Kurban Berdyev: ''I can guarantee there won’t be indifferent people on the pitch''
Rubin held the first open training after Kurban Berdyev’s return to Kazan
Probably no off-season of Rubin in the last five years has not caused so much interest among not only Kazan fans but also the whole Russian football community. And the first open training of the team gathered almost 50 reporters and operators. Realnoe Vremya's correspondent found out how Berdyev's coaching staff changed after the separation with the capital of Tatarstan and feelings of Fyodor Kudryashov and Kurban Berdyev who came here.
Kurban Berdyev dedicated a day to the media
Journalists thought from the very first days after Rubin's end of the holiday that the Kazan club remembered the past times when any information about the team's preparation for the season was a luxury. It was rare and, in Kurban Berdyev's opinion, not always useful for the result. Rubin allowed to ''peep'' at just two games of five and only at the initial stage of the first camp.
Finally, the information blockade has been broken. On 12 July, Kurban Berdyev gave a big interview to Realnoe Vremya that will be available for reading later. And the evening open training five days to the kick-off of the championship became an intake of fresh information air that the fans lacked. It is no surprise that when veteran and team captain Oleg Kuzmin approached the journalists, they clawed him and did not let him go until they knew everything.
''Almost everything has changed''
Could you tell how the camps were?
The camps were fruitful, as usual. We have worked well. There was a lot of theory, several sparrings that had good and bad things. Everybody was tired of waiting for the season to start. Almost everything has changed in the team when Berdyev came: training, a lot of theory, the discipline has improved.
Has Berdyev changed a lot during his absence?
Personally, I have not noticed big changes in him. He is same, moderately strict. Krasnodar? We have not analysed this team yet. We followed their friendlies. But we are going to analyse two days before the game,'' Kuzmin noted.
Answering a question about his new contract with the club, Oleg told everything will be clear these days.
''The negotiations are taking place. Both I and the club are ready to continue the cooperation. Paperwork needs to be arranged,'' the captain claimed.
Oleg Kuzmin: ''Almost everything has changed in the team when Berdyev came: training, a lot of theory, the discipline has improved''
''I am ready to follow Kurban Berdyev to any team''
By the way, the unusual bad coverage of the team's life on the club TV also can be explained. Rubin TV is going through a kind of restructuration – the previous team finished its work, a new one is gradually recruited instead of it. The journalists were allowed to be at the training for 20 minutes. After a short talk with the team, Yakub Urazkhatov who is well known in Kazan did running and stretching with the football players in a circle. Then Yury Solano who finished his transformation from translator into coach of Berdyev's staff started to work. It seems that everybody has what to do here, who will go to the centre of the pitch and when in order to burden the players.
Fyodor Kudryashov who is not so noticeable without his mask was diligently running on the luxurious pitch.
The negotiations about the transfer to Rubin took place after my return from the international duty. Yes, the coach played a big role. I am ready to follow Kurban Berdyev to any team, the new player of the Kazan team assured.
Almost all the players who played with him say the same thing. Why is he peculiar?
I won't tell why he is peculiar. But he is like the second father for many people. This is why almost everybody has a good attitude to him and listen. What is more, almost all the players make progress with him.
Do you already imagine where you are? Everyone has big expectations after last year's failure.
After the transfer, I did not have the time to imagine. This is why I acquainted with the guys at work. I know many of them – I have played either with them or against them. The coach will decide the position I will play in. It doesn't matter where to play for me, I just want to be useful to the team. My nose? Everything is fine, thank you. I have finally recovered from this injury, took the mask off and have a normal life. What do I think about Krasnodar? It is always a good team, so the game will be interesting. And the absence of Smolov is their internal problem.
Fyodor Kudryashov: He is like the second father for many people. This is why almost everybody has a good attitude to him and listen. What is more, almost all the players make progress with him''
Kurban Berdyev: ''First of all, we need to understand the club's strategy''
Sardar Azmun who worked Turkish camps with the Kazan team did not appear on the new pitch of the Confederations Cup. Probably the coaches decided not to give the journalists an extra opportunity to ask questions. However, Realnoe Vremya knew that Azmun is going to finally sign a contract with Rubin.
But the media representatives got the most unexpected and simultaneously pleasant surprise by the end of the improvised media scrum. Kurban Berdyev even interrupted his negotiations with his assistants to talk to the media. And experienced fans and journalists perfectly know the value of such rare and precious moments when they can know about the business of the team from a person who prefers to do first and talk then:
Acquainting with the team, knowing the correspondence of the players to a certain level was the priority goal in the camp. In general, I am satisfied. Of course, they are problematic players, but these are our problems. As for the attitude of the guys to the work, I am glad. It is seen that the team is mentally changing, which is a very complicated process. We did everything we had planned.
What does a person who was awaited in Kazan for so long feels?
We are back home – it is the most important thing. I would like to ask fans of Rostov to understand our departure. Their attitude to us was so positive, the support was so powerful. And there is certain disappointment that we had to say goodbye to them. But I think we will maintain good relations with them. Speaking about the return to home, I perfectly understand what expectations the fans in Kazan have. The only thing I can guarantee is that there won't be indifferent people on the pitch.
Is this team able to fight for top places from the first season?
First of all, we need to understand the club's strategy because there are fair play rules. As far as I understand, we are talking about the creation of a squad that would successfully play in the championship and simultaneously correspond to fair play.
How is this squad created?
Now I am glad that all the players have their own places. There will be negotiations with the players during 2-3 weeks. This is why it is difficult to say something about the future. And it won't be a surprise for me if there are some changes because I understand the club needs to reach another level in terms of infrastructure and successes of the very team.
Kurban Berdyev: ''We are talking about creation of a squad that would successfully play in the championship and simultaneously correspond to fair play''
Did you, first of all, work on the defence during the camps? The team did not score a lot in the friendlies.
Yes, in general, we worked on the defence more. We hoped we would have Cesar Návas who could strengthen it. In addition, he is not only a leader on the pitch but also in the changing room. But he has had problems with his father. And he will likely have to finish the career. This is why there are certain problems with the defence. But we also worked on the attack as well. I hope we will develop in this area during the championship.
What can you say about Rubin's calendar at the beginning of the championship?
It is same for everyone. We will have to play against strong teams in any case. This is why I don't see any problem with the calendar.
It was told that you and your coaching staff went to the first camp without a contract. Is there any progress on this issue?
We agreed on everything.
