The choice of “white-blue” just seems unexpected.
Negotiations between Dynamo and the Czech coach of Orenburg Marcel Licka, all parties quickly stopped hiding and denying. A few days passed from the moment the first rumors appeared to the affirmative commentary.
Because this is too hot a topic – the only coaching transition that is brewing in the Russian championship in this short summer shift between two seasons.
Nikolic again was not persuaded to return to Russia
Lichka, even if he is the number one candidate on the list of Dynamo desires, appeared in the information field after Marko Nikolic. Negotiations with the former coach of Lokomotiv were obviously not the first contacts for the Serbian with the Russian side after his departure from Moscow. But again ended in nothing. After that, it was strange to hear how in circles around Dynamo they regretted the failed deal. Nikolic is clearly not in the mood to work in Russia under the current conditions. And “killing with money” such a specialist, forcibly dragging him into our league, would mean getting an incorrectly motivated coach. Nothing good could come from such cooperation.
In addition, the course for another ex-Yugoslav would testify to some creative impasse in which the club’s sports director Zeljko Buvac found himself. It would be too obvious that he was given a strict condition: to bring a foreign coach to Dynamo without fail. And which foreigners are now willing to work here? Former compatriots of Buvac. And the enumeration of less and less distinct figures begins, the main reasons for interest in which are football activities and a surname with “-ich”. By the way, next season is the last for Buvac in Dynamo under the current contract.
The shock of falling to the bottom of the table in the year of the club century for Dynamo was comparable to relegation from the Premier League in 2016. The situation called for urgent action. Not only because the 9th place is not Dynamo, but also because the heyday of the Blue-and-White game under Sandro Schwartz is still too fresh in my memory. The same ambitious and imaginative team continues to work in Dynamo, which then felt courage and wants to continue not only to fight against Zenit for the championship, but also to bring it to the end, not only to be in the Cup final again, but also take trophy. And most importantly, to resume the progress of the players, which obviously slowed down under Slavis Jokanovic.
Coaches from the Dynamo system are not suitable
Another yet unspoken outcome of the season for Dynamo – already as a club – was, it seems, the final disappointment in such a model, when a coach who has shown himself well in the youth system is promoted to the first team. A variety of this type of specialists can be former Dynamo football players, undoubted club patriots. But it did not work, for example, in Spartak and does not work in Dynamo. Kulchiy, Novikov, Chikishev, Silkin, and Khokhlov and Kobelev are a resource that the club is clearly not inclined to seriously resort to.
But a new coach is needed, and the field for finding and choosing him is narrowing down to one or two dozen of those who are already practicing here. Last season, many coaches worked in Russia, giving a sense of drive, albeit for short periods: Talalaev, Tashuev, Abaskal, Galaktionov, and, of course, Karpin. Not to mention Semak and Fedotov, who went through the whole season smoothly and in ascending order. But all these people are in business (“never say never” Karpin spoke about returning to Spartak). Therefore, the next step for Dynamo is the decision to apply certain efforts and pick up a coach in another Russian club.
Interestingly, Dynamo did not do this for almost ten years: in 2014, in the spring, Stanislav Cherchesov moved to Moscow from Perm. Yes, those were very different times: Kokorin, Valbuena, six wins in six group matches in the Europa League. But something else is important: the interception of the coach from the middle peasant Amkar coincided with the takeoff of the Dynamo game. This is fixed in the memory as a positive feedback: we take a coach from others – we live ourselves. Marcel Lichka may seem like a good choice for Dynamo in every sense. He also comes from the middle peasants of the league, which means he knows it well, adapted to the conditions. He is a foreigner – this seems to be very important for the club. And he is a coach who gives fire. Under him, Sycheva scored – until he turned into Pisarsky in Samara. Under him, the Argentines played merrily, and Ektov was interested in Krasnodar.
Lichka chooses an open airport
By the way, Lichka himself was with Sergei Galitsky at the negotiations. But he refused, which in Krasnodar, according to some reports, was treated with a certain disappointment. The loyalty to Orenburg proclaimed by the Czech at that time was a rather risky bet for him: one more season in the Southern Urals, work in a team without pronounced ambitions and clear tasks, playing on an artificial field. If this season had not turned out the way it ended up, interest in Lichka could have declined significantly. But the bet worked.
Lichka refused to work in the football infrastructure of Krasnodar, with which there is little in the world that can be compared. In a team that suits him perfectly with its setting for a selfless attack. But in a city where it is not so easy to come and from which it is still impossible to fly anywhere. Perhaps there was an important reason: it became clear from Marcel’s interviews with the Czech press that he was trying very hard to maintain contacts with Central and Western Europe and avoided conflicts with those who criticized him for continuing to work in Russia. And if he continues it further, it is more convenient to do this in a city with an operating airport, reducing the transport “shoulder” for several hours when flying towards home. And for working trips in the championship of Russia it is more convenient.
True, the new season of the famous Pink Jacket will be a special challenge. How will it appeal to the discerning and worldly-wise metropolitan public? And how can she be happy for a coach at a club where everything with a touch of red is viewed with historical suspicion?
