“Arshavin, Zhirkov and Shirokov could participate in the KHL All-Star Game.” Interview with Dmitry Sychev

We spoke with Dmitry Sychev at the forum “Russia is a sports power”, where Dima came as a representative of the RFU. He took photos with fans, played football with robots, tried his hand at virtual golf…

I must say that Sychev always plays good hockey. And from former football players who already wear skates and hit the puck on the ice, you can build a whole team.

From this interview with Dmitri Sychev, you will learn:

“Football and hockey players won’t whip boys!” »

— How important is it for you to participate in events such as the “Russia is a sports power” forum?

— At such events you see how sport develops in our country. And it always brings people together. And in these difficult times, we must pay a lot of attention to sport. All cities and different sports were represented at the forum. There is interaction between the subjects and the federations within the framework of sports cooperation.

We have also seen new technologies. I watched robots play soccer. Or I tried phygital golf. And I realized it wasn’t mine.

– But yours is hockey. You play very well!

– Monday, I opened the season… I think you’re flattering me – I’m not playing very well. More likely, even very bad. It took playing hockey all his life to be able to fix it. But at the amateur level, I can kick the puck and I’m a good skater.

I always want to compete, to take part in matches, to try something new. In this sense, hockey suits me, and this sport brings together many of my acquaintances, friends and simply people who love team spirit and wrestling. Hockey is wonderful!

— In December, the KHL All-Star Game will take place in St. Petersburg, and the show is expected to take place in an arena with a capacity of 21,500 spectators. I have long advocated that football players who play hockey should be invited. It’s Saint Petersburg, the Zenith, a tour – the synergy would be ideal!

– The idea is very cool! Among our football players, several of our colleagues play hockey. We get together very often and we play very well. It’s a great idea to do a collaboration between football and the hockey All-Star Game.

We certainly won’t whip the boys! We can even show a certain level. All football players handle the stick and skates at a fairly normal level. In addition, St. Petersburg is a city where Zenit is very popular. But here Yura Zhirkov, Andrei Arshavin, Slava Malafeev, Pasha Pogrebnyak and Roma Shirokov play hockey…

I have already mentioned five names that mean a lot to Peter. And they all play great hockey. So it would be cool to implement this idea.

“Krasnodar” deservedly comes first in the RPL”

— Are you surprised that Krasnodar is first in the RPL ranking?

– For me, this is not surprising at all. Considering the coaching ideas of Vladimir Ivich, this is a completely objective picture. The squad has been strengthened with very strong players. The team plays pragmatic football and shows results. Of course, not without a little luck. But it’s a normal story for teams. “Krasnodar” looks very complete, its first place is completely justified.

— Do you really have championship potential? For five years in a row, Zenit has not given the title to anyone.

“Krasnodar definitely has ambitions; I have known the club’s owner, Sergei Nikolayevich Galitsky, for a long time. And then a champion is made of nuances. Psychology is particularly important here. It is very difficult to be first when you are under pressure , while playing his usual football throughout the year. And your opponents will react completely differently when you are a leader.

So it will be interesting. And as the championship showed, there are intrigues. It’s a very interesting season. Unpredictable results, change of leader. There is something to see!

— “Spartak” is fourth, and everyone is discussing the conflict between the player and the coach: they say that Abaskal bumped into Sobolev. Lots of rumors, but where is the truth?

— This is the internal kitchen of Spartak. Let them resolve the issue within the team. But if it gets out into the public, it means something is wrong.

This is not the first time this has happened to Spartak. Maybe some sort of process is underway and we’ll hear something more concrete from those in charge? The negative impact on the team is a fact. While they are in a fever, the game is not as brilliant as all fans would like. Even if the composition is very strong and serious. And last season showed they can play good quality football and get results. But this year, something is wrong. This means that the reasons must be sought elsewhere.

— Can a coach really reprimand a player for not going to the team breakfast?

– In general, it is a question of discipline. And this can be discussed in advance, like training time. If you have to come to training camp at 10 a.m. and you train at 11 a.m., then you have to do it that way. And don’t show up at 10:15 or 10:30, but at 10:00. We have to follow the routine.

But sometimes some teams have breakfast on request. In my experience, professionals often know how to prepare. They skip breakfast in order to get enough sleep and be better prepared for practice and games. So you need to know what order is in force at Spartak.

“We have to see the international matches of the Russian national team”

— I took my son to football for the first time during the match between Russia and Cameroon. He said the environment was cool. But the game itself is not as dynamic as hockey. “They come and go on the field…” What did you think of the Russian national team’s friendly matches?

— I will say right away that the comparison in terms of dynamics and intensity is a very subjective and conditional view. Because when you watch hockey, you perceive the field and the periods of the game from a slightly different perspective. Football is a completely different picture. But here it’s just a different perception. If the child had watched football more, he would have realized that there is also a very serious dynamic. And when there are attacks on opposite fields, it’s even more fascinating than hockey.

I really liked our performance in the match against Cameroon (1:0). The guys gave everything. It is clear that they missed these matches, as did the public. With Kenya (2:2), the picture was not very rosy. But you have to understand that we weren’t playing at home and that the opponent wasn’t the most famous. It was a bit of a strange match for me.

“But it’s good that we played.”

– It’s true. Of course, definitely! It’s a very good message that a team as serious as Cameroon came to us. It’s a shame that many leaders of the Cameroonian team were injured and therefore did not come. But there are trends that Russia can play with big teams. You have to get together, play anyway, develop projects, gain experience. International matches of the Russian national team must take place during breaks between championship matches.

— Don’t you think that Spartak captain Georgy Dzhikia is not as bright as usual?

– I don’t know, you’ll have to look. In any case, when a player is on the bench, he does not suit the head coach. And he is responsible for the result, and he chooses the composition of the match. A selection of players were with Cameroon, then there was a rotation and Georgy went with Kenya.

“We are all worried about Sasha Ovechkin”

— The NHL season has started. What interests you most?

— There were a lot of expectations and I am always interested in new players. Many of our young people are showing their worth. I am very interested in how Dmitry Voronkov from Ak Bars will show himself in the NHL. He had too much muscle mass and was sent to the AHL. High-level professionals work there. I think Voronkov will learn how to get in shape. I would like the talented striker to play in this league.

Naturally, we all follow Sasha Ovechkin and we all worry. Are you unable to score at the start of the season? But the start of a championship is always difficult. Let’s see how this plays out further.

Of course, I keep a close eye on the New York Rangers and all of our guys. Most of all, I look at our Russian hockey players in the review.

– What can you say, as a resident of Omsk, about the performance of Avangard, who can defeat anyone – and lose to anyone?

— We, Omsk fans, are still very worried. And we want Avangard to win every time. But that doesn’t happen. We see that a new team is being formed. And now, more than ever, the team needs the support of Omsk fans. You have to be with the team through thick and thin. Support her in the most difficult times. And now is the time to support the team, so that the G-Drive Arena is full every time and the players have confidence in their abilities. I think everything will be fine in Avangard.

— FHR President Vladislav Tretyak suggested that the next December tournament of the Russian national team could be held at the Omsk Arena.

“Our fans deserve it.” Omsk is a hockey city with hockey traditions. And now it’s good practice when big hockey comes to the regions. Especially where there is such a modern arena. Without unnecessary pathos, I will say that such a palace does not exist anywhere in Russia. We have a very appreciative audience. I think the stands will be full for every match.