When talking about football, the topics of money, commerce, and contracts are involuntarily touched upon. Who ensures a stable future for athletes? Such people are called agents. They play the role of accountants, diplomats, lawyers, while trying to remain in the shadows. Who are these mysterious individuals? How to become a football agent?
Introduction to the profession
The first agents in football appeared in the 70s of the twentieth century in the West. By signing an agreement with the athlete, they took responsibility for his finances and career. Of course, to what extent they will good results, depends on and honesty. For support high level FIFA has established the Institute of Football Agents as specialists in this field. Here they take exams for professional aptitude, knowledge foreign languages, jurisprudence. Usually agents become former football players who know the activity very well team sport and features of communication with existing players.
In Russia there is also an institute for such specialists, upon completion of which they receive an RFU certificate. A football agent license gives the right to work not only in one’s own country, but also in other countries, and also ensures transparency of actions. Currently, professionals in this field who have completed their training Russian Federation, there are about 150 people. Not only specialists, but also their relatives can represent the interests of athletes. Yes, by deeds famous football player Ronaldinho is handled by his brother, and the Riise brothers are handled by their mother Berit Riise.
Features of the specialty in Russia
In our country, this profession appeared in the early 90s of the twentieth century. Non-professionals also began working alongside licensed agents, who often deceived their clients for their own benefit. The first organization in Russia that had the right to sell our athletes abroad was Sovintersport. Unfortunately, most of the wages went to the state, so football and hockey players received little money. Thus, for the USSR national team defender Vagiz Khidiyatullin, who left for France, the country received 29 thousand monthly from his salary of 30 thousand dollars.
The pioneering agent in our country was Konstantin Sarsania. The former football player still remains on the list of the International Football Federation. On at the moment he works as a trainer. Also by professional agents from a number former football players steel V. Panchenko, D. Gradilenko, A. Novgorodov.
Rules for obtaining a license
How to become a football agent? Who has the right to call themselves an expert in this field? To obtain such a position, you must:
Have citizenship of the country where the license is requested;
Do not be a lawbreaker;
Successfully pass a special FIFA test.
The fee for the exam is set by the football federation of the country where the testing is taking place. It ranges from 100 to 1000 euros. Two attempts to pass the test are allowed per year.
After meeting all conditions and obtaining a license, the agent is obliged to pay FIFA for the right to work with clients from 1,000 to 10,000 euros. The local football federation also sets its own conditions.
Licensing Exam
Before a future agent goes for testing, he needs to make a contribution in the amount of 100 thousand rubles. This money goes towards covering the costs of organizing and running the exam. The fee is non-refundable. A one-day seminar is usually held the day before testing. For all questions regarding the examination, please contact the Russian Football Union. A number of documents must be submitted to this department.
The exam includes twenty multiple choice questions. The test is developed based on the following materials:
- FIFA Statutes, which were adopted in 2012.
- Statutes for the application of the FIFA Statutes.
- FIFA regulations on the status and transfers of football players.
- Rules for the status and transfers of players.
- FIFA Player Agent Regulations.
- Rules that govern the procedures of the Player Status Committee and the Dispute Resolution Chamber.
- FIFA Disciplinary Code.
Questions from the International Federation of Association Football come to English, which are translated by the international department of the Russian Football Union.
Features of obtaining a license in our country
How to become a football agent in the Russian Federation? To do this, you need to contact the appropriate organization. The RFU gives the right to receive a professional certificate upon presentation to the police, which indicates that the future agent does not suffer from mental illness and has no criminal record. You also need to buy an insurance policy, the price of which is 100 thousand Swiss francs. Money is insurance in cases of litigation. Next, you need to draw up a statement of readiness to comply with the code of honor.
Here's how to become a football agent! But are the documents provided sufficient? Required condition, as already mentioned, is the successful passing of a special exam. It is accepted by a commission consisting of seven people. It includes representatives of the Professional football league, Legal Committee of the RFU, Russian Football Premier League.
How to find a football agent?
What steps do you need to take to find a good specialist? First, you need to contact the association of football agents. Here you can choose the appropriate option and draw up a contract. Secondly, remember that a professional agent must take responsibility in resolving legal issues, working with employment contracts, acting as a consultant, intermediary in transfer and sports activities client. Thirdly, you should carefully consider the specialist’s education and work experience.
The agent's fee is no more than 10 percent of the player's income. If the athlete is under 16 years of age, the rate is reduced to 3 percent. The specialist covers the costs of travel and organizing meetings with representatives of football clubs.
Agencies
To get an answer to the question of how to find a football agent, you can contact the association, which unites all licensed football specialists of the RFU. It was created in 2004. The goal of the AFA is the cooperation of agents, the development of football, as well as the football industry in the Russian Federation. The Association of Football Agents promotes the interaction of agents with the International Federation of Association Football, the Russian Football Union, the European Football Union, the Russian football premier league. The Association of Football Agents includes A. Minasov, A. Zotov, S. Bazanov, O. Eremin, A. Tolstikov, A. Manyakov, O. Malezhik.
Football agents in Moscow and other Russian cities
One of the most influential specialists in this field is Oleg Artemov. His clients were P. Pogrebnyak, R. Pavlyuchenko and others. The agent received a license in 2004. In Moscow, O. Artemov works for the German agency Dr. Oliver Wendt & Thomas Zorn.
The football agent of D. Sychev, I. Denisov, V. Bystrov is Pavel Andreev. The specialist cooperates with the Zenit club.
Another one in 2005 famous agent founded the company ProSports Management. Previously, he managed the Samara club “Wings”. Then he became a representative of D. Kolodin, S. Leilton. The specialist is promoting the Anzhi brand, where he is a member of the board of directors.
The SA agency, created by Alexey Safonov, focuses mainly on young football players. He is a partner of the Chertanovo school. The list of agency clients includes Sergei Ryzhikov, Vladimir Granat, Alexey Medvedev and others.
Another well-known football organization, ASA International, headed by Arsen Minasov, works with clients such as K. Zyryanov, V. Kulik, R. Shirokov, O. Vukoevich. The company is known on the international market and cooperates with Croatian players.
Professionals in the CIS countries
How to become a football agent in Ukraine? First you need to have 8 thousand hryvnia in your account and numerous connections in football teams. Licensing exams are held in March and September of each year. To be admitted to the knowledge test, you must provide the following documents to the Status and Transfers Committee:
Two types of passport: foreign and civil;
Identification code;
Work book;
Diploma of education;
Application with autobiography;
Certificate of residence;
Extracts from psychoneurological and narcological dispensaries;
Certificate from the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
Cash contribution.
Candidates are tested on their knowledge of the FIFA statutes and regulations on the status and transfers of football players, the FIFA regulations on the activities of agents, and the FFU regulations on the activities of agents. The received license is valid for five years and has international status.
A prerequisite for working as a football agent is purchasing insurance. Its cost is about 10,350 hryvnia, and it is used only in case of litigation. The specialist also carries out annual insurance of his activities in the amount of 100 thousand Swiss francs.
Football agency in the Republic of Belarus
The conditions for obtaining a license in this country are the same as in other countries. The agent must pass an exam. Of the twenty test questions, fifteen include topics on FIFA regulations, and five on ABFF requirements. Persons with higher education are allowed to take the exam. The future agent must provide certificates of no criminal record and proof of mental health. After the exam, the candidate enters into a liability insurance contract and signs a code of professional conduct.
Speaking about how to become a football agent in Belarus, it should be noted that relatives of athletes can also master this profession, but they must be registered with the Association of the Belarusian Football Federation.
Unlicensed Agents
When you need a football agent, and the athlete does not have large sums of money, you have to turn to illegal specialists. Unofficial business in our country is carried out by different people, for example, club managers, employees from sports departments and others. The regulations on the status and transfer of football players of the Russian Football Union provide for sanctions both for clubs that work with unlicensed agents, and for the players themselves who have entered into contracts with them. For the latter, the punishment usually takes the form of a warning, a fine of 250 thousand rubles, or disqualification for up to 12 months. As for clubs, the fine for cooperation with an unlicensed agent is already 1 million rubles; it is also possible to transfer the organization to a lower division, deducting points, and banning transfers for a certain period. Any transactions carried out in this case are cancelled.
Despite serious sanctions, football players and clubs continue to use the services of “bugs” (as agents without licenses are called). Why? Firstly, such workers are paid less for services than certified professionals. Secondly, with the help of a “bug” a club can get rid of an unwanted football player for its own benefit. There are other reasons too.
Features of the activity
The question of how to become a football agent in Moscow is very relevant today. A novice specialist must follow a number of rules that, if successfully implemented, can lead to the desired result.
1. At first, it is better to have one or two clients with whom you must maintain personal contact.
2. Try to attend all football events where you need to make useful contacts.
3. Study foreign languages.
4. Determine the field of your activity.
5. Negotiate honestly.
6. Don’t count on getting big money quickly.
7. Try to travel a lot to observe as many players as possible at work.
8. It is advisable to acquire intermediaries.
9. Show attention to the client.
10. Support good relationship with journalists.
Conclusion
So, now you know how to become a football agent in Russia. To do this, you need to have a certain amount in your account, not have problems with the law, and have good mental health. A higher education is required, legal or economics is especially welcome. And the main thing that is required is to be able to communicate with people, strengthen connections and have public speaking skills.
“Help me find a team! Help organize a viewing! Become my agent! – my day begins with letters like these from young football players and their parents. As a rule, this happens when the guys graduate from football school and the question arises: what to do next? Finding a team is extremely difficult, almost impossible. At such a moment, everyone has a brilliant thought: “We need an agent!” Everyone rushes to the Internet and starts googling “football agent.” And at this point, let's say “stop.” It doesn't work.
Finding an agent is not just a decision made when you can't find a team. This is an important step that needs to be taken responsibly. If you want to find an agent, start looking at age 14. Not just a person who calls himself an agent, but a person who will constantly deal with your child and monitor him: his play, training, recovery from injuries, nutrition and even studies.
Agents, like clubs, have a selection system. The agent travels all over the country and goes to all kinds of matches with only one goal - to find the most talented (in his opinion) player and offer him cooperation. A good agent doesn't wait for people to call him.
Every year thousands of children graduate from sports schools, and professional clubs is getting smaller. And, of course, not everyone becomes a football player. But tearing out your hair is pointless. We need to take a sober look at the situation. If you understand that you are “not up to the task”, that at some point you missed the time when you needed to train harder, go study and look for yourself in adulthood. Believe me, it doesn't matter when you finish football. What matters is how quickly you adapt to life without him. And the older you get, the harder it is to do this.
To those who are forced to leave the field, but do not want to part with the game, I want to say: football is not only about football players. These are presidents, coaches, doctors, scouts, commentators and many, many others. interesting professions. And the football knowledge that you acquired in childhood will help you more than once in the future.
And now - for the most persistent. What to do when neither clubs nor agents notice you? If you think that this is just bad luck or a mistake, and believe in yourself, then I advise you to participate in a project called “MyTryOut”. In it, young guys show themselves to scouts of professional football clubs, and the clubs and schools themselves come to find the best.
The project was created by guys who at one time, like thousands of boys, were faced with the problem of finding a club. And I will come to the October tryout to find talent. Don't look for an agent on the Internet - come and show yourself.
Alexander ShurAssessing your capabilities.
It is clear that children who play football all dream of playing big football. Play in Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester, or at worst in our clubs Dynamo, Shakhtar, etc. But when should you think seriously about your dream? Well, of course, in the last year of classes at a children's sports school. Why? Because this year will determine your condition, the level of a football player.
What you guys and your parents definitely need to know. First of all, remember it doesn’t really matter what school you play football at. Yes, it’s good if you are at a Dynamo or Shakhtar school or sports boarding school. Of course, the conditions for classes there are much better than in schools in small towns. But, believe me, this is not so important. It is important that you have those football skills, the ability that would allow you to move on. There are a lot of examples where guys from small towns, unknown teams, ended up in professional football.
Remember one more important postulate. If you don’t play in your children’s team in the first team, this is also not a reason to hang up your boots and forget about your dream.
So, how do you assess your capabilities? First, make this assessment yourself first. For example, rate your football capabilities using a five-point system:
Technical equipment,
Physical condition
Tactical equipment,
Game during selection, single combat,
Morale.
Write down for yourself on a piece of paper what you do best. What's the trick to your game? For example, someone plays well in tackling, is physically strong, someone has good speed and dribbling. Someone has with a strong blow from any position, etc.
Below I will write to you exactly what qualities it is advisable to have for each position and role in order to get into the teams of masters:
And the main thing for everyone is to have a strong character. Without character, there is no chance of becoming a footballer. The ability to endure, to play until the end, I can’t get through it.
Goalkeeper– first of all, height, preferably not lower than 185 cm. Good technical equipment. Strong legs, without them there will be no good reaction, even if there is one, and jumping ability. Don't be a coward and be morally strong. Of course, play on the exits, and not just on the goal line.
Fullback- First of all, have good speed. Rarely is a full-back slow - this is rather the exception to the rule, if there are such, and they are. Be tough in martial arts, strong physically. It's not bad to play with your head. Have high jumping ability. Well, if there is no speed, then at least have good sharpness. It is desirable to play simply and reliably.
Central defender– tall height, this is very important. Don’t believe that if you are 180 cm tall and play central defender in a children’s school and play well, you will get into the team of masters. The chances are slim, believe me. Better change your role. Heading is a must. Speed is very desirable, but there were football players who didn’t run, but then you need to have a head like his. Play smart tactically. And one more thing, the ability to make the first pass. Be physically strong.
Wide midfielder– you must have good speed. It would be great if you had good technique and especially dribbling. Have good passing. Many people think that they know how to serve, but they really don’t. Very few people know how to do this; this should be done separately from general training. Have great endurance. The midfielder has to play both in defense and in attack. It would also be very good if you played with both feet equally - this is a positive aspect when choosing a coach. Well, and the ability to shoot on goal. The ability to play in tackling, without this, a wing midfielder is now an empty place.
Defensive midfielder- First of all, sharpness, very good physical condition. Play with your head when tackling, be tenacious and not yielding.
Attacking midfielder– be very technical, dribbling, have a good understanding of the game, and tactically competent. Have a good pass, both low and high. Have a blow. It is advisable to at least be very sharp.
Attack– they come in different types, but the main thing is to have a scoring instinct, to have good hit and preferably with both feet. Have dribbling ability, be able to create chances for yourself, take over the game. Good starting and distance speed. The ability to open up well, to offer yourself.
Here I have listed the main characteristics for each role. Look for these qualities in yourself, work on the missing qualities and everything will be fine.
What else would you like to do? It’s difficult for you to evaluate yourself objectively, so it’s best to invite someone, an outside specialist. Let him evaluate you, look at your game and what you can do in training. Because it's not always the same. In training you can be one thing, but in the game you can be completely different.
Targeted preparation.
And so, you assessed your capabilities, abilities, qualities. Now we need to start preparing. How much do coaches scold you? Constantly. But, you listen, and most of them fall on deaf ears. Yes, no, we have to take it and work. Correct your shortcomings and, as a rule, this must be done in addition to general training.
Most main aspect in this focus, this is your psychological approach. Believe me, if you are passionate about something more than football, your aspiration is worthless. This does not mean that you should not be interested in anything else, not do anything, not relax and go out with friends. You just have to do it all on time. But you have to play football, well, not fanatically, but enough, just responsibly. I saw a lot of talented guys. They could play at a very good level. But they did not have a core of responsibility or determination. All this happened, but only in words, but in deeds...
You've probably heard the phrase “You need to love not yourself in football, but football in yourself.”
Believe me, this is pure truth.
I really want to say a few words to my parents. Don't put pressure on your children. Sometimes it seems to me that parents want to play football more than their children. There is no need to put pressure, there should be control, but not as total as it happens. And also, if you haven’t played professionally yourself, don’t teach them to play. Sometimes I listen to parents’ tips on how their child should have played in this or that moment, and my heart bleeds. Well, just all football specialists. They have coaches for this. Some terrorize their guys so much that they simply stop playing, they give up, right on the field. We need your moral support. The child should know that you approve of his desire to play professional football and believe in him.
Search for a football agent.
It's no secret that in current time, there are a large number of football agents. Do you need them?
How can a young football player get an audition for one or another team of masters? His childhood coach may recommend him. But honestly, this happens so rarely. It can be seen by selectors of masters teams at various tournaments and cups. But again. I will say from what actually exists, we have very few selectors in the masters teams, and many teams simply do not have them. This is a huge disadvantage of our football. So, it’s better not to rely on these comrades.
There is an option, friends of friends, etc. But, you see, not many people have this option, or rather, many simply don’t have it. Therefore, it is best to find a football agent for your child. Well, we have just a huge number of agents. Go to the search engine and open the list. Then make inquiries, find out the characteristics of this person and make a choice. There is no point in waiting for an agent to come to you, unless your child is a player of the Ukrainian youth team.
The main features of a good one are professionalism, so that he really is a football specialist, and decency. Unfortunately, not all football agents have these qualities. There are those who, if they understand that they cannot get money for your child right away, then they will not really deal with it, or they simply promise a lot, sign an agency contract, and then do not answer calls, there were also such. You need to carefully think about which team is best to go to for a tryout. Well, not all teams are suitable for this. The agent must know and take into account all these circumstances. Where, what coach, what kind of players he likes. What prospects does the guy have in this team, take into account his future transfer amount, etc. Believe me, getting into the team is only half the battle; you also need to sign a competent contract. There are many examples of young guys signing employment contracts for good salaries, and two years later, when these teams no longer needed them, they simply could not get a job anywhere. Because their level of play does not correspond to their transfer amount. And by the way, this is not that the football player is bad, he is simply not yet ripe for another level. We must understand that every young football player reaches a high level individually. Some very early, some a little later. Therefore, choosing an agent is a very responsible and serious step.
Team selection.
Choosing a future team where you will have to go for a tryout is a very important step. For graduates of sports schools best sequel improving skills, this is, of course, a double team in the Major League. Why? Because this is the fastest and most realistic chance to immediately play in the Major League, bypassing the lower ones football divisions. Get into Major League from first or second division teams, it's very, very difficult. If you didn’t get into any doubles, then it’s best to start with a second division team. Personally, I think that at the age of 17-18 there is nothing to do in a first division team, unless of course you are so talented, or there is simply a coach who will trust you and believe in you. Believe me, this happens very rarely. As a rule, coaches of first league teams are very reluctant to trust young footballers to play in the lineup or often substitute. Twenty-three years old is still a young age for them. Then your age, for them, is just childish. And you understand, the most important thing at your age is to play. You can train as much as you like, it won’t be of much use if you don’t play. That is precisely why the double and the second league are preferable to the first league. If you stand out in your position in the reserves or in the second league, you will have a real chance to move to a team in the first division, where you will not sit on the bank or not get into the squad, but play.
Getting into the team does not mean playing well.
Many young football players, when they get into the master team, the reserve team or the second league, consider that the job is done. For some reason, most people begin to have love stories, whirlwind romances. And in my head, there is only love and sex. I'm not against all this, that's understandable. But, often, for some reason, for the majority, all these relationships really interfere. My opinion is that you should start a serious relationship at twenty or a little later. When with your football career there will be more or less some clarity. Money appears and immediately many begin to play tricks. They often go to nightclubs, drink, etc. I don't recommend doing this in large quantities. In my opinion, the second league or double is not football yet. This is just the beginning of the journey. Please understand, football is a very delicate thing. There is a saying: “It’s not enough to know how to play football, you need to find your coach and your team.”
You can play for the reserve team all season in the first team, but you won’t be able to make it to the first team. But it may even happen that you won’t get into the second league. There can be a lot of reasons why you played for the reserve team. And to play in the second league, you really need to play. Unfortunately, our doubles now are just some kind of football kindergarten. Both the level of the team and the nature of the game are very different from the level of the game and precisely the character, from the second league.
There is another important aspect why many guys quickly end up playing professional football. Many people somehow get the feeling that they are completely fine, but they are being stifled and not objectively assessed. Such an element of internal star fever. Such thoughts, one hundred percent, lead to sad consequences. As a rule, such football players end up playing professional football as soon as they start. I would not talk about this if there were not numerous examples of such cases. I don’t want to name the names of these, as I call them, semi-football players. I sincerely feel sorry for them, but they only have themselves to blame for not playing anymore. Therefore, I ask you, do not make mistakes. Be realistic about yourself, evaluate your game critically. There are always flaws in the game.
Conclusion:
If you take what I have written here seriously, I assure you, you will achieve results and become a professional football player. What is important is an objective assessment, a desire, a fanatical desire to work on the problematic aspects of your game and have a real masculine character.
My son played football. I have seen that children cannot get into teams after graduation. I wanted to help, to make it clear that a professional is when football occupies you 24 hours a day. When you understand that you need to go to bed on time, eat what you should, train properly and regain strength. Those who become agents just for the money usually don't succeed.
Previously, there were no problems with obtaining a license from the RFU for agency activities: I answered the questions as in the traffic police exam - and that’s it. But no one has received new licenses for two and a half years. Apparently, because RFU President Nikolai Tolstykh considers agents the main enemies of football. It all started with a scandal during the agent exam. The applicants answered the questions correctly, but due to an incorrect translation, the answers were not counted. Another president would have supported the guys, but this one took advantage of the situation to declare war on the agents. However, some of my colleagues gave him a reason for this.
Tolstykh is sure that agents are taking money out of football. He is like Lenin: he fights so that there are no rich people. But if the agents do not withdraw money, others will do so with great pleasure - those who support the Tolstoys. Unlike agents, they will not spend this money on children's sports schools, for the development of football players. Many of my colleagues do this regularly. Recently, I myself transferred money to volleyball and football sections in Snezhny in the Donbass. I considered it my human duty.
The agent receives a commission of up to 10% from the contract or transfer amount of the player. Will you go to court without a lawyer? No. So any self-respecting player will also not sign a contract without an agent. In our football clubs, unfortunately, players are cheated of money every day, technical support or some other conditions. Of the clubs I've worked with, only two in the Premier League have ever cheated. And some are simply proud of their dishonesty. For example, Torpedo fulfilled only one of our agreements (and initially there were many of them).
In our football clubs players are cheated every day for money, technical support or some other conditions
About personal problems of football players
Often I have to solve clients' personal problems that are not related to football. Football players have the same problems as other people. To help someone choose a restaurant for a wedding, to pick up someone’s car from an impound lot, legal issues, on loans, and so on. This, of course, is not stipulated in contracts with players. A football player sat in a tavern and punched someone in the face - he had to come and end the conflict. It happens that a football player lives in the house of an agent and the latter’s wife takes care of the player as if he were her own son. Apart from agents, there are no people in football capable of this.
Recently I had to go to a football player’s house at night and change the light bulbs there (he himself was not at home). The wife came, saw that there was no light, and got scared. I had to come and help. It turned out that the light bulb had burned out. She just didn’t think to look - it happens to everyone.
Often you have to help with getting a deferment from the army. There is no special education for football players, so players go to college. But since many of them do not play in the regions where they are registered, they do not have enough time to collect documents. We have to do it for them.
About violations of the sports regime
Sometimes a football player can smoke a hookah or drink beer, but professionals always know when to stop. They understand that a 10 year career is their chance to make money. They chew it out with their teeth.
There are also those who end up playing football because of similar problems. Remember, there was a player of the Russian national team Ivan Saenko? He is still at “football” age, but already weighs more than 100 kilograms. He decided that rest was more important to him. I respect his choice and do not believe that he is worthy of condemnation. In the end, the man played in Germany and won bronze medals European Championship as part of the Russian national team, and then, apparently, burned out: football is a lot of physical and psychological stress.
Hovhannes Goharyan was potentially capable of playing in a serious European club. For two years in a row, he scored more for Lokomotiv's reserve team than anyone else in the reserve team tournament. But he lacked character, his older comrades could not find the right words - and he broke down. It's not just alcohol or cigarettes. Attitude towards oneself lies in a general professional attitude towards maintaining sports shape.
About the age of football players
They swore at Alan Gatagov for having a Bentley. But he didn’t buy it himself - the car was inherited by his wife, who is much older than Alan. Although I don’t know how old Gatagov himself is. I think they could have changed his age - in the southern regions this is the norm. Dzagoev, I believe, is also two or three years older than according to the documents. This is important for starting a career, but at a certain level no one cares anymore. Dzagoev doesn’t play worse because his age is overwritten. Doumbia, I think, was also rewritten within two years. But it was still sold to big club from the top championship. Although people in football guess everything.
On negotiations with clubs
When I try to convince the club that it is time for my client to increase his salary, I use sporting arguments. For example, I’m talking about the status of a football player in a team, the number of games, results, and the progress of the club with his participation. But negotiations do not always end successfully. Recently I tried to re-sign a football player’s contract, but they told me: “It’s just not serious, we are in 13th place.” I understand everything, no questions. We'll wait for them to rise.
About earnings
Nowadays no one plays for little money. For a football player, earnings are more important than career prospects, although they, of course, do not admit this. Look at “Santa Barbara” with Artyom Dzyuba. He declined invitations from good clubs from top championships to move to Zenit for big money. Even the national team captain Roman Shirokov was not offered that kind of money. In St. Petersburg, Dziuba will have a guaranteed high income, but in the West he has two options - to become a superstar or an outcast.
At the same time, we have such a level of championship that European clubs not too eager to invite Russian football players. Apart from Kokorin and one or two other players, no one matches the level of the top championships. Yes, and move from “Spartak” to the conditional “ West Ham" means losing your salary by half. Those who would agree to this can be counted on one hand.
Why do they get paid no less in the Russian championship than in top clubs? best championships? Firstly, when state corporations entered football, they significantly raised the salary cap. Private owners have also had to adapt to remain competitive. Secondly, the main way to attract Russian team strong legionnaire - this is a proposal high salary. One that they won’t give him in the leading championship. The salaries of other players also increase accordingly, because the gap within one team should not be too large.
About the results
I do not agree that our clubs perform poorly in European competitions. Our championship is inferior in level to at least five championships in Europe. Each of them has three or four teams competing in the Champions League. This is a minimum of 16 clubs that should be higher than ours. Yes, in terms of budget, Zenit is inferior to few others. But sport is not mechanical engineering. It's not the money that goes into the field.
Russian football is often compared to Soviet football. Then no one said that the players got too drunk. But what did they win? Not a single Champions Cup, although at that time only the winners competed there.
About why Russians don't become football stars
This off-season, several young football players left to play in Europe - this is good. They have outgrown the duplicate rosters of their teams and want to progress. They went for football, not for money. They want to compare the approach to sports in another country and themselves with young European football players. It's a good experience. However, the chances that they will turn into big football players are no greater than if they stayed. Previously, many of us left for Italy, France, and other countries, but by and large, no one made it through.
Our young men became European champions in 2006. Why didn't any of them grow up to be serious football players? This is where debauchery and inadequate perception of one’s own successes intervene. Agents, clubs, coaches are also to blame: they failed to convey to them how to develop their careers. Although Prudnikov never philanders during training. But, apparently, at some stage he lost confidence, and that means a lot.
We have the wrong system for training young players. The same Denis Cheryshev was invited to the youth team seven or eight years ago. The coach didn’t put him in the lineup back then and called him weak, but today he wants to hang medals around his neck for discovering him. A young football player needs to be put on the field, his mistakes pointed out to him, and then put back into the game to see how he corrects these mistakes. And Cheryshev received a verdict in five minutes. It's good that he had the right upbringing. His father is a football player and never interfered in Denis’s relationships with coaches. Therefore, Denis grew stronger, turned into a man and became one of the leading players of a not very weak Spanish club. What, we don’t have such Cheryshevs in Russia? There are, and a lot of them.
Our youth are corrupted football schools, academies and parents themselves. I was once with a friend at her son’s hockey practice. When the coach set up the goal for a two-way game, all the parents immediately rushed from the stands to the boards. I ask a friend: “Why are you running there? Do you really understand anything about the game? Parents screamed like crazy, telling their sons how to take away, throw, circle. At such moments, children cease to understand who to listen to - the coach or mom and dad. The same thing happens in football.
The question arises: why did parents bring their children to hockey? To grow them into stars who earn huge amounts of money. Then they tell me: “I spent 10 years for him to become a football player and sign a decent contract, but they offer him such a pittance...” They instill in children that football should bring big money. But we need to teach them to be athletes.
Another problem is with children's coaches. In Russia, they are focused on obtaining immediate results by any means necessary. In one of the Champions League finals, Barcelona had nine of their players in the starting lineup. Two more came on as substitutes. This is the real result of the work of a children's coach. It is far from a fact that these children won the Spanish Youth Championship. But no one sprinkled ashes on their heads and kicked them out of school. And they would kick us out and say that the players are “weak.”
Why did parents bring their children to hockey? To raise them to be stars who receive huge money
About the impact of the crisis
Clubs will begin to disappear, competition among football players will increase, and some people will be left without work. Agency fees may also fall, although unlikely by much. But all this will not lead to the purification of our football. Our football could be helped by a leader with brains who would like to make a product out of it. We have winter for six months, and the stadiums are not heated. It is necessary to invite children from orphanages to stadiums, because a player simply cannot play at full capacity if the full stadium is roaring. And they just run around and ask us for money.
About match fixing and illegal earnings
I think that about 10 percent of matches in the Russian Championship are fixed. This percentage is not growing, but, perhaps, it is not falling either. Why this is not being investigated, I don’t know. I think that the same 10 percent of players, coaches, and functionaries are involved in them. There are also coaches who take kickbacks from player transfers. If a coach, changing teams, constantly brings with him the same undistinguished player, this is a reason for suspicion. The purest and most honest person is Tolstoy. Even though he is schizophrenic, he definitely doesn’t take kickbacks.
The history of “Rostov” is typical not only for our football, but for the whole country. There are kickbacks in almost every aspect of life, and football is no different.
About racism and conflicts
I don't believe that Russian football a lot of racists. How can football players be racist if they play on the same team with completely different people? Doumbia played for CSKA, he was useful, did his partners really not like him or did the fans not appreciate his goals? Of course, there will always be one eccentric who will shout something, but these are isolated manifestations.
Conflicts within clubs do not occur for racial or any other reasons, but simply because of high tension. As in any team, people get tired of looking at the same face every day. Footballers are not emotionless vegetables.
Illustrations: Masha Shishova
