Lunev interview. Andrey Lunev: After my head was sewn up, I wasn't going to play in a helmet. Most often called the best goalkeeper of all time

- Stanislav Cherchesov continues to search for goalkeepers. Krytsyuk, Guilherme, Belenov, Lunev... Do you get the impression that at the World Championships the coach can resort to rotation in this line?

“I don't think we should wait. The one who will be in the best shape at the start of the tournament will play. As for Andrei, he shows excellent results in the club. I adhere to the version that Cherchesov decided to see firsthand his readiness to solve the assigned tasks. Of course, I would like to leave the gate intact, but in that game situation it was extremely difficult to do this.

- Were you surprised by the appearance of Lunev in the match with Iran? Could this be due to Akinfeev's uncertain play in the match against South Korea?

- I won’t say that such a decision of the coaching staff was predictable, but on the whole it looked reasonable. Let's assess the situation objectively: today Igor Akinfeev is a stable first number without any complaints or reservations national team. But after all, there is enough time before the start of the World Cup, a lot can happen. Injuries cannot be ruled out, moreover, even the most experienced football player can, after a series of unsuccessful matches, lose both physical and psychological form.

- Is the team having a hard time with the change at the last frontier?

- I'm sure that Cherchesov knows better than anyone else: the goalkeeper's position is extremely important for building a game. If it so happens that the national team at the World Cup will need to play with a new goalkeeper, the guys already today need to have an idea about him, understand how to interact with him.

- Is it possible to say that the substitute goalkeepers have a double responsibility, because the reservists go out to play not only for the team, but also for themselves, they need to demonstrate their maximum in order to get a chance to stay in the squad?

I don't think this is the same case. Although the matches of the national team are control, they still do not carry significance in terms of the result, therefore, they do not enslave the goalkeeper so much. It is comfortable to play in such meetings, and, frankly, the opponents are not of the highest level. The same Lunev did not need to demonstrate something supernatural, just go out and play to his strength. I think Andrey succeeded.

- The current goalkeeper line-up can be called optimal?

- At this stage of preparation for the World Cup, the existing trio - Akinfeev, Lunev and Gabulov - will be considered a priority. Obviously, the bet is on Igor, in addition to him, the team needs a young goalkeeper who can significantly improve, and a reliable rear in the face of an experienced goalkeeper, who, in the event of a red card or injury, will go to the gate. Gabulov is an ideal candidate for this role, he proved it many times, and there are enough matches for the national team in his career.

- It was the candidacy of Vladimir Gabulov that caused heated debate among experts and fans. The goalkeeper plays in an average club with modest tasks, and then he is called up to the national team ...

- Vladimir is a player understandable for Stanislav Cherchesov, and besides, Igor has formed partnerships with him since his performance in CSKA. Plus, you can always count on an experienced Gabulov in force majeure circumstances. As they say, throw him into the thick of it. The fact that Andrey was playing now, and not Vladimir, rather, maintaining a balance - Gabulov's capabilities are known to the head coach. In practice, I can say that when the third goalkeeper breaks into the team, he still has a long way to go to secure the second number.

- So you think that Lunev is considered as a third goalkeeper?

- My personal opinion - today Andrei is fighting for the right to be considered the second and so far closes the top three. Another thing is that before the start of the World Cup, a lot can change. If Gabulov has problems at Arsenal, and Lunev continues to play confidently for Zenit, the alignment will change in his favor.

- You said that Akinfeev needed a young replacement. It turns out that Lunev is the main rising star of the goalkeeping workshop in Russia?

- There are enough young and interesting goalkeepers in the RFPL who have proven themselves well, but they do not play in top clubs, and these guys simply have no experience of playing on the international arena.

— And what about Alexander Selikhov?

- Well, how much experience does he have in European competitions? Half time against Liverpool? Yes, Alexander looked confident in this game segment, but so far this is not enough to enter the national team and make a serious statement about himself. Of course, his game has already attracted the attention of the entire football community, but first Selikhov needs to take the number one position in his club. If we compare him with Lunev, today Andrey, with experience in performing on the European arena, has more convincing indicators.

- Stanislav Cherchesov has repeatedly stated that in the goalkeeper line Russian team there is a hierarchy. Can such statements by the head coach of the national team demotivate potential candidates for the number one position?

- If you can be broken by such a statement, then you have nothing to do in professional sports. There is main man- trainer. He knows better who and when to enter the field. This is especially true for young players. These guys have a whole life ahead of them, today his place is on the bench, but tomorrow he can shine in the first team. Putting yourself above a potential competitor, counting the number of goals conceded is stupidity.

- But you left the national team, being in the reserve.

“In my case, there was no time to sit and wait for another chance. The choice of Fabio Capello fell on Igor Akinfeev, although I played at Euro 2012, and Dick Advocaat had no serious complaints about my work. I repeat, this is a special case, the team headed for rejuvenation, and age was against me.

Publication from Team Russia | Team Russia (@teamrussia) Jun 24, 2017 at 7:40 pm PDT

- There is an opinion that former goalkeepers don't grow into great coaches by focusing too much on defense.

- It's not true that former goalkeepers pay more attention to their colleagues in the position. The result is made up of tactics, discipline, preparation and individual actions of the attacking players. The coaches understand this very well and, first of all, they build the game from the defense and the support zone, and then they give the opportunity to combine the attacking line.

- Do you like the picture of the game that the Russian team is now showing?

- The current experiments, getting in shape and teamwork, attracting new players is an important part of preparing for the World Cup. And we will draw conclusions after the decisive matches. The Confederations Cup showed that we started to improve. And we should at least get out of the group. I believe in it.

Andrey Lunev: “For the first time in Ufa, I gave loans. I had 10,000 rubles a month to live on.”

The new goalkeeper of Zenit Andrey Lunev in an exclusive interview with Match TV tells why Gennady Orlov will not criticize him, how he ordered champagne for the entire bar for his first serious salary and how much he owed banks a year and a half ago.

- Together with the contract with Zenit, you signed up for a lot of attention and pressure. Ready?

To be honest, I'm afraid of all this. I don't quite understand what to expect. It has never happened before, now I would like to just calmly work and train. Goncharenko, for example, after my first match with Krasnodar, categorically forbade giving interviews. He said if he finds out, then I ... [end].

After a bright debut, Giuliano slowed down a little, and Gennady Orlov immediately said that he had begun. How will you react if Orlov begins to criticize you harshly?

I hope it doesn't come to harsh criticism. I will try to make sure that I hear only compliments from Gennady Sergeevich. And Juliano scored against me at Petrovsky. I was supposed to help out, but it didn't work. I was very upset then, the result was completely unplayable.

From Petrovsky after the stadiums of Lokomotiv and Spartak there were no longer any incredible emotions, but Virazh was remembered - the fans in St. Petersburg are cool. I will never forget the snow-covered field in that game, on which the ball accelerated three times faster. It was cooler in Istra when the screening took place. It's almost minus 30 outside, and I forgot my lap dog at home.

- Did you already know on the field of Petrovsky that you would end up in Zenit?

I had not yet heard about the interest of Zenit, but I knew that they were looking at me: another club in the Russian Premier League was interested in me. Goncharenko set us up very seriously. He said that we are not playing against jerseys with numbers and names, but with the same people. And so it was: we also created chances, but did not convert them.

- Have you often been to St. Petersburg before?

Only passing through, when he played against Dynamo from St. Petersburg and against Petrotrest. But to walk for a long time along Nevsky - this was not the case. I think everything is ahead. By the way, my wife is still in Ufa: she has a residency, she can’t break. But I think we'll figure it out somehow.

Yes, there was a moment when it was necessary to play easier, and I tried to save the ball. I wanted to act in a football way, and not just bang. As a result, I cut off everyone, the opponent scored, they stuffed me hard. Before this match, it was not yet clear who would be the main player in the season - Shelia or me. And after it everything became clear, besides, I was still sick. You can’t imagine how upset I was then: it was a chance, but I missed it!

- You took a very difficult shot by Pejcinovic from the penalty spot. How?

Chuyka. I once had a mystical case when I played for Torpedo. Before the match with Shinnik, I dreamed that there would be a penalty. This penalty was taken to the right corner. Day of the match, the referee puts an end. I remember a dream, but for some reason I go to guess in the left corner. And the eccentric hits in the right, as in a dream. After that I always do what comes to mind during penalties.

- Alexander Zinchenko said that he trained you. Moreover, you could not beat off his penalty.

He also lost chocolates to me normally. He should have scored five out of five. We play one series, the second, the third. For each episode - chocolate. As a result, they reached the 10th series: I lost to him and gave all the chocolates. It was necessary to take the fireproof amount on time, and not go to the end. So let him not tell that I could not repulse his blows.

- There is a very cheerful team in Ufa. The moment when you were the most joked about?

For all this, thanks to our press attache Sergey Tyrtyshny, he creates such a mood. When I was in reserve, he told me that I would play in the Russian national team. As for pranks and jokes…. With Yurchenko and Narubin they kept the ball in the air, and who made a mistake - granted a wish. The strangest thing is to go and, for no reason at all, kiss Guzel Mukhamedyanova (the PR manager of Ufa, who on Instagram called for going to the stadium in the cold and not overheating the male organs - Match TV). Or someone gives an interview, you had to run up and get into the camera. Or approach a club employee, take his phone and take a selfie. I often dropped the ball, so I had to do all this. But the most awkward, of course, was with Guzel.

- An episode of communication with Viktor Goncharenko that you will never forget?

There was a moment when, after the game with CSKA, commentators said that they took me to Ufa as the fourth goalkeeper. They showed it on Match TV, they showed it all over Russia. I then took something to heart, boiled. Viktor Mikhailovich approached: “Andrey, you found something to worry about. Let them say what they want. If I reacted to everything, I would have gone crazy a long time ago. Train and that's it." After that, I got injured and somehow accidentally met Goncharenko in the elevator. I immediately understood what he was about to say. "Viktor Mikhalych, don't even start!" I tell him. And he told me: “Do you know what caused the injury? Everything comes from the head, no need to think about something extraneous. He always reassured me, did not wind me up. Confidence in the game came largely from his installations.

I generally consider Goncharenko best coach in Russia. Of those with whom I have worked, definitely the best. He won over the team, made the microclimate even better. Those who didn't play didn't have any hard feelings. Goncharenko could joke, stuff and then joke again. Although Krotov once wrote that these jokes fall short. In the film about Goncharenko, they showed how Marcio was expelled, but he also expelled other players from training. Because he is a very demanding coach, if his instructions are not fulfilled, he does not tolerate.

- Did you find Frimpong?

This is a genius, and a genius in absolutely everything. He is actually a cool football player, it was just necessary to create conditions around him. The soul of the team, Frimpong joked round the clock. When asked about his favorite insect, he named the antelope.

- Once in an interview, he said that he paid the former for silicone breasts, and then regretted it.

Well, at first I did not regret it! He constantly showed that Russian girls write to him on Instagram - oh, what they didn’t write there.

- When you dragged everything in the first match against Krasnodar, did you believe that this was happening to you at all?

I was so tired, I screamed so much that I was somewhere in the fog with the final whistle. I came to the locker room, everyone congratulated me, but I didn’t even have the strength to smile.

- But a year and a half before that you played in the LFL.

I kept in shape there, it was a good practice. Just came to play on vacation, and then dragged on. Played there once a week, not more often.

- At the same time, you were called from banks and threatened with a fine. What amount were owed?

I was not paid a salary at Saturn for six months, I had to take loans. The total debt to banks was about a million rubles. First they sent sms, then the robot called - from 7 in the morning the calls began. Then living people called, they said: “We will sue you.” I say: “Give it. I have no money, nothing to give. I am waiting for a salary that is not being paid.” They insist: “And you borrow!” And who can I borrow?

- Have you thought about going to work somewhere on the side, since this is the situation?

We were promised every week that everything would be on Monday, but it dragged on endlessly. So far nothing has been given. The first time in "Ufa" just gave loans. For life, my girlfriend and I had ten thousand rubles a month, the rest was given to banks. They saved only bonuses, because the third goalkeeper was also entitled to something for victories. To at least go out somewhere, go to the cinema. We did not starve, our parents helped, but life was hard then. A year later, they got married, and, by the way, they still haven’t closed all the loans. I hope to close everything before the new year.

Dava Yurchenko gave me goalie gloves: he had a contract, he was constantly getting new ones. If he didn’t like it, he asked: “What, do you need it?” I said yes, of course. I recently even played in the boots of the Bezdenezhnykh. He also has a contract, and we have one size. It’s convenient, I gave it already worn out, it’s not necessary to break it. And in Zenith, now you have to break new ones.

- You said that in "Torpedo" money once blew your head off. Was this not the case in Ufa?

By that time, I had already drawn my conclusions. In Torpedo, all this happened back in the second league, when I was 18-19 years old. They made a salary of 40 thousand rubles, but I almost went crazy - I had never seen such money before. We won two more games, for each victory - 30 thousand more. As a result, I received 100 thousand rubles on the card. I went to a strip bar and said there: "Champagne for everyone!" So the money ended. That evening taught me a lot: it never happened again and never will.

Text: Gleb Cherniavsky, Ivan Karpov

A photo: RIA Novosti / Vladimir Song

In turn, she also offered a new contract. But our president also spoke about the proposal of the St. Petersburg club.

- It happened closer to December?

Yes. In the course of the season until the winter break, I did not want to make any decisions.

- Were you not afraid that the competition in the goalkeeper team of Zenit is tougher than in Ufa?

Firstly, I think it is wrong to make such comparisons, at least in relation to my partners. Second, competition is competition everywhere. It cannot be more or less rigid. As for human relations, I was received very well in the goalkeeper team of Zenit. Always cheer, prompt, wish good luck. In this sense, apparently, I am lucky for teams and partners ( smiling). Until now, by the way, I call up the guys-goalkeepers with whom I worked together. Happy birthday to each other. After I played the first match for Zenit, the guys called, they also said kind words.

– And yet break into the basis of “Zenith” may be more difficult than in the starting lineup of “Ufa”.

I am not afraid of difficulties. I hope you have already experienced the most unpleasant things in life.

- top Do you study the tables more carefully now?

I'm only looking at the first two lines. We are not at the top yet, but in May it should be the other way around.

– How rivalry “Zenith” and looked from the outside?

You can't really call it random. “Spartacus” gave the result, “Zenith” he was a little worse. But there are 13 rounds ahead. That's 39 points! Plus a face-to-face meeting in Moscow.

Andrey LUNEV in training during the Spanish training camp. Photo by Vyacheslav Evdokimov, FC Zenit

GIVED A HAT WITH NUMBERS AND SAID: "PULL"

Only positive! All perfectly!

- In Dubai, in your first match for Zenit, you were very upset, having conceded two goals from Chanchun.

It was unpleasant. Especially in the moment with the second goal - it was possible to help out there. The first game, and immediately got a "kopeck piece" ... Although these are fees, special attention such things should not be dealt with. We need to do our job and prepare for official matches.

- At the training camp you play under the 16th number. Why was he chosen?

This number is temporary. Officially will be the 99th. In general, I wanted the 71st, but now he has. But it doesn't matter to me what numbers are on the back. Therefore, in “Zenith” they wrote free numbers on pieces of paper, threw them into a hat, mixed them up and said - pull. Pulled out the 99th. The 16th, by the way, was also there. If he got it, he would play under it.

- In "Zenith" players can not take only the 12th number.

I know he is attached to the fans.

I DID NOT GO TO RUBIN BECAUSE OF THE TOOTH

- You started your career in Moscow. Why in this club?

I was brought up in it. Once, however, at the age of 16 - 17 I went to Rubin for a viewing, but at the training camp I got a toothache. It was removed, but they did not have time to look at me. As a result, I decided to stay in the “Torpedo”, even though it flew to the KFK.

- Many future goalkeepers in children's schools began to play in the field. And you?

And I'm right at the gate. All the time!

- But all the boys, as a rule, want to score goals.

I always disliked running very much - I like jumping more. And stand still. But seriously, my coach laid the school for me Dmitry Valentinovich Gulenkov. He gave a lot. The following coaches also contributed, but it was he who laid the foundation.

Newcomer “Zenith” Andrey LUNEV. Photo by Vyacheslav Evdokimov, FC Zenit

MONEY APPEARED - AND SAIL

- Your first professional contract also concluded with the "Torpedo"?

We started with KFK, advanced to the second league. Came and held a serious selection. Half of the players did not fit his vision of the game, but I stayed. They took him to the training camp and signed a full-fledged contract. Then I also played the first game of the season at the base. This came as a big surprise to me.

- Is Pavlov a strict coach?

First of all, qualified. And a very good man. From working with Pavlov, only positive memories remained. I want to thank him - he gave me a chance at Torpedo. And that I did not dispose of it - it's my fault. Then, when he was without a team, he took me to Saturn. Did not leave idle.

- What act of Pavlov do you still remember?

He always fought for the guys. Tried to make us more comfortable. In the second league then everyone traveled by bus, and we traveled by train. They did not suffer for ten hours on the road. And of course, professional approach Pavlova forced to look at him with respect.

- With your height on the shelves in the train fit?

Everything was fine. He bent his legs, that's all.

- Then for the "Torpedo" in the second division you played only 7 games. Why?

I started the season, and then… I was young, inexperienced. Didn't listen to what they told me. Money appeared. For me, they were great. Against this background, and swam ...

- For 40 thousand rubles, which you received in the “Torpedo”, you can’t really make a fuss.

When before that there was no money - and 40 thousand is a significant amount.

- There was no one to restrict you?

Restricted, but somehow I did not listen. Smart people learn from the mistakes of others, and fools learn from their own. I'm probably in the second category.

- What then would you definitely not do if you could scroll back in time?

I would change a lot in my life. But maybe it's for the best that fate turned out this way. Now I know exactly what to do and what not. I try not to step on the same rake. This will no longer be the case.

Mikhail KERZHAKOV and Andrey LUNEV. Photo by Vyacheslav Evdokimov, FC Zenit

FORGOTTEN JACKET IN "MINUS 30"

- What would you advise young players based on your experience?

There are parents, more experienced people, coaches who will always tell you what to do. You just need to listen to them and not pay attention to extraneous things and temptations.

- Then what did you spend your 40 thousand on?

Constantly with friends went somewhere. There were no restrictions.

- Someone walked with you at your expense?

No, it's just whoever had the money in the company - he paid. They lived for today and did not think about the consequences.

- But then experienced players played with you in Torpedo, ...

Rather, the goalkeeping coach Pereskokov, who knew me from Kaluga. He called me to watch.

- Nevertheless, you spent the first season in Ufa in the youth team.

The team already had Yurchenko and. I am the third. To get practice, he played for a double. I think he did it well. In any case, he himself treated the matches for the youth team with complete seriousness. Understood - it is necessary for further growth.

- In that season, the youth team of "Ufa" sat firmly on last place. Was it not depressing?

During the season, only a couple of times, in my opinion, won. In almost all matches the game was played in our half. So there was a lot of work. But I was just happy about it. Accumulated experience. And I set myself the task of missing no more than three per game ( smiling). In the end, the task was completed.

- Were you not allowed to join the main team under Kolyvanov at all?

On the contrary - I trained just with the base. And he only went to the doubles for games.

ONCE I HAD TO BE IN THE SKIN OF A HARE

- And yet, it turns out that Kolyvanov did not believe in you as a goalkeeper?

Believed, did not believe - no idea. Yurchenko played under Kolyvanov. How cool he did it - everyone saw. And this despite the fact that the team fought for survival. Something could change in terms of the goalkeeper only if David got injured. When this happened, Narubin played. This is a very good goalkeeper. I just tried to prove my worth in training and in matches for the double. Hope it doesn't go unnoticed. As a result, he got his chance, but not from Kolyvanov.

- From Perevertailo?

From about. Under him, they played with Narubin at the training camp, especially since the situation with Yurchenko was incomprehensible, and he was not yet in the team. Naruba looked great back then! I didn't seem to be too crazy either.

- I read that that year in the youth team was also not the easiest for you in everyday terms - after all, by your own admission, because of debts and loans, you had to live on almost 10 thousand rubles a month?

Period in “Saturn” in this regard was harder. In Ufa, only its consequences had to be experienced. Although I will not hide it, it was not easy either.

How did your girlfriend feel about it?

In “Saturn” and in this sense it was worse. For six months, we, in my opinion, only saw each other twice.

- Why?

She lived at home in Ufa. And sometimes I didn’t have money to get to the base. Once I went on a bus as a "hare" - they dropped me off. It's good that the metro, from where the club car took us, was only one stop away. Came on foot. But it was still annoying. In general, it turned out that by 9 am I arrived at the base, at 10 pm at home.

- If it's not a secret, how did you meet your girlfriend, especially considering that she is from Ufa, but did you meet before you moved to the capital of Bashkortostan?

It happened on vacation. In 2010. Diana was vacationing with her family, I am in the same place with a friend. At first, this was a fleeting acquaintance. "Hello, hello, bye bye." Then we started chatting online. Six months later he came to her in Ufa. We just walked around the city for a couple of days. And then a month later we have a training camp with Torpedo in the same Ufa. After that, they started dating seriously.

- When you signed a contract with FC Ufa, was Diana the most happy about this?

Certainly! But at the same time, she was ready to go to Tomsk. Even things already collected. However, everything turned out, as you already know, more successfully.

- Difficulties only tempered your relationship?

You can say that - we got married in the summer. But even before that, I had no doubts about Diana for a second. I just felt uncomfortable because a man has to support a family. And here such a situation and not too many opportunities. It was embarrassing in front of her in the first place. I hope this doesn't happen ahead of us.

Have you paid off all your debts?

Nearly.

- Taking into account the fact that Diana is from Ufa, did you immediately feel at home in this city?

Certainly! Diana's parents helped us a lot, for which we are very grateful to them. And we were always together. At the same time, Diana saw what and how I was doing. How and what is given. Yes, it happened that we were sitting together, and there were only two cups of tea on the table. But we are very good at it!

Andrey LUNEV in training. Photo by Vyacheslav Evdokimov, FC Zenit

BELIEVE THAT GONCHARENKO WILL STAY

- Back to football. If I understand you correctly, when Perevertailo replaced Kolyvanov in Ufa, did you still not have a chance to make your debut at the base?

If at the end of that season Perevertailo had continued to work with the team, I would have looked for other employment options. And he definitely wouldn't have stayed, even though he had to re-sign the contract with Ufa.

- Why?

Let it stay behind the scenes.

- What has changed with the arrival of Goncharenko?

Everything! Despite the fact that he initially remained the second or even third goalkeeper, and certainly not the main one, he began to get real pleasure from everything related to football! The last time before this was the case in Kaluga. Training process, the way Viktor Mikhailovich approaches everything - thanks to this, he ran out to any training session with burning eyes and felt happy. And when he started to play, he began to experience some unrealistic sensations. Moreover, life improved, Diana and I got married. Only children were not enough for complete happiness. But this is a business smiling).

- Did the team know that Goncharenko had an option, according to which, if he left, he would leave for CSKA at any time?

I will speak for myself - I did not know and did not feel it at all. Only closer to winter they began to learn from the news about Goncharenko and. But we still continued to work as we worked. Move towards your goal. Without any hint of the departure of the head coach and ulterior motives. They believed that he would stay.

NARUBIN AND YURCHENKO SPECIALLY "FAIL" ME

- The Ufa goalkeeper team at the beginning of this season consisted of you, Shelia and. How did it happen that on September 11, 2016, it was you who made your debut in the Premier League in the match against Krasnodar?

On the one hand, this is a coincidence. On the other hand, it has already begun. Worked in training to earn my chance. And then Zhora (Shelia. - Note. "SE") was injured in training. The choice was between me and Mishanya Borodko. So it turned out - they trusted me.

- Exciting moment?

Certainly. I think that in my place, everyone would be at least a little, but worried. But I was internally ready for this and was not going to be afraid of anything. The guys supported, the coach came up - gave parting instructions and unloaded at the same time mentally. Although the night before that game still did not sleep very well. ( smiling).

- In "Ufa", apparently, the goalkeepers lived together?

When I first joined the team, Naruba and Dava (David Yurchenko. - Note. "SE") constantly came up with some kind of contests, made game bets. True, they, in my opinion, specifically “put out” me, so that all lost disputes or “pinchers” turned out to be my fate - by the way, were you called “No Money” when there was a difficult financial period?

There have been cases. But in fact, everyone was supportive and helpful. By the way, Igor Bezdenezhnykh is by no means "know money" - he personally helped me more than once in this sense. As for Frimpong, he is, of course, a unique player and person. Probably, indeed, the most shocking was. Sometimes tears flowed from laughter. It is quite difficult to talk about it - you have to see how he does it. If Frimpong somehow ended up on the same team, it would be something, I guess. It would be interesting to see! In general, Frimpong is a good person and a very high-quality football player.

- Why didn't he reveal himself to the end - he started at Arsenal in London, and now in Tula?

Injuries, circumstances - there are such cases. But in general - he is very capable of a lot. Not only to put the name of the brand of your company on a T-shirt instead of a surname.

What is your most memorable Frimpong incident?

At the new stadium in Ufa, the dressing room is arranged in such a way that in addition to the common room there is another small one - for three or four people. We just moved to Neftyanik, and somehow it turned out that all the seats in the large dressing room were occupied. Only in this room were free. Frimpong and Sly go in there, sit down, and then they start arguing. Like, we huddle here only because we are black? Then we locked them up there. The way they tried to escape again caused a storm of laughter, including from themselves.

Andrey LUNEV. Photo by Vyacheslav Evdokimov, FC Zenit

GONCHARENKO WILL NOT BE DIFFICULT ANYWHERE

- The fact that there was such an atmosphere in the team - is this, among other things, the merit of Goncharenko?

General. But Goncharenko rallied everyone. There were no offended people, even if you don’t play, with him. Everyone understood that tomorrow your hour may come, but we are all in one common clip. All were united by one task.

- Will Goncharenko be more difficult in CSKA?

I don't think it will be difficult for him anywhere. He knows how to rally around him any team. In general, an interesting situation turns out for me - now Viktor Mikhalych and I are in teams that are direct competitors. But for my part, I still want to wish him good luck, wherever he works.

- The fact that you are now in Zenit, and he is in CSKA, did not prevent you from talking warmly at the training camp in Spain.

Yes, we saw each other during one of our control matches, to which the CSKA headquarters came. By the way, when I just moved to Zenit, we phoned. Goncharenko wished success. I repeated it here in Spain. He said if you need advice or just want to talk - call.

- Accepted your previous team , which proceeded in the opposite direction Petersburg - Ufa.

Called the guys. They say we run. In general, while they are all the same.

– With “Ufa”, “Zenith” this season will not play.

Maybe it's for the best!

Andrey Lunev: They told me to beware of Dziuba

"I WANT TO START THE EUROCUPS ALREADY"

- In "Ufa" you started playing, practice immediately appeared. In "Zenith" competition increases at times. Aren't you afraid that you might lose this practice?
- I also came to Ufa to compete. And he ended up playing. Maybe a case. Maybe lucky. But I don’t plan to take the place of the second or third goalkeeper at Zenit either. I will come to the training camp and I will prove that I am worthy to play. I will do my best for this, because I want not to sit, but to play.

- You are a Muscovite. Have you often come to St. Petersburg before? Do you know the city?
- It was two or three times. I know, of course, that it is a beautiful city, a northern and cultural capital. That’s all…

- Zenit continues to play in the Europa League, you have a chance to make your debut in European competition. Looking forward to it?
- I look forward to the collection, which will begin on the 10th. I plan to prove myself there so that I have a chance already in the Europa League in February. I would like to start already from European competitions, so that everything goes further. But it's too early to talk about anything before the training camp.

- How do you feel after a dozen matches in the Premier League, super series, when you did not concede goals? Are you now a completely different goalkeeper compared to what you were before the start of the season?
- Not. Absolutely. What was - and remained so. So you call those matches without conceding goals a super series, but I don’t think so. Did his job. It just worked out well. As always, getting ready for the game.

- And yet, the first match in the RFPL career - with Krasnodar - went to zero, then without goals with Loko, Spartak, and away ...
- It all depended on me. This was achieved thanks to the team. 11 people play, not one goalkeeper. The fact that I played in goal does not mean anything. Izhora (Shelia - Note. ed.) could play, and Misha Borodko, and Bogdan (Saranavsky - Note. ed.).

"VANKA NOVOSELTSEV WILL TELL"

- What would you say to Viktor Goncharenko, under whom you played in the Premier League for the first time?
- Mikhalych - thank you very much for trusting me, reassuring me. He is very grateful, I think, not only from me - from the whole team. Like Shamil Gazizov. Thank you for joining the team and now giving me the opportunity to grow further, to progress at a different level. The Ufa fans are also great. Both in frost and in heat, they came to cheer for us. But most importantly, thanks to the whole team. Thanks to her, Zenit drew attention to me.

- In Zenit there is a corridor through which a new player needs to go ...
- Yes, they told me. As well as the fact that it is necessary to be afraid of Dzyuba.

- That's for sure.
- Ontam swings so…

- Just atrocious!
- Nuda, - Andrew laughs. - In general, I know. I will come to the team - maybe someone will inform me in more detail. In "Zenith" there is Vanka Novoseltsev - he will tell you. We played with him not only in Torpedo, we also played together in Istra.

a source: " Soviet sport»

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The Russian national team in the experimental composition held a control match with Dynamo Moscow (3:0). A number of football players, who had not previously received a chance to prove themselves at the level of the national team, entered the field in the jerseys of the national team. The call of some players for many was a real surprise, but there were also those whose appearance in the main team of the country had been waiting for a long time. One of these is the 25-year-old Zenit goalkeeper Andrei Lunev, whose career resembles a real football fairy tale.

Back in the summer of 2015, Lunev played for Ramensky Saturn in the PFL (the third most important division Russian football) and that is irregular. Already in the winter of the same year, he ended up in Ufa, where he first played for the backup team, and he had a chance to make his debut in the Premier League only in September 2016. Before the winter break, the Russian goalkeeper managed to play 10 matches for the Ufa team, 6 of which kept a clean sheet. Lunev was immediately noticed at Zenit, and the transfer was not long in coming. Then the purchase of a young goalkeeper with little experience seemed like a gamble, and few believed in the success of a football player. However, Lunev quickly dispelled all the doubts of skeptics, having managed to become the first number of blue-white-blue already in his debut season. The goalkeeper was first invited to the Russian national team back in June 2017 to prepare for the Confederations Cup. But the goalkeeper had to miss that training camp, and subsequently the tournament itself, due to injury. The second chance was given to Lunev at the end of the summer - in the control game with Dynamo, the football player spent all 90 minutes of the match on the field, keeping his gates shut.

After a successful debut in the Russian national team, Andrey Lunev gave an exclusive interview to Izvestia, in which he spoke about his impressions of the first match for the country's main team, the training camp with Stanislav Cherchesov and the upcoming games of Zenit in the Premier League.

- What emotions do you experience after the debut match for the Russian national team?

The most positive. We managed to win a big victory, and we didn't concede any goals ourselves.

- At what point did you find out that you will take a place in the main team in the game against Dynamo?

At the pre-match setting. Two hours before the game.

- Usually in the Russian national team numbers from 1 to 23 are issued. But for some reason you played under number 99. How did it happen?

I was approached a few days before the match and asked what number I would like to play under. I called the number 99. I play under the same number in Zenit. It was a friendly match, which is probably why they allowed it.

- Before the start of the training camp, you flew to Italy for a medical examination. Precaution?

The decision to undergo a medical examination was made jointly with the club and the national team. We came to a common opinion that we should go and consult.

When it became known about your medical examination, Spartak goalkeeper Alexander Selikhov was urgently called up to the national team. At that moment, did you think that you had lost your place in the national team?

In no case. I think everyone understands perfectly well that you need to monitor your health. This aspect should always come first. It would probably be wrong for the club to go to the national team injured. Yes, and train in the national team through pain and show it is not clear what is also pointless. It's good that everything worked out.

- How do you like the training process in the Russian team? Much different from working in a club?

I am a goalkeeper, and we work separately with the goalkeeping coach. All exercises are almost the same as in the club. I didn't notice any major difference.

- Stanislav Cherchesov himself is a great goalkeeper in the past. Does he somehow participate in the training process of goalkeepers?

We have Gintaras Stauche. Work with goalkeepers is managed mainly only by him.

Many call Ginteras Stauche one of the strongest specialists in his field. Have you noticed any peculiarities in working with him?

Almost all goalkeeping coaches have approximately the same methods. And everyone has the same requirements. Therefore, I cannot single out anything supernatural in Stauche's work. Everywhere is the same.

Experts call you the main competitor of Igor Akinfeev for the place of the main goalkeeper of the Russian national team. Do you consider yourself a person capable of replacing its old-timer Akinfeev from the base of the national team?

How can I consider myself like that ... Igor has been playing confidently for more than ten years at the very high level. We'll see, we'll work, and then it's up to the coach to decide. Whoever is stronger at this particular moment will probably play.

- Many complain that Akinfeev systematically makes mistakes in the decisive matches of the Russian national team ...

It's one thing when correspondents, commentators, journalists say it, and it's completely different when the coaches who work directly with him in the club and the national team ... Let's wait and see what happens next.

After the last gathering of the national team, did you have any hope of taking part in the home world championship in 2018?

One call to the national team does not mean anything at all. You need to keep working on yourself and progress. In every training session, in every match, you need to try to play better and better.

- But at this training camp you showed yourself perfectly ...

Well, you haven't seen the training. Suddenly I missed balls on each between my legs (laughs).

- However, in the game itself, they looked confident.

But there were no special blows to my goal either.

Exactly one week after the match for the national team, you will again have to play at the Khimki Arena with Dynamo Moscow, but this time as part of Zenit. What are your hopes for this meeting?

Let's see if we have enough time to prepare for this game. I am sure that we will have time to rebuild and all thoughts will be only about playing in the club. But the task is the same as in the national team match: to beat Dynamo and show beautiful football.

If the experimental composition of the Russian national team scored three goals with white and blue, then what will suit Zenit in this game?

Do you think that Zenit is stronger than the national team?

- Perhaps stronger than the squad that played against Dynamo...

Well, you know better ... We have good team, with big tasks and goals that we are moving towards. And paramount - to win every match. It is this goal that we will pursue in upcoming match with Dynamo.

- Did you expect that this season you would be the unconditional first number in Zenit?

I dont think about it. For me, the main thing is to train and do my job. And the decision on the composition is always up to the coach.

With the advent of Zenit, Roberto Mancini appeared in the team and new coach goalkeeper Massimo Battara. At the same time, the former coach of goalkeepers Mikhail Biryukov retained his post. How do you work with this tandem?

We, the goalkeepers, are comfortable, and we do not experience any problems. The training process is going great. And who exactly conducts the training, they already decide among themselves.

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