src=»/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/de447c678d9736d454a5db7f306bcd01.jpg» nit» if the Brazilians leave, why doesn't Valery Karpin call him to the Russian national team and would Artem Dzyuba be allowed to swear on the air, if he were a player from the team from St. Petersburg.- It's no secret that you are known to most people who are far from football as the brother of Alexander Kerzhakov. Isn't it a shame?
— It has never been a shame to be in the shadows. Perhaps if I was a striker, I could be offended. I am not an envious person by virtue of my nature. Plus, he's my brother. He started a career and pulled out of poverty. Made my parents stop working. They felt the taste of another life.
— Was there any criticism from your brother? What was it?
— Of course it was. First, she was in the domestic plan. We lived with him in the same room in a boarding school for about six months. I came from the province, so I got a little carried away. Academic performance at school was lame, because training and lessons coincided in time. I had to choose. For me, the choice was obvious — I skipped school in favor of classes. There has been criticism in this regard. Plus, I got into unpleasant stories, so my brother scolded me.- He started in the structure of Zenit, and this is office work. Perhaps he did not like it, so he decided to try himself as a coach.
— Now he works in the Serbian «Spartak». How do you feel about the fact that the brother headed, albeit Serbian, but still «Spartak»?
— There is no anger. Even if he became the coach of the Moscow “Spartak”, he still would not be angry.- Last season you had to renew your contract with Zenit for a week. Why did it happen?
— My contract was ending four days before the last tour, so I signed a contract for a week. Perhaps this season again will have to sign the same. If we talk about the end of the season, I don't know what will happen at the end of the year. Anything can happen. Let's not guess whether I will stay at Zenit or not.
— Are there already thoughts about ending a career? What do you want to do after that?
— I understand that the career will soon end. Right now I can't say exactly what I would like to do. But most likely, it will be connected with football. But this is one of the options. Perhaps I will do many things. It's hard to leave football when you've dedicated 30 of your 36 years to it.
Eto'o's security was sitting at his door
— You played in Anzhi Makhachkala during the times of Willian and Samuel Eto'o. They said that they liked to have fun.- When I came from Volga, I immediately felt the level of these players. Technical equipment, quick decision-making, football mentality — everything is at a high level. Eto'o acted like a star. He had a personal chef, his own guards, who constantly sat at his door. I was with him for only two months, but, for example, he didn’t have any personal helicopters.
— Why didn’t Anji manage to become a truly top club?
“Perhaps because the infusions must be gradual. One reason is not mentioned here. Most likely, there was a whole chain of events. At the training camp, we thought that we would win gold medals. Maybe a large number of stars influenced, because each such player has a difficult character. It didn't turn out to be a team of like-minded people.
strong> — You were coached by Guus Hiddink in Anji. What do you remember about him?- It's hard to say, because he played three matches with me. I talked to him when he left, thanked him for inviting me to the team, and wished me good luck. He is a normal uncle. It seemed that he was more responsible for the microclimate. Took this. But I don't know why he failed to mold a team of like-minded people. Everything happened very quickly, and the team turned from a contender for medals into a team that is fighting for survival.
People like Akinfeev are born once in a hundred years
— Why does the head coach of «Zenith» Sergei Semak manage to win the championship every year? What is the peculiarity of his approach?
— Semak has a diplomatic approach. We have a balanced composition, competent selection. During this time there were no upheavals in the team. This is one of the key points. Semak probably has the last word in transfers. We do not have turbulence within the team, this is the merit of Semak. Any coach can arrange chips and create a set of exercises, but managing an international team and avoiding big scandals is an art.
— What is the uniqueness of Igor Akinfeev? Why does he stay at the top level for so long? Why does Messi stay at the top level for so long? Because it's Messi. Also Akinfeev. I first heard about him at the age of 13, almost all of Russia was already talking about him. This is a super talent, such people are born once in a hundred years.
— Which goalkeeper do you look up to?
— I used to like Alexander Filimonov. I regularly watched Spartak's matches in the Russian Championship and in the Champions League. I admired his game with his feet, calmness. It was a wall. According to my feelings, since those times there has not been a goalkeeper of Filimonov's level in Spartak. Can Malcolm, Wendel and others play in top clubs?- Malcolm, Claudinho and Wendel can go to a strong European championship right now, to a good club. I think they are already in pencil. As for the rest of the Brazilians, they are quite young. There is a prospect, but we need to look at them for a few more years.
— Do you communicate with the Brazilians off the field?
— I communicate with them in the locker room, we joke. We speak English, I don't know Portuguese.
I haven't heard that. He is generally not a very sociable person. I don't know if he could have said that to anyone.
— If there is a global departure of the Brazilians, will Zenit be able to hold their ground?
— Someday, «Zenith» will not take first place. I don't know when it will happen, but it will happen anyway. It is impossible to be the first all your life. This is fine. If some of the players leave, they will not evaporate in an hour, the club has a good selection department. It will not happen that the players will leave, and the club will be left with nothing. I think that the club will not sharply lose its position. If the players leave in the middle of the season, of course, this will have an effect. Were you glad he left for Bayer, given that he was your competitor?Yes, I talked to him recently. He trains at the base, keeps fit. If we talk about the departure of a competitor, I was not happy, because there were no guarantees that I would play. I congratulated him and said that I was a little jealous of his departure to the Bundesliga. I had white envy that a person leaves for the top European championship. It is clear that Tomas Hradecki was there, a very good goalkeeper, but I still believed that he would prove himself there.
— Why did he fail in Germany?
— I think Lunev didn’t succeed because of the strong Hradecky. In addition, he was made a captain. When Lunev had a chance, health problems began. It is unlikely that they will change the goalkeeper, who has been the main one for many years and became the captain. To knock him out of the squad, he needs to get injured, which no one in their right mind would wish for, or wait for a black streak. Would you participate in something like this?- I heard about it, watched several episodes where they invited the players to visit. I would not participate in this, because I am unlikely to be able to open up on camera in such programs.
— Were such shows possible, playing Dziuba for Zenit?
— It would be difficult, because he would have to travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow. But it would be necessary to know the position of the leadership. If the leadership didn't like it, of course, he wouldn't do it.
— How do you explain to yourself why Valery Karpin didn't let you play for the Russian national team? Did you have a conversation with him about this?
— There are goalkeepers that Valery Karpin likes more. I spoke with Vitaly Kafanov, but at some point I may not have had much work, and other goalkeepers showed themselves brighter.
—Does the national team need to get together now? Why?
— The Russian national team is needed now. Friendly matches are also needed to indicate that we are still alive. We will definitely be back, but I don't know when.