“Do not look for a conspiracy here”: Gamula about the absence of Chalov and Suleymanov in the team, Safonov’s mistakes and about Zhirkov’s class

- One of the most discussed issues of the last day is the failure of Fedor Chalov to the Russian team. Do you understand why Stanislav Cherchesov is not the first time refusing the best scorer of the last RPL season?

- I think that all domestic coaches understand this. After all, the verdict on his candidacy was accepted, including by my colleagues. The decision to send the striker to the location of the youth team seems quite logical. There are serious rivals from Serbia and Bulgaria, while in the meantime Artyom Dziuba will play as a basis. Thus, both forwards will be in good shape and will not lose their shape. All plus.

- Do you understand as a coach Cherchesov’s position that youth Chalov is needed?

- This does not mean that the main team has any passing games ahead. It’s just that now the coaching staff has a clear plan for Scotland and Kazakhstan and it’s obvious that Chalov did not fit the system of the game against these opponents. But he will play for the youth team, defend the honor of the country in other fields. Do not look for a conspiracy here. Just like that, such attackers as Chalov are not refused. One must be a complete idiot to consciously cross out such a talented striker for himself.

- But Cherchesov said that Dziuba is better for him, although Artyom and Fedor are quite diverse players and would hardly have prevented each other being in the squad at the same time.

- If Cherchesov says so, then he is confident in this and in what he is doing.

Yes, we can now sit all over the country and begin to criticize his decisions. By the way, that was before the World Cup. And he proved everything to everyone last summer. Even the grandmothers from the store, who before the start of the mundial knew who should be called to the team. He knows better, he knows his players better, feels and most importantly acts in their interests.

- And if you compare Chalov not with Dziuba, but with Nikolai Komlichenko from the Czech “Mlada Boleslav”. Is he also better than one of the RPL leaders?

- The thing is different. They know Chalov in the national team, count on him and are ready to call at any moment. Komlichenko has a different story. We must finally understand what he is. Perhaps his success is due to the fact that in the Czech Republic a weak championship. Who knows? So now he is going to Cherchesov, but Chalov is not!

- You said that the coaching staff needs to study Nikolay Komlichenko better. Why, in this case, did not give chance to the best scorer of the current championship Alexander Sobolev?

- Here again. We sit on the couch and demand Sobolev. Well, imagine the situation - they call him, he comes, sits the whole match on the bench and then when he returns to the club he stops scoring. What will we say later? Right. Broke a guy, or blame for being arrogant. All around will be to blame.

- That is, they protect him in order to avoid psychological pressure?

- I think yes. Cherchesov is a good specialist in this matter. Sobolev is a promising footballer, he is in full view, on a pencil by the coaches. You just need to wait, give him time to grow stronger and mature before the national team.

“Safonov is still unstable”

- Magomed Shapi-Suleymanov has already managed to show off in Europe. Obviously, he is ready to speak for the national team, but so far he has not received a call to the first team of Russia. Why?

- Probably, today it’s more correct. You need to know Stanislav, he is not one of those who will wholesale players after two or three cool matches. Work is underway, the circle of promising players has long been delineated. I know that the head coach is in touch with all colleagues from the clubs. All these guys, if they don’t give up over time, will be our first numbers in the future.

- The goalkeeper question is also interesting. Alexander Maksimenko and Matvey Safonov are called up for youth, although both play in the starting lineups of Spartak and Krasnodar. Should not one of them be given the opportunity to work in a group with goalkeepers basics?

- Well, where are there so many? You can’t put three in one match. Cherchesov looks after them through games. The same Safonov is still unstable. Nevertheless, they saw his mistake in the match against Lokomotiv. But what if he were so wrong in the camp of the national team? Goalkeeper's share is very difficult. Even experienced goalkeepers are hard pressed to experience this. So both Sasha and Matvey have to grow.

- Let's move to the center of defense. George Dzhikia and Fedor Kudryashov candidates no alternative?

- Roman Neustedter can still play in this zone. There was Ilya Kutepov, but so far he has disappeared from our field of vision. So perhaps yes. Dzhikia and Kudryashov are really the best to date.

- Yuri Zhirkov returned to the national team after a short break. Since Euro 2008, a full replacement for the midfielder has not grown?

- Yura proves with his game that he is still worthy to be called up and defend the colors of the national team. Yes, he may not play all 90 minutes, but just one half after him. I think they will equally share the position with Vyacheslav Karavaev.

- Based on all of the above, is it possible to conclude that for Cherchesov and his assistants, the result is important now, rather than building a team for the future?

- Not. They work in several directions at once. Just a team, this is not a club. It’s difficult to build vertical lines and work for the long term at a time when they are waiting for results here and now.