Russian coach Andrei Gordeev spoke about Krasnodar’s chances of winning the WORLD RPL championship this season.
Krasnodar is the leader of the Russian Championship table after 18 rounds with 38 points, Zenit is in second place (36 points).
— What impression did Krasnodar make in the first part of the season?
“We can’t say that we expect such a result.” But there are ambitious, good young people there. The team managed to catch their wave, plus there is a specialist who guides. It is clear that there is harmony in the club. Only time will tell where this wave will take us. Now the team looks cheerful and quite organized. “Krasnodar” has always been distinguished by combinational play and good interactions. Now I have added some luck, which I couldn’t do without. Plus, they have a solid defensive game, which has a greater impact on the result than a brilliant offensive game.
— To what extent was Krasnodar’s first place affected by the competitors’ shortcomings?
– I wouldn’t call it a flaw. Zenit still looks more solid. Of course, the St. Petersburg residents were a little feverish. I don’t see integrity in Spartak. The team has no movement forward. The team seems to be managed, but whether this is enough for large tasks is a question.
— What about Dynamo, which is in third place?
— Finally, this team is at the top of the table. This is very good for the club, because often ambitions deprived Dynamo of high results for a long time. For a long time the club was in a fever, and now the “blue and white” have to be content with what they have, because they need to balance their appetites.
— When Ivich came to Krasnodar, he began to change the club’s concept of play. Has time shown that he was right?
— Discipline is important for Krasnodar. It is important that the requirements given by the coach are accepted and fulfilled. Now there is this harmony. How long will it last, and whether Ivich will be able to sacrifice some things for a long time for the sake of results, we’ll see. At the moment they are succeeding.
— Which of the Krasnodar players made the best impression in the first part of the season?
— I wouldn’t single out anyone, because if this team stands out, it’s not their personalities. They talk a lot about Spertsyan and Safonov, there are leaders. But Krasnodar is strong primarily in its team, and it is important to use this. Once this is not the case, the results may disappear.
— Do you have confidence that Krasnodar will maintain its leadership in the spring?
“We need to see how everyone prepares in the winter and what changes will be made to the squad. Here we need to talk not only about Ivic’s team, but also about their competitors. You can do everything right and still end up below what you planned. It seems to me that southerners have matured and deserve something more. It is important.
— So, Krasnodar’s championship wouldn’t be a surprise for you?
– Overall, it would be a surprise. But the guys deserved something more,” Euro-Futbol.Ru quotes Gordeev.
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