Alexander Lipko: ‘I was supposed to become Khimki’s sporting director, but it didn’t work out’

Former sports director of Nizhny Novgorod Alexander Lipko in an interview with , he said he received job offers at various football clubs, including from Khimki and Yaroslavl Shinnik.

Lipko is Russian champion in 1996 with Spartak, winner of the Russian Cup in 2004 with Terek. After finishing his playing career, he worked for about ten years in the management of Nizhny Novgorod football clubs. From July 1, 2016 to January 9, 2020, he held the position of sports director of FC Olimpiets / Nizhny Novgorod. In 2022, the club was renamed PARI NN.

– You were one of the leaders of the Nizhny Novgorod club, then you became an assistant to the head coach of Tekstilshchik Ivanovo. Easily accept a demotion?

– I was looking for a job as a manager, but every time something broke. In Yaroslavl (in “Shinnik” – ed.) they called the general director. The people who helped said that everything was decided, but at the last moment – the lights went out. I spoke to the management of Khimki, I was supposed to become a sports director – again it didn’t work out. As for exact dates and last calls, people suddenly disappeared from the radar.

I actually have an A coaching license, I helped Dmitry Cheryshev for a long time in the Volga and the Zenit youth team. I was never a chair sports director, I was present at every training, went to training camps, participated in training, helped. I am not one of those who have many today: a former constructor, another driver… I am a football man, coaching is close to me. I always discussed the selection with the technical staff, the decision was taken collectively, there too there are no problems. With pleasure, I will go to training if they call me, – said Lipko in an interview with .