— This is a standard situation: once you stop playing and want to try yourself as a coach. And I have such an idea. Well, I don’t know if I could make it.
— Anyone approached you on this idea?
— No. Still like I said I’m free to consider approaches.
— Even from second or third divisions?
— I haven’t received any offers even from there. If Spartak call me I’ll surely answer the call.
— They say you could make a partnership with Karpin in the club.
— I heard that but noone from Spartak called me yet.
— And if there would be a call to, say, assist the head coach?
— Sure, it’s for me to try a head coach position but I’m ready to assist and advise. The question is if anyone needs my help and advise.
— You don’t have the PRO license to become a head coach, do you?
— I could get it this year bit I decided to wait, besides many coaches work without this license. You could finish your studies, get the PRO and then be sacked.
— Do you think you could learn something new at the courses?
— You can learn new things anytime. But if you have had much playing experience the courses would give you not so much.
— In the book about yourself you touched upon several scandals such as your being sent off at Euro-2004. Was it hard to bring back that time? What would be the reaction of people you mentioned there?
— It was easy to remember those times. I’m straightforward and don’t evade things. I say what I want to say. What you see is what you get. The truth. If someone stops talking to me I wouldn’t fuss about it. No big deal for me.
— How are getting on with Yartsev after that? Shake his hand?
— This is a history. No use in beating a dead horse now. We have met several times after that and our talking was ok. I’d say we both were victims of some circumstances.
— Some questions about Russian football. How do you like Spartak under Valery Karpin?
—I don’t understand many things. I can’t really understand Laudrup’s dismissal. I don’t understand how one person be head coach and general director. But you have to see the picture from the inside to understand that. And I’m not in the Spartak structure now.
— There’s been much talk about fixed matches and results…
— I didn’t see Terek — Krylya Sovetov but I heard a lot about it from friends. I’ m sure framed-up matches still take place in Russia and there’s no end to them. I think we should follow the Italian practice with legal investigation and tough punishment up to relegation as it happened to Juventus.
— One more question to you about Spanish football as you know it pretty well. What can you say about galáctico transfers to Real Madrid? Is it the right way for them?
— Football is for supporters. I know fans of Real. They like shows. So the club’s strategy to buy popular players is right. As a former player I can say there’re no teams which can’t be defeated. Kaka and Ronaldo in your team don’t guarantee total success. But I would really like to see them playing against Barcelona.
