready, you can get an answer only upon returning to the international calendar.
It is striking that there is no main squad in our national team. Very frequent rotation. Well, 50 people can't go through the national team! It's time to decide on the clip.
I think we need to keep a close eye on the players of the youth national team. It is from there that we will receive a new generation of football players in four years. Do you know that Boris Petrovich Ignatiev holds the record?
"Which one?"
— 33 players have grown from his youth team to the first one! Show me a coach who has trained so many players for the first national team. Units. And Ignatiev has 33 people.
— What do you remember from your work in the national team?
— At first, I helped Pavel Sadyrin in the Russian national team. Unfortunately, at that time she did not enjoy the support of the leadership, she was deprived of attention. Which eventually led to a very unpleasant story.
—Letter 14?"
— Those players who signed him committed a big stupidity! We could have performed well at the World Championships in the USA, reaching at least the semifinals. But... people left for Inter, Manchester United. We felt like stars there. But in Russia, they were faced with a different reality, they did not feel the same attitude towards themselves. As a result, they rebelled. And everyone lost from it.
In any case, I got a very useful experience in the national team. In 2005, he took over the national team after Georgy Yartsev, completing that qualifying cycle. We drew with Portugal. Dmitry Sennikov did not allow Cristiano Ronaldo to do anything at all!
— Has the combination of posts at Dynamo and the national team become a real problem for Karpin?
— Perhaps. In this position, the coach has to get distracted. He probably thought that everything would turn out like in Rostov. But Dynamo was given the highest tasks.
"Red and white fans not only love football, but also understand it"
— We can't help but talk about Spartak. Are those right who believe that if a foreign coach is invited to this team, then he should have the appropriate winning experience and qualifications? And not to win the championships of Hungary and Serbia.
— I agree. Either we need a serious foreign specialist, or a Russian one who has already adapted to our realities, with Spartak roots. You have to handle a lot of pressure in this team. After all, red and white fans not only love football, but also understand it. I think if Alenichev had been left at the time, it would have been better. All this chatter with the coaching leapfrog, which many are already tired of, would not have started. Now Spartak is only the sixth. Yes, with such a squad, he will occupy fifth or sixth places even without a coach!
— So you also think that Carrera won the championship on Alenichev's luggage?
— Carrera also made his contribution, of course. But Alenichev's baggage cannot be denied either.
— Some people did not understand why Stankovich was fired from Partyak after four consecutive victories.
— Everything is natural. Four wins don't matter. Stankovich had no idea what kind of pressure he would face here. He had never worked in such teams before. I've always wondered why, when there's no result, only the coach gets fired.
— What didn't work out for the Serb?
— We broke up with Stankovich because there were no prospects. You can't endlessly shuffle the composition. On the other hand, there are players in the team who clearly do not meet the objectives of the club. In short, there are enough big and small problems here.
"I've been to the Champions League: Chelsea – Ajax, Arsenal – Atletico, Athletic – Arsenal
"But you're free of them now." Therefore, it would be interesting to know how the day of Honored coach Yuri Semin is being organized now.
— You won't believe it, but there are still enough difficulties (smiles). I have to plan my day every morning. Now I have started to master padel. I liked. I'm playing with my friends. I continue to play tennis. While I have a visa, I'm flying to status matches in Europe.
"Like what?"
— I recently attended the Champions League meetings: Chelsea – Ajax, Arsenal – Atletico, Athletic - Arsenal. So I'm not lagging behind (smiles). I try not to miss the matches of the Russian championship.
There is an academy named after me in Orel for 800 people. I'm helping her. We made an arena next to the stadium. We have organized a team in the second league, which gathers 3-5 thousand people at home matches. By the way, it's the most visited in the league! Sennikov works as its sports director, and before that Pimenov worked. So I have enough things to do.
— Which European club has surprised you lately?
— I single out two — Arsenal and PSG. If the draw does not bring them together ahead of time, they will play in the Champions League final.
— Is Bayern weaker?
— Well, Arsenal beat her recently — 3:1 (smiles).
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
