In order to achieve high sporting results and improve the functioning of the club, at the next meeting of the board of directors of JSC FC Zenit, a decision was made to make changes to the organizational structure of the club: a sole executive body was created in the person of the chairman of the board of the club and the president.
By unanimous decision of the members of the club's board of directors, Sergei Aleksandrovich Fursenko was appointed to this position. Until the completion of corporate procedures, he will serve as the club's general director. Chairman of the Board of Directors of FC Zenit JSC Alexander Valerievich Dyukov signed an order for his appointment.Sergei Aleksandrovich Fursenko was born on March 11, 1954 in Leningrad. Graduated from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute.
From 2003 to 2008, he was the General Director of Lentransgaz, a subsidiary of PJSC Gazprom.
At the end of 2005, Sergei Fursenko was appointed chairman of the board of directors of Zenit, and in January of the following year he became president of the club. Under his leadership, Zenit won the first championship in Russian history in 2007.
From March 2012 to March 2014 he was a member of the UEFA executive committee.
In July 2012, he was included in the Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Education and Sports. Member of the Board of Directors of Gazprom Neft PJSC and Gazprom Gas Engine Fuel LLC.
Starting today, the host will be 63-year-old Leningrad native Sergei Fursenko, the man under whom Zenit became the Russian champion and UEFA Cup winner 10 years ago. Yesterday it was announced that the former president of the RFU (from late 2009 to mid-2012) “pending the completion of corporate procedures” was appointed general director. Subsequently, when “changes are made to the organizational structure of the club,” Fursenko will take the post, which is designated on the blue-white-blue website as the “sole executive body.” He will combine the functions and tasks of the president and chairman of the club’s board. In general, no matter what your position is called, it is clear that Sergei Alexandrovich will become the most important person at Zenit from the point of view of operational and strategic management.
At the same time, the now ex-general director, who had worked at the club since 2006, left the blue-white-blues (an excellent graduate of the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg State University took the big post at a relatively young age - 24 years old). There are different versions about his future. Some SE sources claim that he will leave the sports field, but there are also opinions that Maxim Lvovich will remain in the club structure. Another leader will head the board of directors of Zenit - previously his position was called “p resident” (on the website it has not yet changed). One should, apparently, expect that Alexander Valerievich will be more focused on global issues.
Local questions remain - which other managers will leave Zenit, whether a new general director (or some other manager) will be appointed under Fursenko after the organizational structure changes and Sergei Alexandrovich becomes “president-chairman of the board”. In football circles, Maxim Pogorelov is mentioned in this regard, who worked with Fursenko at the RFU, and now works in the company iSport . However, there is no clarity here yet.
Sergey FURSENKO. Photo by Alexey IVANOV, "SE"
Sergey FURSENKO
Born on March 11, 1954 in Leningrad.
In 1978 he graduated from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute with a degree in electrical apparatus.
From 1979, for ten years he worked as a senior engineer and then as head of a research laboratory at the All-Union Research Institute of Radio Equipment. In 1988 he participated in ensuring the automatic landing of the Buran spacecraft.
From 1989 to 1991, executive director of the Technoexan enterprise. In 1991 - 1996, general director of the research and production enterprise "TEMP". In 1997 - 1998 - Deputy General Director of JSC Lenenergo. In 1998 - 2002 - General Director of CJSC Television Association Production Center SCHOLA. From July 2003 to 2008, General Director of Lentransgaz LLC, a subsidiary of Gazprom OJSC.
Since December 2005 - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zenit. In January 2006, the post of chairman of the club's board of directors was abolished, and Fursenko became president of the St. Petersburg club. He remained in this position until the spring of 2008.
In 2008, he held the position of General Director of the National Media Group.
From January 2010 to June 2012 - President of the RFU. From March
From 2012 to March 2014 he was a member of the UEFA executive committee.
In July 2012, he was included in the Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Education and Sports. Member of the Board of Directors of PJSC Gazprom Neft and LLC Gazprom Gas Engine Fuel.
WHO WILL BE THE COACH
The main intrigue in any case is whether and who will lead the team if the Romanian is fired. It is significant that on the Zenit website there is the wording: “Changes have been made to achieve high sports results and improving the functioning of the club." And if, of course, the management is responsible for the functioning, then the coach is responsible for achieving sports results.
Romanian's contract with Russian club was signed in May 2016 for a period of two years with the possibility of extension for another one. The agreement, according to SE, does not contain a penalty clause. Lucescu himself (he was planning to fly home on Thursday) is ready to continue working with the team. However, not everyone agrees with his wishes. Among other things, it is known that if Mircea remains, then Zenit will most likely leave the group in the summer famous players who did not find a common language with him. However, now the offended have more reason to be optimistic. “Lucescu will remain in the team only if the club does not find another specialist,” said an SE source familiar with the situation. “The club already has a short list on which work will be carried out. Zenit will try as soon as possible "The time frame for resolving the issue with a new helmsman is two weeks."
The situation is complicated by the fact that Zenit did not qualify for the Champions League - this is a negative factor for the club in the negotiations.
Below is a list of candidates that became known to SE. The favorite, according to our data, is now the Italian. In 2012, he could already begin working under Fursenko and even signed some papers of intent, but after Sergei Alexandrovich left the post of president of the RFU, the topic of Mancini in the Russian national football team disappeared. Now there is a chance for a second try.
Candidates for the post of head coach of Zenit: Roberto MANCINI (Italy), Marco VAN BASTEN (Holland), Laurent BLANC (France), Marc VILMOTS (Belgium), PAULO SOUZA (Portugal). Photo AFP/REUTERS
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CLUB
He has become the main face of Zenit, and the St. Petersburg club is facing restructuring. The official website of Zenit reported the appointment of Fursenko with the following wording:
“In order to achieve high sporting results and improve the functioning of the club, at the next meeting of the Board of Directors of JSC FC Zenit, a decision was made to make changes to the organizational structure of the club:
a sole executive body was created in the person of the chairman of the club’s board and president. By unanimous decision of the members of the club's Board of Directors, Sergei Aleksandrovich Fursenko was appointed to this position.
Until the completion of corporate procedures, he will serve as the club's General Director. Chairman of the Board of Directors of FC Zenit JSC Alexander Valerievich signed the order on his appointment.”
It is important to note that Dyukov previously held the position of president of Zenit, and now has become chairman of the board of directors, and the general director thus moves away from the direct management of the club and Fursenko becomes the sole head.
Recently, Fursenko often attended matches of the St. Petersburg team and was captured by television cameras.
He also attended a meeting of the Russian President on sports issues in Krasnodar, which took place a little earlier - on May 23.
Let us recall that from January 1, 2007, the post of general director of Zenit was held by. Under him, the club became the champion of Russia three times, and in 2008 won the Cup and Super Cup.
However, it is worth noting that Zenit’s achievements ten years ago are mainly associated with Fursenko, who worked as head of the club from 2006 until the spring of 2008, and the UEFA Cup and Super Cup finals took place a little later.
During his activities at the head of the Neva team, Fursenko invited the Dutch specialist Dick Advocaat to the post of head coach,
and for the position of sports director - who is currently involved in Rostov’s transfer affairs.
During the reign of the above-mentioned trio, players came to the team who played vital role in the formation of Zenit as one of the strongest clubs Russia, and on short time- and Europe. , Miguel Danny, - ten years ago these names were on the tongue not only of the club’s fans, but also of all football fans in Russia.
It is quite possible that the reason for Fursenko’s appointment as the sole head of Zenit was his successful actions in the past.
Last two years St. Petersburg club does not show the same results.
He twice finished the national championship in third position and did not qualify for the Champions League, lost two superstars in Hulk and Axel Witsel and did not find a worthy replacement for them.
In turn, Fursenko cannot count the years of the RFU presidency, from 2010 to 2012, as an asset. He decided to follow the already beaten path and invited his good friend Lawyer to the team. Under him, the Russian national team qualified for Euro 2012, but did not make it out of the group in the finals, losing to Greece in the decisive match. Almost immediately after the European Championship, Fursenko resigned.
His reign is also known for the transition of the Russian Premier League to the European “autumn -
spring".
However, recently we have often heard critical comments about the calendar, and it is possible that this decision will be reversed. True, it is impossible to say unequivocally that the transition to “autumn - spring” did not justify itself and became Fursenko’s failure.
Honorary President of the RFU Vyacheslav Koloskov spoke positively about Gazprom’s decision.
“I am pleased to welcome the return to football of the former president of the club and the former head of the Russian Football Union, Sergei Aleksandrovich Fursenko.
He is a football man who went through a serious school, first at the club, and then at the RFU, and this is an invaluable school, especially since it was not very successful in terms of results and, perhaps, management.
This is a very good incentive for self-improvement. In any case, Fursenko is a modern person, with a broad outlook, understands the problems of football, and, importantly, he enjoys the trust of the leader,” R-Sport quotes.
In recent years, Fursenko has not held any official position, but he is a member of the Russian Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Education and Sports. He is also a member of the board of directors of PJSC Gazprom and Gazprom Gas Engine Fuel LLC.
You can get acquainted with other materials, news and statistics at the Russian Football Championship, as well as in the sports department groups on social networks
Five conclusions from Fursenko’s return to Zenit
Evgeny Dzichkovsky - about the appointment of Sergei Fursenko as general director of the St. Petersburg club.
After all, football is a drug. In a metaphysical sense. People get hooked - and then you can’t stop them from being involved in a big business, from their ball addiction and the habit of selection.
Sergei Fursenko returns to Zenit. The President, Chairman of the Board and Interim General Director - this is the combined structure that was chosen. Fursenko has work in the gas industry, management of media assets, and service as the honorary consul of the Republic of Bangladesh in St. Petersburg. But none of these complex work areas ignited in him the desire to plunge into it again and again. And football has ignited. Despite the fact that we are talking about an imperceptible, but still a decrease in status: before Fursenko was the second person in a well-understood club hierarchy, now he will be the third.
What conclusions does this appointment lead to?
First– Fursenko really wanted to return to Zenit. Without his desire, the scenario would hardly have come true; according to the regulations, they do not throw at such embrasures.
Second– Maxim Mitrofanov, Fursenko’s predecessor, did something that made his further work as CEO undesirable. This is not about taking office equipment out of the office on a dark night, of course. Moreover, Mitrofanov could have done nothing at all in terms of actions, but only become third in the Russian championship table twice in a row. And yeah.
Mircea Lucescu, as far as I know, was not Mitrofan’s creature, but it was the general director who had to install the Romanian into the club mechanism. And if we talk about the attitude of public opinion to this process, everything is unlikely to be ideal. Not with the installation (maybe this is how the club imagined everything?), but with public opinion.
There are also questions about a number of transfers: with the successful sale of Hulk and the adapted Lunev, not all the newcomers bought by Mitrofanov were fully integrated into Zenit.
Be that as it may, his departure looks more like a resignation than a routine hardware shift. And the wording of the order on the appointment of Fursenko says a lot: “In order to achieve high sporting results and improve the functioning of the club...”. This means that the current results are not the best, but there was room for improvement in the functioning.
Third conclusion– The Code of Honor and Operation “Scarlet Flower” can be remembered with a complex face. However, under Fursenko, Zenit won the championship, the Super Cup and the European Cup - you can easily find the data by ruffling Wikipedia. Moreover, Fursenko looked better as a club manager than as an all-Russian strategist - the president of the RFU.
That state of success, I believe, is what the high priests of Zenit want to return together with Fursenko. Hoping that everyday work at the club is just its range and scale.
Conclusion number four– Konstantin Sarsania is about to appear next to Zenit. For Fursenko, he has long outgrown his status football agent, being essentially a partner and advisor. With Sarsania, Fursenko feels more confident; he has someone to rely on in the fog of the seas of life. It is unlikely that the “comeback” will also affect Dick Advocaat: given the Dutchman’s retirement fervor in recent years, this is already too much. But for Sarsania, professionally coming into contact with Zenit again is definitely an advantageous moment.
Fifth– St. Petersburg is a big city. And there are a lot of managers there, including football managers. Therefore, the return to the old candidate hints at Zenit’s reluctance to experiment. The club needs a well-trodden path, which was quite good under Fursenko.
Well, introducing new people into a closed club community was probably considered inappropriate. Talk about two entrances to one river and running along vicious circle The club's senior management apparently isn't bothered. They know that if victories and cups return, the city will understand and approve.
But if I were Lucescu, I would be worried now. Fursenko did not leave the coaches who worked before his arrival either at Zenit or in the national team.
But who knows, maybe getting “worried” for a Romanian after a year of work at Zenit and with a valid contract means staying?
Text: Evgeny Dzichkovsky
Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Danichev, FC Zenit
Is the road to hell paved with good intentions? Fursenko’s return is framed as an act of saving Zenit, but Soccer.ru suggests not looking at the decision one-sidedly.
Plus appointments. Change is overdue
It’s hard to evaluate Sergei Fursenko as a boss for Zenit based on the actions of his eccentric brother-teacher and even his work with the RFU. We know that he did not become a great strategist, although he thinks in precisely these categories. But For many years, Mitrofanov did not even produce a strong tactician, but Fursenko had spotty successes– the long-awaited championship as an example. But when they now say that the sales of Hulk, Garay and Witsel are on the list of great successes, you can’t help but smile.
Maybe third places are also better than championships? The same Valencia, where Ezequiel was packed, has an owner from Singapore, and even the psychologist Fursenko can sell famous players to the Chinese and other Asian billionaires at exorbitant prices. Plus, the losses were not made up and the coach was not set within the framework of success! The boss change is justified. It's good that we're ready for change. The club was lost, the team was shaky, the selection was given to Lucescu. The result was not pleasing, the change of general director - the right step. But is it really so bad with fresh personnel that Fursenko needs to be pulled after so many years?
Minus the appointment. Shadow behind Fursenko
Such a general director can bring benefits to Zenit. But there's one catch. It is important to figure out who returned it? Three options. Moscow, Gazprom or Fursenko himself volunteered, although this is a sub-item of the starting option. And the most dangerous option for the club is the first one, if Sergei Alexandrovich was returned not by Mr. Miller’s decision, but bypassing his will. It would be bad if they said that powerful eagles are only pathologically two-headed. In this case, Moscow residents of St. Petersburg are dissatisfied with the state of affairs at Gazprom and began to act with the help of people they trust.
If Fursenko was invited to “keep an eye on”, then expect trouble. Then all the joyful cries that the director will restore order in the club are premature. It is obvious that Zenit is not averse to returning to the old days. Aging “homo sapiens” are prone to nostalgia. The club wants to go back to the past, but that door is hidden forever. And in the corridor there are crowds just as hungry for trophies. Zenit, of course, has slipped as a structure and a club, but Fursenko’s presence in right hand The departure of Lombaerts rather alerted the most attentive ones. And the appointment confirmed the fears. Perhaps Moscow in St. Petersburg does not really trust St. Petersburg right now. And then Fursenko is the auditor of dead champion souls.
Plus appointments. Director's influence
Fursenko – big man in the Russian Federation not because for twenty years he achieved success in all areas to which he was related. Fursenko is a great man, because he has not lost the trust of his old acquaintance and friend. And although friendship is now impossible, Sergei Alexandrovich is a rare Russian official who can quit and retire without consequences. And then return, and exactly where he wants to be. We must clearly understand how significant this is in Russia!
As you remember, the failure at Euro 2012 ended with a meeting with the head of state, and the resignation was accepted. It was resignation, no one kicked anyone out. Bearded Fursenko does not take on too much, which makes him similar to the same Matvienko. And such officials worry many. So at Zenit, at the helm is a person from the original first circle. This is a plus, if you believe coach Lucescu - as you remember, Mircea wrote off Spartak’s championship as an administrative resource. And now Zenit’s main employee is one of the founders of the Ozero cooperative.
Minus the appointment. Football knowledge
It is very important not to rush and not to appoint the first coach you come across, and not to buy everyone in a row. After all, now no one asks a simple question. Does Fursenko know anything about football? Loving a game and understanding it are two different things. He changed coaches at Zenit and the national team, he pulled off the “spring-autumn” without thinking it through, but that’s not what he’s famous for. When Fursenko is returned to the club, and Mancini is considered the main candidate for the post of coach, it seems that we have returned to 2012. As we remember, when Fursenko left the RFU, according to a popular legend, a contract with a new head coach for the Russian national team was found in his safe.
Agreement with Mancini for two years, with a salary of 7.2 million euros. They say the contract was legal, the salary was assigned to Gazprom. This means that Roberto earned compensation for the break without working for a day with the Russian team. And it’s good if they paid from the pocket of Zenit’s sponsor, bad if they paid from the Russian budget. Fursenko tied up all the sponsors of the RFU, and when he left, the Tolstoys were left with debts, and quite a lot at that. The actions of Sergei Alexandrovich as chief Russian football were not successful. At Zenit, he was protected on the field by the strong generation of 2008. And we still don’t know whether Fursenko is any good as a football manager.
Reader rating. Will Fursenko return the titles to Zenit?
“Krestovsky”, Lucescu, the lost capabilities of the lineup with the Hulk, selection, quality of play, Kokorin and company, Fursenko and, possibly, Mancini - it feels like adrenaline maniacs have settled in Zenit. Changes in height and pressure on the club are never enough for them. That's why the chain turns out to be funny. However, Mitrofanov’s boring pragmatism will now be diluted by the cheerful Fursenko. Sergei Alexandrovich is a cheerful guy, emotional, likes to promise three European Cups in ten years (they took two, by the way).
And he will definitely challenge Fedun to a duel on occasion. Fursenko is not afraid and knows how to be a comical-romantic character on the football field, but at the same time he is one of those who does not lie cynically, which significantly distinguishes him from many others. When Mutko promises to break everyone up or declares victory at the 18 World Cup, you would know that he is openly mocking. When Fursenko did this, everyone understood - dreamer, soaring in the skies. This dangerous type people, because they are rarely practical and demanding of themselves. But Sergei Alexandrovich from his company is far from the worst.
The new general director of Zenit has one obvious advantage - unlike his friends, he is inclined to listen to arguments and can change his point of view not because of the political situation, but of his own free will. Fursenko is one of the few Russian officials and associates who is free to choose between duck breast and compote, and if he doesn’t want both, he will get a Zenit hamburger. An independent figure, as far as possible. But all people from the era of gangster Petersburg have a couple of flaws that appear no matter where you put them.
Sometimes they forget what year they live in, and what laws the modern world was built on - Fursenko has no problems here, he is still a techie with the soul of a humanitarian, he can say without sarcasm: “You have to play football with clean hands and feet.” But there is a second characteristic flaw. Fursenko and his friends do not always keep their promises. And if they really want something, the principle “the end justifies the means” comes into play. I wouldn't want this to happen. Zenit needs a new clear structure of competent management, bright and suitable football. And we need club honor, not a code from it.
