"It was more difficult to play with Musaev, Semak and Galaktionov than with Celestini and Carcedo"

Despite the improvement in results in the second part of the season, the Dynamo management again decided to change the coaching staff and bring back the German specialist Sandro Schwartz, who left the club in the spring of 2022. Izvestia and Sport-Express talked with former coach of the blue and white Rolan Gusev about leaving the club, future plans and foreign coaches in the RPL.

"No one from the management interfered with my work, did not interfere, but only helped"

— Did you expect to stay in the team for next season?

— I was prepared for different developments. I knew that we were on the right track and knew what to do next, how to improve the game. As for my thoughts about the future, when we were eliminated from the Cup by Krasnodar, I guessed that the outcome could be like this. If they had told me everything in the locker room after the match, it would have been easier to take it. But when there was still hope... Nevertheless, I repeat that I was ready for all the options. This topic was constantly being discussed, but we tried not to pay attention to it. I am very grateful to the players that, despite all the conversations, they treated everything very professionally, listened and implemented our ideas.

— Have you seen the support from the management? Did you understand who would defend your interests when choosing a coach in the summer?

— Yes, in principle, the entire management supported me: [member of the Board of Directors] Sergey Stepashin, [Chairman of the Board of Directors] Alexander Ivlev, and [CEO] Pavel Pivovarov, and [the club's curator] Yuri Solovyov. Throughout the season, I only heard words of support from them, for which I thank you very much. But I do not know how coaches are appointed and decisions are made behind closed doors. Although I guess who was for me and who was against me. But I don't want to discuss the management's decisions. I thank them for the chance to prove themselves. No one interfered with my work, did not interfere, but only helped when there were any requests.

— Did you break up amicably?

— Absolutely. We talked to each manager and thanked each other. For three years in the team, I felt only support. There were no complaints.

— Sergey Stepashin said that if you had led the team to the Cup final, you would most likely have continued to work. Do you think that would be the case?

— Probably, yes. But it's hard to say. Or maybe he would have won the final and not left. I do not know what agreements Buvacha (Dynamo sports director) had. — Izvestia) with Schwartz... And why come back to this topic?

Replacements according to tradition: the RPL clubs that failed the season began personnel restructuring

Schwartz returned to Dynamo, while CSKA and Akron have not yet decided on head coaches.

— Do you understand why Schwartz's shadow has always hung over Dynamo in recent years when choosing a coach? Why did they want him back so badly?

— I can't know for sure, but probably the managers had a warm relationship with Sandro, and they liked his football. But I don't make such decisions, and it's hard for me to say why he was appointed.

— Do you think his candidacy is good for the club?

— I can't judge. It will be possible to say something when the championship starts.

— Have you considered staying at Sandro's headquarters?

— When you worked in charge... Even football players, it seems to me, would perceive me incorrectly. It would be difficult for both the team and me. Therefore, it was initially excluded. First of all, from my side.

— Do you feel that you are ready to continue working in charge?

— Of course, I understand how to work, how to communicate with the team, manage it and train it. I don't think I have any problems in terms of experience.

— Valery Gazzaev was very supportive of you in the press. Have you been in touch with him personally?

— Constantly. When we switched to three defenders, I consulted with him. We discussed this with Valery Georgievich, but one of his tips was to abandon this idea, since we would not be able to play a new game with a team like Krasnodar in such a short time. So he always helped, told me what he liked and what he didn't like, and I always listened to him.

— In the last month, rumors have linked you with CSKA. Did the army really contact you?

— I just read about it in the press. But he didn't have any conversations with anyone.

— Even Igor Akinfeev didn't ask you if it was true?

— Such things were not discussed. I have a good relationship with everyone at the army club, but we didn't talk about it.

"I plan to meet with one of the La Liga coaches next week."

— Do you have any suggestions from other teams now? The insider Ivan Karpov reported on Ural's interest in you.

— So far, there have been no specifics.

"Then what are your plans?"

— I don't need time to rest, I have to go to work. You can't go over it: "I want to go here, I don't want to go there." If there is a suggestion, I will consider it. The main thing is to work.

— Before the interview, you said that you were planning one working meeting. Will you reveal the details?

— Yes, I plan to meet with one of the La Liga coaches next week. I'm already in Spain. I want to talk to this particular specialist, ask questions about the training process and understand how everything works for them and how we differ.

"We will learn from PSG to shoot penalties"

Football player Konstantin Tyukavin — about Safonov's triumph in the Champions League, the return to Dynamo of his beloved coach and the newcomer of the Russian national team

— Does it sound like you're planning to find an explanation for why foreigners are so often invited to the RPL?

— I am also curious about this. Maybe there really are differences. But I'm not talking out of spite. I'm really interested.

— So you are not jealous of foreign coaches?

"I don't have one." Maybe they really learn better and have more knowledge. But I haven't seen any wizards in the RPL in my entire career. There are those who give results. But I must admit that last season it was much harder for us to prepare for the teams of Musaev, Semak and Galaktionov than Celestini and Carcedo.

- why?

— They take you apart well and cover up your strengths by playing on your weaknesses. And when you play against Celestini or Carcedo, you understand — this is my feeling — that they are based only on their game. But this is not a reproach.

— Who would be the best coach this season?

— The best is always the champion. But I also like the work of Artiga and Galaktionov.

— Why is Talalaev not on the list?

— Everyone has their own vision of football. Andrey Viktorovich's style is noticeable, and in terms of results, the team performed well under his leadership, but I like a little bit differently in football. Nevertheless, my opinion does not exactly mean that Talalaev's Baltika is playing bad football.

— What do you think about CSKA's decision to trust Igdisamov, despite his short work experience not just in the RPL, but in adult football in general?

— This is a normal situation. I know Dima well. I worked with him at the academy. He has a very good coaching base. Therefore, I think the leadership's choice is justified. Why not? We need to give it a chance, and then everything will depend on the results.

— Were you impressed by his work?

— There was definitely no failure in the spring. The preseason will be an important moment for the Army team right now.

— Speaking of CSKA, I can't help but ask about Igor Akinfeev, who extended his contract with the club. How did you react to this?

— He is a great professional and he will feel when he has had enough. If he continues to play, it means he feels strong and energetic. No matter what anyone says, CSKA is one team with Akinfeev, another without him.