Anton Zingarevich biography. Anton Zingarevich is on the international wanted list. Criminal case of theft of credit funds

• He studied at Cass Business School at City University London to become a sports manager and practiced at the investment fund Fortress Sports Fund.

• He holds a bachelor's degree from Regents Business School.

• He is engaged in business development at the American company Ener1, which produces lithium-ion batteries for cars. Anton's father, Boris Zingarevich, is on the board of directors of Ener1.

• Together with friends Egor Lavrov and Dmitry Altukhov, he founded the startup Zyla Networks, which develops the popular mobile application Friends Around.

2009: Marriage to fashion model Domankova

In 2008-2009 worked at Karma World, a development company mobile applications. He was its co-founder.

In 2009, Anton Zingarevich married fashion model Ekaterina Domankova. In an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda, Ekaterina spoke about her acquaintance with Anton:

– Anton saw my photographs and asked his friend to introduce us. We started communicating on Odnoklassniki, and then met in New York (I then lived in New York, and he lived in Miami). At first we talked in the company of friends, and a few days later we went to the club together and talked a lot of time. After that, I called my mom and said: “Mom, I’ll probably marry him!” Mom, of course, thought it was not serious. I was 19 years old, and you never know what I was doing after a nightclub (laughs). But I immediately felt that this was my person. Anton is 27 years old, he is from St. Petersburg, and runs a business.

2012: Purchase of the English football club Reading

At the end of January 2012, it became known that Anton Zingarevich acquired a controlling stake (51%) of the English football club Reading for £25 million. The deal is being carried out through the investment company Thames Sports Investment (TSI) controlled by Zingarevich and was completed by March, when Football League completed all necessary checks.

It is interesting that back in 2004, reports appeared in the British and, subsequently, the Russian press about a possible acquisition of the Liverpool team by a Russian businessman. Then this information was decisively denied by his father Boris Zingarevich:

“I did not intend and do not intend to invest in British football, and my son simply does not have that kind of money,” Kommersant quoted Boris Zingarevich as saying.

Anton Zingarevich and Reading club president John Madejski

2013: Purchase of the Atlant hockey club

In mid-April 2013, it became known that the famous Russian businessman Anton Zingarevich should soon become the new owner of the Atlant hockey club, which plays in the Continental Hockey League (KHL), a source close to the situation told the R-Sport agency.

Tripartite negotiations between Atlant, the government of the Moscow region and Anton Zingarevich, which have continued over the past three months, are close to completion. All official papers will be signed soon, the source said.

The Ministry of Sports of the Moscow Region adopted a program in 2012, the purpose of which is to find private sponsors for professional clubs region.

2014

Plans to sell Reading club for £1

In May 2014, it became known that Anton Zingarevich, owner of the British football club Reading, was ready to sell the club for 1 pound sterling, The Reading Chronicle reports.

The buyer will have to undertake to pay all of the club's debts, which amount to around £38 million. Two billionaires are vying to buy the team for which Russian forward Pavel Pogrebnyak plays - Israeli Teddy Sagi and Indian entrepreneur Mohit Burman.

“Reading” under Zingarevich could not stay in the English Premier League, and then could not return to the top division.

Anton Zingarevich left the board of directors of the Reading football club in June 2014, BBC News reported. At this time, Zingarevich was the largest shareholder of Reading (51%). Club president John Madejski owns 49% of the shares.

Sale of Reading FC

In September 2014, it became known that the English football club Reading, whose controlling shareholder was Russian businessman Anton Zingarevich, was bought by a group of three businessmen from Thailand, reports the BBC.

According to the BBC, Thai businessmen bought 100% of the club's shares in proportions of 50, 25 and 25% each. Zingarevich owned a controlling stake in FC Reading - 51% of the shares. The owner of the remaining 49% of the shares was club president John Madejski. Despite the sale of his stake, Madejski will remain at the club and will become co-chairman of the board of directors along with one of the club's new owners. The transaction amount is not disclosed.

Madejski told the BBC that FC Reading needed a £50m investment and said the new owners had "taken on a significant amount of debt".

2016

Criminal case of theft of credit funds

He is suspected of stealing 1 billion rubles. at MTS Bank. Zigarevich reportedly spent part of this amount on maintaining the hockey club, and took the other abroad.

According to the investigation, the head of the Engineering Center "Energo" and the general director of ESIC Konstantin Shishkin in 2013 applied to MTS Bank for a loan of 1 billion rubles. in order to replenish the working capital of IC "Energo". ESIH and other companies included in Zingarevich's holding acted as guarantors.

As it turned out, the holding’s management provided the bank with false information about their companies and did not intend to use the funds for their intended purpose. Having received the loan, Zingarevich repaid his debt to the St. Petersburg Bank, ensured the maintenance of the Atlant hockey club, bought Enonoline Overseas bills and transferred the remaining funds abroad, after which he stopped paying interest on the loan. When the bank demanded to repay the debt in October 2014, it refused to do so, and in January 2015, IC Energo was declared bankrupt. As a result of illegal actions, the bank suffered damage in the amount of 1 billion rubles, it follows from the investigation materials.

Wanted and arrested in absentia

In August 2016, Anton Zingarevich was put on the federal wanted list on charges of stealing 2.5 billion rubles from Globex Bank and MTS Bank.

It was reported that Zingarevich would soon be arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list through Interpol.

Shishkin, who is under house arrest on charges of fraud in the field of lending on an especially large scale (Part 4 of Article 159.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), does not admit his guilt. The businessman's lawyer has already begun to familiarize himself with the results of the investigation, which occupy 83 volumes.

The Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs believes that Shishkin was the perpetrator of fraudulent schemes, and the alleged organizer of the thefts was Zingarevich. He was charged with a similar thing, but in absentia, since Zingarevich is wanted. According to the businessman’s defense, he is not hiding from investigation overseas, but is undergoing long-term treatment.

According to investigators, Zingarevich and Shishkin committed the crimes they are accused of in 2013. Then, almost simultaneously, Zingarevich’s company borrowed money from a subsidiary of the state corporation VEB Bank Globex in the amount of 1.5 billion rubles. By this time, ESIH was the largest Russian builder of main substations, whose annual order portfolio was about 45 billion rubles, and the holding’s largest customer was the state-owned FGC UES, which accounted for 85% of the contracts.

The company planned to use the 1.5 billion rubles received from Globex to develop design and procurement documentation for the construction of the Beloberezhskaya substation in the Bryansk region under a contract with FGC UES. At the same time, the formal recipient of the money was New Engineering Company LLC (NIK), which is part of Zingarevich’s holding; the collateral was the shares of the holding’s management company - Cypriot Matias Co Limited, as well as two design institutes included in the holding: North-West Scientific and Technical Center and the design center " UralTEP". At the same time, the investigation believed that NIK already had the money - before that, it took out a loan for these purposes from the Bank of Moscow.

The loan was issued in December 2013, but a few months later the borrower stopped servicing it without having built the station. As it later turned out during the investigation, the money received from Globex was first transferred to the construction equipment supplier Setstroykomplekt LLC (SSK), and from there it migrated to Energostroyinvest-holding, after which it was withdrawn from the holding’s structures.

Later it was reported that SSK was also connected with Zingarevich and Shishkin and, through an imaginary supply, money was sent through a chain of shell companies to repay another loan taken by another Zingarevich structure two years earlier from the St. Petersburg Bank, the Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed. In 2015, Globex sent NIK a demand for full repayment of the loan after the company stopped paying interest on the loan to the bank. A month later, NIK was declared bankrupt. Globex asked the Prosecutor General's Office to check the actions of the NIK, after which a case was opened against Shishkin in October 2015, and in July 2016 Zingarevich became accused in the case.

There was one more episode in the case: according to the investigation, IC-Energo, a structure of ESIC, took out a loan from MTS Bank in 2013, the purpose of which was to replenish working capital for settlements with equipment suppliers. In fact, the Ministry of Internal Affairs argued, they were sent to repay previous loans, as well as a cash loan to Blaine Overseas Venture Corp., registered in the British Virgin Islands. Later, IC-Energo was declared bankrupt.

The episode related to the missing MTS Bank loan appeared in the case on July 5, 2016. As stated in the investigation materials, Zingarevich, holding the post of chairman of the board of directors of ESIC and being the actual owner of the company, entered into a criminal conspiracy with Shishkin, who, in accordance with the developed crime plan, applied to MTS Bank in 2013 with an application for the provision of 1 billion for two years rubles to the engineering center "Energo". The company allegedly needed the money to replenish working capital. The guarantors were both ESIH and NIK and SSK, who appeared in the first episode. However, after the bank transferred the money to the center’s account on December 27, 2013, it was used for other purposes, including repaying the debt to the St. Petersburg Bank and financing the Atlant hockey club from Mytishchi, purchased by Zingarevich. At the same time, a significant part of the loan funds, the Ministry of Internal Affairs believes, was transferred abroad under the guise of providing a loan to the offshore Blaine Overseas Venture, as well as the purchase of bills from the little-known Enonoline Overseas Ltd.

Anton Zingarevich, the son of billionaire Boris, is a defendant in a criminal case. This is how MTS Bank sees the return of its billion. After all, the method of putting pressure on the businessman’s father has already been worked out by Alpha and Globex.

Sergey Ermokhin/DP

MTS Bank followed in the footsteps of its colleagues and attracted the attention of the security forces to the recovery from the Energostroyinvest-Holding (ESIH) company Anton Zingarevich. On July 5, the investigative department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against the businessman himself and the general director of this company, Konstantin Shishkin. The message, according to Fontanka's interlocutors, is sent to the father - Boris Zingarevich may be asked to answer for his son and repay the billion-dollar debt.

“Fontanka” took a closer look at the business career of Anton Zingarevich, which developed and came to naught in just 4 years.

A criminal case is a real threat to Anton Zingarevich. He is suspected of fraud in the field of lending, committed on an especially large scale, Kommersant reports. Punishment - up to ten.

According to the publication, the director and co-owner of ESIH received a loan of 1 billion rubles from MTS Bank in December 2013 to replenish the working capital of Engineering Center Energo LLC, which was part of the holding. However, the money was used entirely for non-statutory purposes. Part of it was spent on closing a loan to St. Petersburg Bank, and part of it was taken abroad by providing a loan to Blaine Overseas Venture and buying out bills from the little-known Enonoline Overseas Ltd.

And besides, thanks to the loan, Anton Zingarevich supported his Moscow region hockey club"Atlant". Its annual budget in the 2014–2015 season reached 900 million rubles. By the way, Boris and Mikhail Zingarevich are also known for their love of hockey. Last year, the Nevsky Legion team they founded in the amateur Night hockey league, founded by President Vladimir Putin.

As a result, in October 2014, IC Energo stopped paying interest on the loan. In January 2015, she was declared bankrupt. But MTS Bank never saw the billion issued.

But from this point on Anton’s rapid business career: up, back and in four years.

In 2012, English journalists who came to a press conference of the Reading football club were sincerely surprised. His controlling stake is bought by an unknown 30-year-old businessman Anton Zingarevich and joins the club’s board of directors.

Anton was not new to England. Graduated from one of the best business schools in Britain – Cass Business School at City University London. Then he interned at the investment fund Fortress Sports Fund. It was this fund that became the broker of Anton Zingarevich’s first transaction.

The first experience was not very successful. Reading did not repeat the success of Roman Abramovich's Chelsea. In the first season the club was relegated from the English Premier League. The 25 million pounds (1.25 billion rubles) spent on its purchase went to the basket - in 2014, Zingarevich put up his stake for sale for 1 pound sterling with an additional 38 million pounds of debt.

As one of the club’s directors, Christopher Samuelson, explained after the sale, “Anton experienced some problems in Russia and found himself in an awkward position, not having the money to finance the team. His father, Boris Zingarevich, helped maintain the club.”

Anton Zingarevich also started/continued his business in Russia from an unexpectedly high start. At the end of 2012, together with a group of co-investors, he acquired Energostroyinvest-Holding (ESIH) from the structures of Evraz Group co-owners Alexander Abramov and Alexander Frolov. The deal was valued at $70 million - about 2.1 billion rubles.

The purchase was promising. The company, with a staff of 7 thousand people, was one of the largest engineering holdings in the electrical power industry. The Federal Grid Company, controlled by the state, provided it with stable and well-paid orders. In 2011, ESIH's revenue reached 27 billion rubles; contracts from FGC UES accounted for up to 85% of the company's portfolio.

Anton had another trump card in his pocket. Boris Zingarevich in 2012 was a member of the board of directors of the IDGC holding, which was in charge of interregional networks. The company was preparing to merge with FGC UES under the new brand “Russian Grids”. That is, Boris Zingarevich should have been in the leadership of a company offering billion-dollar contracts to the market.

However, already in 2013, Boris Zingarevich left Rosseti, and FGC UES began to rapidly reduce its investment program. In 2014, a serious crisis began in the energy sector. Along with the rise in the dollar, cable prices have risen - the metal is exported abroad and traded at international prices.

ESIH remains without FSK contracts. In addition, creditors and banks that guaranteed the execution of never-completed contracts are beginning to make claims. This is no less than 14 billion rubles of debt and 12 billion of claims under guarantees. But there is nothing left to collect from ESIH - the company is on the verge of bankruptcy, and Anton Zingarevich himself insists: the debts are his business, and his billionaire father will pay.

Non-market instruments were used. At the beginning of 2015, Boris and Mikhail Zingarevich, and at the same time their partner in the ILIM corporation, Zakhar Smushkin (who certainly had nothing to do with it), were hit with dozens of TV reports on Ren TV, Channel Five and Channel One. The resources are controlled by the National Media Group under the leadership of Kirill Kovalchuk. His uncle Yuri Kovalchuk is the beneficiary of Rossiya Bank and its subsidiary Sobinbank. ESIH owes her 1.3 billion rubles.

Alfa Bank also turned to the security forces. The argument, according to observers, was demonstrative searches of the entire family of Anton Zingarevich. The bank's claims reached 2 billion rubles.

Globex, owned by Vnesheconombank, began operating in the same way. He issued 1.5 billion rubles in loans to ESIC’s subsidiary.

The strategy had an effect. Energostroyinvest-Holding signed amicable agreements with banks on debt restructuring. According to Fontanka, Boris Zingarevich agreed to sign a personal guarantee agreement for his son’s debts.

Now MTS Bank has followed the path of its colleagues. They stood in line for so long. In November 2015, he proved in court that ESIC owed him more than a billion.

Boris Gennadievich’s son’s business experience amounted to a sum after which he is unlikely to agree with the proverb that for a beaten man you get two unbeaten men.

Antonina Asanova, Fontanka.ru

The owner of Reading, who visited SE, spoke about his team and how the English Premier League functions.

Our stadium is the closest for 8 million people

Why did you choose Reading?

The main factor is geographical: Reading is located not far from London, which is convenient for me, for the players, and for sponsors. This is a small city with a population of about 200 thousand. Nothing particularly attractive. But Berkshire is a royal district: Windsor Castle, Ascot, and many schools are located there. It is England's second most important corporate center and is home to many organisations' headquarters. Hence the great sponsorship potential. The sale offer also satisfied me from a financial point of view. In addition, I studied in this district for several years.

So you have fulfilled the dream of any fan: you have become the owner of your favorite club?

I've never been a fan. When I was studying, Reading played in the third league. And I was only once at the stadium, which was still old at that time. Everyone made fun of the club back then. But a lot has changed since 1998: a new arena appeared, attendance increased from three to 23 thousand last season, now every home match we have is sold out. Therefore, it is obvious that the stadium needs to be enlarged, and in the near future - to 40 - 45 thousand spectators.

If you look at the Premier League map, the only team west of London is Reading. Our club and our stadium are the closest thing to 8 million people. From this point of view, the potential for development is good. The fans have a good opinion of Reading - even when we play away, fans of other teams treat us quite well. On the other hand, the club still has few traditions. You have to work on them, ignite the audience. Let's say we didn't have an official anthem before. Now we will implement it.

Do you have a talisman?

A lion. This year we got him married. Now the audience is entertained by Kingsley and Quinzley.

In Russia in the 90s, “Zhiguli” was played during breaks to attract the public. Do you have something like this?

No. Although it would be fun to play with a couple of Russian cars.

How do you determine the list of obligatory traditions for yourself?

We have a fan organization whose wishes we take into account. For example, our fans do not sit behind the goal, but next to the guest sector. And there is no way to evict them from there. This is not very good for us, because tickets at these places must be expensive.

Isn't this proximity of fans fraught with trouble?

No. The fans shout something to each other, but in England they generally like to shout.

Don't they fight?

They used to fight, now they are afraid. The security system makes it possible to show the face of everyone in the stadium. Although the police dealt with hooligans even before this system appeared. First of all, fans were forbidden to stand, and you can’t fight while sitting. In addition, clashes between fans in stadiums began to be harshly suppressed, but in the city they were treated more loyally. But it’s more interesting for fans to sort things out in the arena.

Business guide - "ARSENAL"

You said that you are focusing on the Newcastle model. What do you mean by this?

- Newcastle made interesting decisions after relegation from the Premier League. But it’s difficult to compare: their stadium seats 52 thousand spectators, and there are many more fans. But the efficiency of their management is attractive. Just like the development model of Everton, a club that has been fighting for European competition for the last eight years, although it has a limited budget.

Are you talking about sporting achievements. From a business point of view, whose model is closer to you?

The reference point is Arsenal, which makes a profit every year and at the same time shows good results. Doesn't win, but plays in the Champions League, gets into the top four in the Premier League.

And again we come to the sports component...

No. It's about business. When money came into football, Manchester United and Arsenal were on top and took full advantage of the situation. Londoners, for example, built a stadium at the expense of sponsors. Yes, the club is now servicing its debt, but it hasn’t spent a penny on the construction itself. Manchester United took a different route, increasing the capacity of Old Trafford to 76,000. But now Arsenal's more modern arena, which seats only 60,000, generates more income than Manchester's.

Wouldn’t it be more logical for Reading to focus not on the giants, but, say, on clubs like Norwich?

They don't have the same potential as we do. We don't want to be a one city team, we are interested in the whole county and the region along the Thames, right up to Bristol. We have already launched a marketing campaign covering most of Berkshire's towns and cities this year.

Which component of working at the club is more interesting to you: sports, marketing, construction?

All. The football business is good for its diversity. When you produce something, it's only about making money. Football is a hobby, emotions, business, and great potential.

You once said that the football business is easy and understandable. What did they mean?

In Russia this is a very difficult business, but in England you quickly understand how much you can earn minimum, how much - maximum, and you try to act within these limits, which is quite simple. Moreover, if you want to spend more than you earn, then all the risks will fall on you and can only pay off thanks to the result. The difference in budgets between the teams in 10th and 17th place is about 7 - 8 million pounds. There simply cannot be an option in which the budget suddenly increases by 15 - 20 percent.

Is it possible to simply “pour” money into the team?

You can, but you don't want to.

Are you afraid of financial Fair Play"?

Partly. In addition, we will see what restrictions will be adopted in England on player salaries. A meeting is due to take place before the end of the month. The Premier League has released a brochure with its vision of the situation, clubs must now respond. But there is no single position. Big teams want to leave everything as it is, small teams want to take advantage of the salary cap to get to the top.

Is there any fear that the players will start running away - to Spain, Germany, Russia?

Those who only need money will leave anyway. In Italy and Spain there are no more people willing to invest in salaries. Only Germany and Russia remained.

What position do Reading take on the salary cap issue?

We support limits on the amounts paid to a specific player. The situation with team players is more complicated. There are 10-12 schemes - which of them corresponds to our views, we will understand at the next meetings.

What is the point of Reading supporting the introduction of restrictions on payments to a specific player, if it is clear that this amount will be fixed at an exorbitant level for the club?

Now we cannot fight the giants financially. But if we continue to develop, then in the future a footballer who is offered the same money at Manchester United and here may prefer Reading to get more playing time.

But then what use is a ceiling to your club? Rooney won't come to you. Those who earn less, middle peasants, are also unlikely.

Let's see. In the off-season we talked with players of the England national team level, they did not object to the transfer. People like the club.

Do Reading have their own school?

Yes. They are accepted there from the age of 10, there are teams of all ages up to 18. Now the expanded composition of the base includes several of its own students: Federici, Pierce, Church, Karachan, Hal Robson-Kanu, McCleary. Ten more people play in other Premier League teams.

In England, the territorial principle of distributing selection zones for youth schools?

An inspection of the schools of all clubs is currently underway, based on the results of which each will be assigned a category from fourth to first. The best educational institutions of the first level will be able to carry out selection throughout the country and take students from schools of a lower rank for a certain compensation.

For the first one, but we will most likely get the second one.

Is there any fear that with such rules, Manchester United and Liverpool will clean out all of England?

But they only need 11 people. There are a lot of football players in England, and you can invite them from abroad. In addition, all these rules apply to players who do not have professional contracts, that is, up to 16 years of age. And at this age it is not always clear what a person can become.

Maybe the English Denisov will come to you and slam his fist on the table?

Probably it could, but we don’t have those.

Are there similar ones in England?

Well, for example, Joey Barton. This man can do anything!

Fine. If Joey Barton came to you, what would you say?

He wouldn't come to me. Let him play in Marseille for now.

That is, in England a situation similar to Zenit’s is unlikely?

In principle, we had something similar recently - when we entered the Premier League. But we managed to come to an agreement with the players. I can say that we do not have people with whom we cannot do business. All are sane.

Perhaps the fact is that historically the club was built on certain values. And these are not empty words: the spirit of the right ideas is present throughout the vertical, right up to the owner. Nobody drinks or smokes. We even admit children to the academy according to a special matrix of four points, one of which is professionalism.

Can you tell us more about these points?

This is an internal matter of the club. But in general, the vector is clear: we evaluate “physics,” technology, character, and so on.

Are you saying that people like Barton couldn’t end up at Reading in principle?

These are our rules.

We do not have hooligan groups

After entering the Premier League, did you increase the players' salaries?

Yes. For some, this was written into the contract, for others the club accommodated them. Especially school graduates who worked out their first relatively decent contract last season. They helped Reading achieve promotion, and it is logical that the club adequately thanked them.

Each player has his own “wants” - that’s how football works. However, in England the possibility of introducing a rule is now being actively discussed: players will be able to sign new contracts only in the summer. The reason is clear: so that they don’t go and ask in the middle of the season. Such actions harm the teams, affect the microclimate, and in England they are aware of this. Despite the fact that the class of football players there is clear. You can’t play at the same level and demand a higher salary, otherwise you simply won’t find a club.

Are the English Premier League players that adequate?

The market puts everything in its place. Crazy transfers with the aim, for example, of getting a kickback are excluded. Accordingly, salaries and prices for players are determined only by supply and demand.

However, the financial capabilities of Roman Abramovich and Manchester City are quite comparable to those of Gazprom. They can afford to pay a price higher than the market price for a football player.

These clubs have stars and you really have to pay for them. There is, say, information floating around the market: Azar’s agent asked for 5-6 million commissions for his transfer. Manchester City didn’t agree to this, but Chelsea, one must think, paid, since Hazard ended up there.

The sums are huge, but there is also a reason to spend them: not a single club in the world would refuse the Belgian.

That is, the conditional Hazard can ask Abramovich for an increase, but some unknown Smith cannot?

When it comes to retaining the right player, market mechanisms are no longer involved. But, let’s say, in “Arsenal” this cannot happen in principle. Van Persie left there, Walcott may also leave...

Why?

Because this is the club’s position: “We are Arsenal, you are just a footballer. If you leave, after some time the same one will appear.” There is a system in place that has brought the club to high level. I completely approve of her, by the way. From time to time, disputes arise: why Arsenal has this owner and not that one. Because, probably, one adheres to the chosen system, the other does not.

You can skim the cream of the market, buy the best, and keep your own stars at any cost. In the short term this will give results. But in the long term, a well-functioning personnel system is more correct and profitable. The fans of the London club cannot be called offended either. Yes, he hasn’t won anything for seven years, but this is one hundred percent Arsenal, which will always remain itself.

When you bought Reading, were you not afraid of anti-Russian skepticism among the fans?

Now this is no longer relevant. When Abramovich bought Chelsea, there were concerns, but then the wave died down. Non-English owners English clubs enough today.

Does Kalinka play at Reading matches?

Not yet, and I don’t insist. There will be earflaps, but other Russification is not planned yet. If the Kalinka stands want to express their gratitude, I won’t object.

Are you ready to discuss their repertoire with fans?

There has not been a direct dialogue with fans yet, but I am planning a meeting. In the press, I have already explained quite clearly what I am striving for - they should not treat this badly. Now, if there are no results, that’s another matter. Until now, however, everything has been going well for me. He came to Reading in January, when the team was in eighth place. And then she scored 15 wins in 17 games and finished first.

Are there any Reading fans suspended from attending matches for hooliganism?

Don't know. There probably can be, but there are no hooligan groups.

The most promising club in England

Does the club keep order at the stadium?

Both the club and the Premier League. It generally significantly affects the processes in english football. For example, when debt financing is raised, the lenders must be approved by the league. If a structure that is ready to help, for example, avoid a cash gap, does not pass the league’s internal audit, the latter will say “no.” The purchase of a club, contract negotiations - everything that could somehow destabilize the club is carefully studied by the league and, in case of doubt, blocked. In Russia, this situation could be used in any way. In England, no suspicion arises: the league is guided only by football interests.

Were there any complaints against you during the purchase of Reading?

No. There was a technical delay associated with the team’s promotion to the top division: we were tested first by one league, then by another. There was an interview with me. We met with the leaders of the Premier League, led by Richard Scudamore, and talked. Questions were asked, I answered: who, why, where, the structure of the deal, general guarantees, plans for the development of the club, a three-year budget... I think the football officials wanted to make sure of the seriousness of my intentions.

They were probably interested in your main business as well.

No. Just in general terms.

Then we'll ask.

I don’t really want to answer, to be honest. Football is football, but personal life and business are different. In general terms there are two directions. The first is a family business with his father, investments and development of various projects. The second direction is timber, woodworking, cellulose, construction, gold... A little bit of everything.

Can Reading's budget be found in open sources?

Certainly. 98.5 percent of the club’s shares belong to my structures, 1.5 percent belongs to fans and other small shareholders. There are more than 300 of them, which means that the company is public, and we are obliged to publish the budget. It's easy to find on the Internet.

Is it possible for the state to have a financial presence in English football?

Direct investments and state control over clubs are excluded. Probably, a company with a state share can act as a sponsor, but I am not aware of such cases. And preference in favor of one club can have a negative impact on the image. On the other hand, 30 percent of Welsh club Swansea is owned by the local government. But this is definitely not the intersection of the state and business: in a democratic society this is called a conflict of interest.

You bought Reading for 30 million pounds, although Leeds and Chelsea were once sold for symbolic money. Were there really no cheaper options?

Various offers have been received since 2004, but there has been no such thing for me to sit and choose. I looked and thought until my intuition told me. Yes, there were relatively inexpensive and interesting Portsmouth, Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday. And the same Leeds, for example, is now being sold for 60 million, since it is the only profitable second-tier club. I wanted to buy something that could grow later. According to experts, Reading has the greatest potential among English clubs in this sense. By moving to the Premier League, we have already increased our capitalization.

If you received an offer now, how much could you sell Reading for?

There are vaguely formulated proposals, but I do not consider them. This year a Premier League club is worth at least £70 million. And from next year, due to an increase in payments from television, it will cost a hundred.

Role of the coach? Almost 100 percent!

Let's move smoothly from business to football: many expected you, following the example of Abramovich, to blow up the transfer market with high-profile purchases. But that did not happen. Why?

You know, I periodically read Reading fan forums on the Internet. When I acquired the club, the opinions of fans were divided approximately 70 to 30. The majority, on the contrary, were in favor of Reading maintaining stability and not making drastic steps. And only the remaining 30 wanted everything at once. In general, our fans are sane.

We didn't intend to spend too much. Reading have signed the seven players they asked for Main coach Team Brian McDermott. They did not buy at random, but strengthened specific positions. We needed a right-back, and a promising one at that. Therefore, Tottenham graduate Chris Gunter, who played 40 matches for the Wales national team, was acquired. I wanted to buy a fast central defender - Mariappa became him. They needed a left-back and signed Nicky Shorey, who has capped the England national team. There was a time - he was actually considered as a candidate for the left-back position national team. God willing, he will find himself again at Reading. And so we have Ian Hart playing at the base - the same one from Leeds. The player is, of course, skilled, but he is still 35.

A playmaker was not out of place - they bought Guthrie from Newcastle. Moreover, the “magpies” did not want to let him go. But Danny understood that it would be difficult for him to compete with Tiote and Cabaye. Plus they acquired McCleary and, in fact, Pavel Pogrebnyak on the attack flank. In general, we completed all the main transfer tasks.

You are now talking like a head coach, clearly delving into all football issues. After all, it often happens completely differently: the coach comes to the owner, asks for money for transfers, he gives it and doesn’t ask anything.

This is not the case with us at all. McDermott and I are doing something together. By the way, I was generally lucky with the head coach. Brian is an excellent psychologist. And this, from my point of view, is the main thing. You don't need to be an outstanding specialist to set up training process. It is much more difficult to be able to manage a team. McDermott used to be a scout, so he has a good eye for players' potential. In composition we were not at all the best team division. But McDermott instilled confidence in the guys, and they beat everyone.

Apparently, you categorically disagree with Leonid Fedun, who said “a coach is only 10 percent of success”...

I have a different opinion. The role of the coach in the success of the team is 100 percent! Well, of course, less, but it is the coach who has the greatest influence on the result. Yes, there are individual qualities of the players, but it’s McDermott who prepares them for the match, sets them up. He takes into account all the little things - some that I don't even understand.

Do you communicate with him often?

Few times a week. And with sports director Nick Hammond - every day.

How close are you with the players?

Here you need to keep your distance. I had one story where I let a player get too close to me. And he, figuratively speaking, “bite” me.

How exactly?

I began to use our communication for my own purposes. This was a lesson for me.

Does he imagine himself to be especially close?

Something like that. I decided that since he is friends with me, he means more to the team than any other player. But this is not so.

Do you give the team a dressing down in the locker room?

No. Don't forget, there are traditions in the club. For example, before a match, the honorary president of the club, 71-year-old John Madejski, always gives a speech. But I don't do such things. Bye.

That is, the desire to “stuff” the players and the coach sometimes arises?

No. I generally focus on logic, not emotions. Let's say this is a match last round with West Bromwich. We lost - and I was very unhappy. Because I knew perfectly well: with this team we can play on equal terms. But in the end they didn’t create a single moment!

In other games they created, but did not win. Reading are still winless in the championship...

We started with Stoke City. An extremely unpleasant opponent for the first round. "Potters" achieve the desired result by any means. Therefore, a draw with them is a good result. Although they could have won - if not for the mistake of goalkeeper Federici...

During the second game, we generally led Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and only lost in the end. After that we arrived in Sunderland in a great mood. But the match was canceled... And in the end, taking into account the national team meetings, we had no match practice for 25 days! And for guys who are just starting in the Premier League, it is very important to be in good shape and constantly feel confident. And then there’s Tottenham... In my opinion, the most inconvenient opponent for us.

Why?

It is impossible for us to compete with such supersonic wings as Lennon and Bale. Individually our players are weaker. And team actions, in particular backup, did not work out at all after 25 days of inactivity. And, of course, the defeat hit the team hard.

We are interested in Cheryshev

When you see the Reading starting line-up, you don’t think: “Oh my God, why did McDermott let this tree out of the starting line-up!”

Let's start with the fact that the lineup is not a surprise for me: I find out it not an hour before the match, but the day before.

Does McDermott tell you the names of the players - and nothing else?

No, he explains the game plan in detail. As the owner of the team, I want to know exactly how it will act. McDermott brings me up to speed, talks about the opponent's disadvantages, little things that we are going to take advantage of. For example, he told me that West Brom have allowed opponents to cross into their penalty area 35 times over the last two matches. Accordingly, we were going to actively use this. But it didn't work out.

Are you just listening?

No, I’m also expressing my point of view. But I’m not going too far yet. Brian takes everything through himself and is very worried. That’s why I don’t want to offend him in any way. If McDermott believes in something, don't lead him astray.

Is there really no disagreement with the starting lineup or tactics?

Internal - it happens. But outwardly I never show it. Now, in the Premier League, we are all learning. Perhaps somewhere it would have been better to choose a different composition. But overall I believe in McDermott. And, of course, I don’t dictate the starting line-up to him.

How many times a week do you call Pogrebnyak?

Not at all. Of course, at the beginning of Pasha’s career at Reading we communicated regularly, but now we just have a good, working relationship.

Didn't his Russian passport play a role in his invitation?

Well... There is a little bit of slyness in this, to be honest. But we really needed a striker from Pogrebnyak’s formation. Good header, shooter with both feet, able to hold the ball. And a football player whose status is a little higher than our club. I just understood that it would be easier for me to agree on the transition with Pasha.

Is there any fear that Pogrebnyak, as is customary among Russian legionnaires, will quickly “burn out” after a bright start?

Last match He really spent the championship uncertainly. He did not have the task of retreating so deeply back. We'll figure out what happened. However, everyone has bad games. Moreover, Jason Roberts will recover soon, he will certainly help Pavel.

Is this the same 34-year-old forward from Grenada who played for Blackburn for six years?

Exactly. Jason is a physically strong guy, and at the same time technically equipped. He can take the ball, save it, support it, attack from deep. With him, it will be much easier for Pogrebnyak to play in the penalty area, where we need him.

Don't you think that the team desperately needs a strong goalkeeper? Both Federici and McCarthy regularly make mistakes.

In fact, Federici is a very strong goalkeeper, but his problems are psychological. He's just depressed after I beat him at tennis! (Laughs.) I went with the team to a training camp in Portugal - they fought there.

Did you play football too?

Yes. Well, I was playing around... I can’t play on equal terms with them.

That is, Zingarevich will not include Zingarevich in Reading’s roster for the season?

No, I’m not Saadi Gaddafi (the son of Muammar Gaddafi, who, owning part of the shares of Perugia, trained with the team and even played one match for it. - Note “SE”). In general, I play right midfielder.

- Do you give 15 assists per season?

If I had given it away, I would have played for Reading. (Laughs.)

Your club has the most modest squad in the Premier League. According to Transfermarkt.de, in terms of the total value of players, you are almost half that of even Norwich.

Many Reading players are not well known to the general public. But I believe that at the end of the season the guys will rise in value and become Premier League level players. And this is already at least 4 - 5 million euros.

You once mentioned that you were impressed by Denis Cheryshev’s acting. Do Reading have an interest in this player?

Yes. Our scouts watched Cheryshev in the Castilla match against Barcelona B. Denis played there for 20 minutes. I can't guarantee he'll go to Reading, but it's possible. And Denis himself knows about this.

I don't know Abramovich

If "Reading" in the middle of the championship goes to last place, are you ready to spend big? Say, give 10 - 15 million euros for one player?

Have to. Although it is unlikely that a footballer who costs 15 million will go to Reading. However, there is also a rental option. But if we need to seriously strengthen ourselves, we will do it. Yes and when good location We are going to buy one or two newcomers in the table this winter.

Imagine another sad story: Reading relegated from the Premier League...

God forbid. But we are financially ready for this too. In particular, they did not deliberately violate the club’s budget with high-profile purchases. For example, remember QPR, which bought 15 people last season and almost got relegated. If this happened, the club would have huge problems. In general, as I already said, in any case we live within our means. For example, we do not have a wage imbalance.

- How do you want to see Reading in five years?

The main thing is that the club develops financially. If the plan I have in my head comes to fruition, Reading will fight for European competition. That is, to be among the top six.

Is it true that you have an idea to acquire a young Russian player and in English conditions make him a star?

Such a desire exists. In England it is more realistic to raise a star. I will say more: two talented young Russians are currently being tried out for Reading: 17-year-old striker Sergei Kundik, who lives in Portugal, and goalkeeper Nikita Khaikin, who studied at Chelsea school and grew up in England. Let's see what comes of them.

That is, both do not live in Russia.

Yes, and this is no coincidence. A football player living in our country cannot obtain a work permit in England. I also talked about this with the head coach of the Russian youth team Nikolai Pisarev. And Kundik has Portuguese citizenship, Cheryshev has Spanish citizenship.

They say you don't know Roman Abramovich. How so?!

My father knows me, I don't. It just happened that way. I don't see anything special about this.

At a minimum, Roman Arkadyevich would share his experience with you.

Our clubs are slightly different. (Laughs.) Accordingly, the ways of their development too. And at the Chelsea - Reading match he was simply absent. That's how we would probably meet each other. I think we'll meet again.

When you watch football, do you swear?

About myself - it happens.

Just from the TV picture it seems that you are calm as a boa constrictor. Well, your Chelsea team scored - and they scored, no matter what.

They just didn't show it to you! You should have seen me jumping when we scored at Stamford Bridge! Although in general I’m really a pretty calm person. But stories happen. Let's say we played at the end of that season with Leeds. They broke three of our players! As soon as I jump up, I start to be indignant... And then Madejski immediately sits me down and says: “What are you doing?! Sit still.” I immediately calmed down. Moreover, in England it is very important not to give journalists a reason to, as they say, “catch on” to you.

To be clear: do you live in England or Moscow?

In Moscow. But I visit England regularly. I fly to all Reading home matches. Moreover, three days before the game: I meet with the club employees and give some tasks. In general, everything is simple. Moreover, Reading has a well-established work process. I don't need to start any revolutions.

How many hours have you played Football Manager in your life?

Wow, you can't count! When I came to study in England, my friends immediately infected me with this game... And my younger brothers now play it. For Reading.