Kirill Shchetinin can be called one of the brightest players of today's Rostov. Last season, the midfielder played only 12 matches, but was remembered for a chic goal by Lokomotiv. Now Karpin began to trust the young player more, releasing him on the field in every game. Looking forward to joining the Russian team?
His father dreamed of breaking into big football. But at the age of 17, no one believed in Shchetinin Sr., and then he went into the army. Therefore, dad, who began his coaching career at Avangard Kursk, brought his little son there. dealt with it myself. We had moments when the training process froze. But we did more with him. Very individual strong! The only thing is that we worked on tricks day and night,» Vadim Shchetinin told Sport.
br>Father from childhood took Cyril for viewings. Neither Chertanovo nor CSKA took Shchetinin. «Red-blue» it seemed that the player is frail. At the age of 12, the army team conducted running and jumping tests with children, according to which the boy did not fit. But even then he had an excellent football intellect and saw the field well. br>A few years later, Lokomotiv scouts noticed him at one of the tournaments. The former head of the breeding department of Muscovites Armen Margaryan noted that it was hard to overlook Shchetinin. In the capital team, the football player continued to progress, got into the youth team of Russia, which was then led by Dmitry Khomukha. The specialist said that he tried Kirill in several positions, but he never showed the dissatisfaction characteristic of many young football players.“He had one undeniable quality — a sporty character. Very unyielding. He always gave himself on the field until the last minute, a rarity among the young. Sometimes we tried him as a winger on defense. He never expressed dissatisfaction, but always tried to help his partners. A very good team player,” said Khomukha.At the same time, Zenit became interested in Shchetinin. Andrey Arshavin, Deputy General Director of St. Petersburg residents for sports development, said that Kirill was the best among his peers. At the end of 2018, CEO Ilya Gerkus left Lokomotiv. Together with him, Armen Margaryan also left the club, who returned to Zenit. It was with the departure of Herkus that the «blue-white-blue» decided to act.
“Zenith” set the task to find players who have a real prospect to grow up to the first team and prepare for the youth Champions League. At that time, a favorable situation developed in Lokomotiv, a “change of power”. There were certain difficulties in the relationship between Shchetinin's representatives and management. There was a hypothetical possibility of a transfer,” Margaryan explained.
Lokomotiv did not want to let go of the talented midfielder, but the player had only a year left on the contract. The railway workers had to listen to the offer of Zenit .
"The guy really wanted to go to Zenit, he came and honestly said. He was convinced. We didn't want to be forced. But he had a year left on his contract. If they hadn’t sold, I would have played the season, keeping another club in mind, and then I would have left anyway, ”said another former head of the Lokomotiv selection department. Vladimir Kuzmichev.“Zenith” was able to get Shchetinin only for a lot of money. The price of the transition of the football player was 20 million rubles. This became the largest amount paid for a young player. Lokomotiv did not look at this, and Margaryan believes that Zenit did not overpay for Shchetinin. He called it an investment in the future.“For European football, it’s normal when players from one team move to another for a larger amount than they paid for Kirill. It’s just that we had quite a resonant one. Previously, no one paid that kind of money for a promising 17-year-old player. in the hands of the strongest footballer in Moscow at his age with the prospect of reaching the RPL, it is better to pay 20 million now than to give hundreds of millions later,» Margaryan said.
In addition to money, Zenit also offered good conditions for Cyril's family. His father was assigned to the position of a scout, and the family, almost in full force, was transferred to St. Petersburg. Only Kirill's brother Mikhail Shchetinin remained in Moscow. He flatly refused to leave Lokomotiv and continues to play for Muscovites.
«Zenith» was the first club that came out to talk about the fact that Cyril has a chance to get higher. Nobody else was interested in them. Everyone had their pupils at that time. “Zenith” came out and made an offer. And for my development too. A man from the village, who had never played anywhere, came with his son. I was also interested to see what it was and how,» said Vadim Shchetinin.
Kuzmichev explained that Lokomotiv did not offer any conditions for the player's family due to a change in leadership. Vasily Kiknadze then became the new general director of Muscovites. But even more time to resolve the issue and additional costs would hardly have convinced Shchetinin to stay at the club. Zenit received a young player and closed a problematic position, Lokomotiv took a large amount of money, and the player himself ended up in a club where he wanted to play and develop.
Competition in «Zenith» and the prospect of working with Karpin
At Zenit, Kirill immediately got into the starting lineup of the youth team, worked with Konstantin Zyryanov, but could not break into the base due to competition. This was confirmed by the father of the footballer.
Somewhere at the same time, he had a variant with Rostov. The football player could not help but take advantage of this opportunity, given that Valery Karpin was the coach of the Rostovites. However, we had to first discuss our prospects with Andrei Arshavin.
“Zenith” not without resistance agreed to give it to rent. Rostov liked Shchetinin, so at the end of the season the player was bought out, and Karpin brought him to the base. At the same time, Kirill's father and Arshavin do not exclude that, under certain circumstances, he may return to Zenit. Kirill took root in "Rostov". That's why they left him there. At "Rostov" there was a right of redemption, they decided that they needed it. As for a possible return, it all depends on how Kirill will play. And, of course, from the decision of the head coach,” said Arshavin. «I'm only for. My child needs to develop. Where he is more comfortable, I will be with him. He is developing, I am very pleased,» said Vadim Shchetinin.
According to Kuzmichev, the transition to the “Zenith” was a mistake for the player. The specialist said that in Lokomotiv he would be a solid player in the starting lineup. But since Kirill, through Zenit, got into Rostov, which is higher than Lokomotiv in the RPL, is it possible to call his choice a mistake?