Alexander Erokhin / Photo: © Anna Meyer / FC Zenit
Zenit midfielder Alexander Erokhin joked about the next pre-season training and talked about how experience helps to get through it.
Zenit is holding its first winter training camp in Doha (Qatar). Erokhin is 36 years old, the footballer has been playing for the club from St. Petersburg since 2017.
— This is not the first training camp in your career. How does experience help?
— The number of fees probably shouldn’t be counted, because it could add up to a three-digit number (smiles). And this is where experience helps… you understand how to prepare properly so that there is no damage, especially in the first days, when there is a heavy load.
Of course, even on vacation we prepared for the fact that serious work would begin at the training camp from the first day. However, when you train in a game format, with martial arts, one on one, it’s a different load compared to running and strength training. Therefore, there is additional work in the gym; proper recovery is important. And everyone understands that in the first days it is important to choose the right shoes. It’s better to train in old boots to avoid blisters and unpleasant things.
— Some more experienced players say that over the years they begin to enjoy the training camps. Or is this impossible?
– They are right – this is true. For me, in general, every training day is a pleasure. And the training camp is an opportunity to concentrate on preparation and work extra. All conditions have been created for this. Yes, the training camp is not easy, but all the guys love football, and therefore, I think, they work with pleasure.
— Today you scored two goals in the two-way game, and your team won 4:0. Nice?
— This is a training game, the composition of the teams changes and the workload is different. Today I already feel a little tired. Lots of running work. But all this is for the good. Strength appears to control the ball in order to work out tactical interactions. We are gradually preparing for the first control game at the training camp, which will be on Thursday.
— Are you generally accustomed to working at training camps?
– Yes, because there were many of them, including with our physical training coach Ivan Carminati. It seems to me that all the guys work well and give their 100%,” a Match TV correspondent quotes Erokhin as saying.
Zenit will take part in the WINLINE RPL Winter Cup 2026 from February 3 to 10 in Abu Dhabi. Live broadcasts of all matches of the tournament will be available on the Match TV and MATCH PREMIER TV channels.
