“Two-year-old son doesn’t let you lose shape”: Krotov about home training, reading books and playing with Smolov in Counter-Strike

“The club decided to play it safe”

- “Ufa” is the first RPL club to decide to isolate its players. How long have you been in quarantine?

- Measures were taken after returning to Ufa from an away match with CSKA. We had one day off, on March 17 the last training took place, the next day the classes were canceled. Instead, a meeting was held at which everyone was informed that there would be no training until April 2, and we should stay at home and not go out without an urgent need.

- Was it due to the fact that the presence of a coronavirus was suspected by the Luxembourg midfielder team Olivier Till?

- Not to say that the situation was frightening, it was just that the club decided to play it safe. Olivier fell ill, his temperature rose. However, a little later, Till passed two tests, and the coronavirus was not found in him. It all ended well. And before that, the tension in the team hovered, although they tried not to panic.

- What did Till say?

- Corresponding with him, he claimed that everything is fine. Discussed common topics. It’s clear that I didn’t want to ask Olivier questions from the category “Do you have a coronavirus?” He simply asked how he was doing, how he was feeling. He complained about the temperature. In fact, Till had symptoms of an ordinary SARS.

- When will your quarantine come to an end?

- On Wednesday, Romanian Jonut Nedelčaru and Moldavian Ketelin Karp and I gathered and went to the stadium. They traveled in their own cars, did not use public transport, did not contact anyone. But, at least, finally, we practiced in the fresh air, did a jog. They just contacted the club doctor, he talked to the management, and we were allowed to come.

- How did you keep fit at home?

“It just seems like we have nothing to do.” This is actually not the case. I bought a bike home. We were all given an individual training plan, special rubber bands. I can say that the program turned out to be very difficult. Shook his legs and arms. Therefore, a run in the stadium was quite easy.

Before that, it was not even possible to run on the street. In general, every day for 30 minutes I was spinning a bicycle and another 40 performed the exercises prescribed in the plan. Head coach Vadim Evseev is also in quarantine, and has not been communicated with yet.

- Former Spartak doctor Mikhail Vartapetov in an interview with RT said that home training will not help keep players in shape in the current situation.

- Unfortunately, I think it will be so without classes on the field. But now we are still starting to train at the stadium. This is better than just sitting at home. It is clear that when the season resumes, it will be difficult.

“Smolov spends at home all the time”

- How do you transfer quarantine and permanent stay at home?

- This, of course, is not easy, but at least you can sometimes go to the store. But I am not sitting at home alone, but with my wife and child. So do not be bored. And you can go for short walks with your son. But we don’t even have a playground nearby, so we just had to walk around the house.

- What did you do besides training?

- I am entertained by a child. He is only two years old and very active. So the son also does everything in his power so that I don’t lose shape ( laughs ). Maintains toned, so to speak. But there was a time to watch movies, TV shows or play Counter-Strike. I can sit in the game for a couple of hours when the child falls asleep.

- Are you playing with any of the players?

- Yes, with Fyodor Smolov, Denis Davydov, who is now playing in Bulgaria, Igor Without Money. When it turns out. Smolov said that in Spain he spends all the time at home and can only go to the store. And for appearing on the street for no good reason in the country faces a fine of € 600.

- How does he feel in this situation?

- Fedya tries not to lose heart: reads, plays the computer, of course, performs some exercises. But he did not hear despair in his voice; rather, he is trying to treat everything philosophically. Of course, it’s a shame that Smolov just played in Spain, as the season was stopped. On the other hand, in a similar situation now are all the players. For example, we in Ufa spent two months at the training camp to play three matches and go to quarantine.

- And how are things with Davydov in Bulgaria, where on March 14 they introduced quarantine and an emergency regime for a month?

- He also sits at home with his wife. They only go to the store. The national championship there was suspended for an indefinite period. For two weeks, the players in Bulgaria did not train at all, now they train four days a week, and for three they have a rest.

- Continuing the topic of quarantine: maybe you managed to pay attention to some occupation that your hands had not reached before?

“I started to read a lot more.” When the child falls asleep, I can calmly open the book. Previously, it was possible, perhaps, only at the training camp. Already read the autobiography of Khabib Nurmagomedov and a book about the famous Counter-Strike player Daniil Teslenko, who recently completed his career.

- Speaking of Nurmagomedov. Do you think his fight with Tony Ferguson will take place, or will it be canceled for the fifth time?

- Habib said that he was ready to fight without spectators. He needs only a "cage", an opponent and a judge. But it is not clear what the UFC management will decide. I'm afraid I have to endure the fight.

“The likelihood that the RPL season will resume on the tenth of April is extremely small”

- “Ufa” had a great start to the year and took away points from Zenit and CSKA. Surely, you especially did not want to pause.

- Of course. I repeat, we spent quality training, perfectly prepared for the resumption of the season. Quite successfully spent three games and were forced to quarantine. Of course, the players are insulted, we would like to continue to go on the field.

- Do not you think that the cancellation of tournaments is an excess and the result of panic?

“So many people are dying.” That says it all. It’s already obvious that coronavirus is not a joke. In Ufa, there are only a few diseased. They were isolated immediately. Everything in the region is under control.

- In theory, Ufa should resume the training process on April 2. Believe it will happen?

- Honestly, I don’t know, but no other information has been received yet, there were no talks about any new dates. It is unclear whether we will start training on time. It remains to be limited to jogging.

- In theory, on April 10, the season may resume. Believe it?

- Unfortunately, I do not think this will happen. The likelihood of such an outcome is extremely small.

- In some European clubs, football players are already cutting salaries in connection with the coronavirus pandemic. How is things going with Ufa.

- We discussed this topic with the guys. It seems that everyone assured that there should be no problems and the money will come in full. We are not going to cut salaries.