“We used to wait, the main thing is not to get worse”: why Dynamo fans believe in Khokhlov and are unhappy with the club’s transfers

Moscow Dynamo, as well as blue and white fans, will not be surprised for a long time with difficulties and problems. Over the protracted period of setbacks and outright failures, the club's fans managed to enter into an open conflict with his leadership and players several times, make peace with them, and then again express their discontent actively and on a large scale.

So the summer of 2019, as well as the start of the new season, have already been remembered by the polar behavior of fans of blue and white.

After a home defeat against Rubin in the 2nd round, they turned their backs on their own players, and at the next game they dedicated banners to the players asking them to forgive them for their harshness. However, the alarming mood still prevails in the camp of Dynamo fans. Despite the large-scale transfer campaign and the acquisition of a number of highly qualified players, fans are wary of the prospects of their team.

“They bought a bunch of people, but where is the playmaker?” They took Philip, but he is a dependent player, he needs someone who will create the moment. They were waiting for reinforcement during a meeting with the leadership, but so far the questions have been and have remained. We are waiting for the one who will score goals. Neither a striking forward, nor a playmaker, ”Muscovite fan Artem Kryukov shared his opinion on the current state of affairs in the metropolitan team.

The unity of opinion among Dynamo fans was divided only in relation to the figure of head coach Dmitry Khokhlov, who has been leading the club since October 2017. Some fans believe that the specialist should be given the last chance. Others are confident that he has already used up a credit of trust and has shown everything that he is capable of. It is worth noting that all the complaints about the mentor of their team, fans of blue and white reinforce not only emotions, but also statistics.

“Khokhlov is mistaken in substitutions. For example, why did he replace one extreme defender with another in a match with Rubin? The team at that moment played in the majority. With Spartak he removed Yusupov, did not give a chance to Cardoz, who could take control of the match. Maybe he will learn someday to make the right decisions, but how much longer do we have to wait? ”- said Dmitry Fedorov, a fan of white and blue, to RT.

Fans demonstrated their attitude to what is happening in the camp of the capital collective. Only 19 thousand people came to the home match with Zenit, which is one of the most important in the Russian football year, many of whom were outside spectators or fans of the team from St. Petersburg. The main fan stand of Dynamo was only half full.

Dynamo fans! Dynamo so to speak ... where are you? 30 minutes before the match 🤔 pic.twitter.com/7tlC8FdX4c

After losing the match to the principal rival, the fans left the stadium, not hiding their disappointment.

“The calendar allowed us to at least fight along with the leaders on this tour, in fact everything is as usual. But we are probably already used to waiting. The main thing is not to get worse. All we hope for is the Europa League. We have a stadium and a desire to follow the team abroad. Case for small. Let them win, ”Dynamo fans admitted to RT.

“It would be worse if the players did not come”

The ex-mentor of the capital Dynamo Sergey Silkin, who has worked in various positions at the club for more than 20 years, left the camp of the blue and white in October 2018, but still empathizes with the metropolitan team and does not miss almost any home game of Muscovites.

The specialist, who led the team to the field in Khimki for several seasons, admits that, despite the opening of the reconstructed stadium and the long-awaited move of the club to its historic football homeland, it has still not been possible to revive a full-fledged interest in Dynamo.

“You know, it’s not in the stadium, but in people. Yes, this is your own, dear, but you need to play better, so that the full stands would gather. Fans like air need positive emotions, they go to the arenas for this. So far, as we see with our own eyes, attendance leaves much to be desired. Why? The conclusions are self-evident, ”Silkin said in a conversation with a RT correspondent.

At the same time, the expert urged the whole Dynamo community to focus on the main thing - it is necessary to return Euro Cup matches to Petrovsky Park, and how the team will cope with this task is secondary.

“Now we all better forget about whether this football is tasty or tasteless. There is a task to go to Europe. Accordingly, you need to score points. Now, this is a priority, and beautiful football will still have to wait for fun, ”the coach said.

As for the future fate of Dmitry Khokhlov, Silkin did not give unambiguous forecasts, he admitted that, despite the arrival of a large number of players, the blue and white coach should cope with his task.

“You know, it would be worse if the players did not come at all. Strengthening is always a plus. Is Khokhlov hard? He is a trainer, and people of our profession live as if on a powder keg. No one is sure that he will finalize before the end of the season. This is our share. Much will depend on the next matches, ”summarized the interlocutor of RT.

“Khokhlov should be allowed to work calmly”

Anatoly Byshovets, a pupil of the Kiev football school Young Dynamo, spent his entire professional career defending the local Dynamo Kyiv, and despite his solid track record in the coaching career, he never concealed his sympathy for Moscow Dynamo.

Byshovets, like Silkin, does not miss blue-white matches if possible, and also believes that with a good combination of circumstances, the 2019/20 season could end for Muscovites on a major note.

At the same time, a specialist in an interview with RT noted that the key to success should not be expensive novices, but a disciplined team game.

“I would not say that Dynamo, having spent a lot of money, made landmark purchases. In these newcomers, I do not see pronounced leaders. But if it is possible to create a good microclimate, then on positive emotions this team is able to win and fight for European competition, ”the expert said.

Unlike many, Byshovets acknowledged the difficult situation in which the white-blue mentor Dmitry Khokhlov found himself. An experienced specialist expressed the hope that the club’s leadership would not make hasty decisions and would give the coach the opportunity to work, feeling full support.

“This is a completely new team, it is being created“ off the wheels ”. It’s hard for him. It is not easy for players, both new and former. Everyone needs time to adapt and adopt a new philosophy. Khokhlov should be allowed to work calmly, magic will not happen at the click of a finger, ”said Byshovets.

Speaking about the reconstructed arena, a well-known specialist noted that, despite all the advantages and comfort of the new building, the builders failed to maintain the aura and atmosphere of the legendary stadium.

“To be honest, little is left of the old stadium and the spirit that was there. Perception is completely different. Yes, the new arena is comfortable and modern, but I do not exclude the possibility that for players who are accustomed to Khimki, this move brought a bit of discomfort. It takes time to adapt to the field, the location of the stands, while all this is not there, ”added the coach.

“It's nice to watch Dynamo play

The famous Dynamo fan, people's artist of the RSFSR Lev Leshchenko shared his thoughts about the new team and its prospects with RT. First of all, he noted that the walls of the reconstructed arena should give football players motivation and inspire them to win in the name of the club’s long history.

“The home arena is always a plus. I say this as a former basketball player. The team should play easier, their stands always help in the most difficult moments. So the move should be a plus, ”said Leshchenko.

The singer admitted that for him personally, the return of Dynamo to Petrovsky Park was a landmark event.

“Each time coming to this stadium is a special thrill. I first came here back in 1955, when I started training in the basketball section. A lot is connected with him, he spent his whole childhood talking at this stadium, I know the whole district by heart, ”the eminent fan shared his memories.

Analyzing the game and the results of his favorite team, Leshchenko noted positive changes and said that he would not want any quick changes on the coaching bridge.

“Khokhlov, despite the terrible losses, must be given a chance! Yes, unpleasant matches with Spartak and Rubin. Especially after the Kazan team there was a lot of criticism, but personally it seems to me that the construction of a new team has already begun. A combination game is visible, insolence, mobility, dynamics appeared. Personally, I am pleased to watch Dynamo play, ”said Leshchenko.

At the end of the conversation with RT, the people's artist wished his beloved club to get to the European Cup zone following the season.

“We will return to Europe, interest will immediately appear. And the players will be more interested, and the fans will return to the stadium, ”the performer concluded.