An element of understatement: why the press conference of the Lokomotiv management caused bewilderment among the fans

Lokomotiv has recently become one of the most talked about clubs in Russian football. This happened for a variety of reasons. In the summer, the department of sports and development of Muscovites was headed by the famous German specialist Ralf Rangnik. Also, the railway workers spent more than other RPL clubs on the transfer market (€ 30 million), although more recently they complained about the lack of funds. Finally, Marko Nikolic was dismissed, who last season won the Russian Cup with the red-greens and helped the team to take third place in the national championship.

So, in a short period of time, a large number of questions have accumulated to the Loko management.

That is why the press conference with the participation of the chairman of the board of directors Alexander Plutnik, general director Vladimir Leonchenko, Rangnik, as well as the new mentor Markus Gisdol was awaited by journalists and fans with great interest.

However, the event only raised new questions in the end. 

The press conference began with a slide show with the club's sports development strategy for the coming years.

Everything looked promising on paper.

Lokomotiv plans to win the RPL and the Russian Cup until the 2025/26 season, as well as participate in the playoffs of the Europa League or Champions League.

This should lead to an increase in the market value of the players.

Plutnik also stressed: Lokomotiv will have to learn how to attract investors' funds so as not to depend solely on subsidies.

“€ 1 of the budget should account for € 2.1 of the cost of the team.

We will work on this.

The entire strategy was developed not in isolation from reality, but on the basis of analysis, ”stressed the chairman of the board of directors.

Thus, the successful implementation of the plan depends entirely on the performance in the international arena.

If the three-time champions of Russia regularly play in the Champions League, they will be able to profitably sell footballers.

But it is still necessary to get there, and Plutnik himself called the high competition in the struggle for tickets to European cups the main problem.

At the same time, in the summer, Lokomotiv spent a large amount on newcomers, hoping to recapture these funds later.

The club assured that they did not request additional financing from Russian Railways, and also did not take a loan from VTB in the amount of 4.5 billion rubles, although a smaller loan, according to Leonchenko, was indeed made.

“Upcoming transfers are carried out with a breakdown over several years, so as not to impose a burden on the club.

We call this an investment budget.

There is also a practice of attracting borrowed funds.

We take money, and then we extinguish it with receipts from Russian Railways ... For several years now we have been receiving loans every year.

This was included in the budget for the current year.

I do not see any critical situation, ”the CEO assured.

When he was reminded that not all transfers could fight back in the future, the functionary gave the most evasive answer.

In his opinion, as soon as a football player plays ten matches in the Premier League, his cost, allegedly, automatically increases to at least € 5 million.

“Transfer activities in Russia are aimed at purchasing.

Our task is to change this.

We will get the answer to the question later, when we see how the newcomers have grown in price, ”Leonchenko said.

But the least of all the specifics were in the words of Rangnik, whose speech the journalists were waiting for with great interest, since the specialist practically does not communicate with the press.

In most cases, the German gave the most vague answers and recalled his work at Leipzig, Salzburg and Hoffenheim.

“The goal of my team is for Lokomotiv to develop and modernize.

Increase the market value of the team.

Engage in transfers.

You need to buy players earlier.

It is too late to take them at the age of 27-28.

To increase their value, you need to buy as early as possible and sell in two or three years.

This is how we operated at Hoffenheim, Salzburg and Leipzig.

We have created a value of over a billion euros.

And that's not to mention the results, ”Rangnick said.

The German did not give a concrete answer to the question of why then “Lokomotiv” acquired 25-year-old Girano Kirk and Tina Yedvaya, who can hardly be called young footballers.

“We do not have players over 25. The core of the team was assembled under Nikolic.

We will be able to assess the level of athletes a little later.

According to Kirk: if a person scores consistently in Utrecht, then he is able to help us too, ”the functionary assured.

The general meaning of his words was that it was necessary to find young talented performers, convince them to move to Russia, and then after a while sell at a higher price.

He is also confident that Lokomotiv is capable of raising quality players in its own academy.

“These are top academies and top coaches.

140 million people live in Russia, more than in Germany.

The challenge is to sign the player early and give him the infrastructure and strong coaches, ”Rangnik explained.

Moreover, it turned out that the German, in fact, represents his own consulting agency, which provides the club with a service.

Rangnik did not give a clear answer to the question of whether he holds any position in the club.

But he ended his speech with a loud phrase about the desire to “make a Sapsan out of a steam locomotive”.

Perplexity was caused not only by the most vague answers of the speakers, but also by the desire to shift the responsibility onto each other in some situations.

In particular, the fans were interested to know why Nikolic left the club and who made the decision about his resignation.

Plutnik did not comment on parting with a specialist, stressing that he remained on good terms with him.

Rangnick assured that he found out about the incident after the fact and was simply forced to find a new mentor within a week.

“It was not me who made the decision that Marco will no longer be here.

It is important for the team to develop.

What this development will be will become clear within a week.

Therefore, progress is important in tactical and game terms.

If the team doesn’t get it, it’s very offensive, ”the German noted.

Finally, Gisdol denied information that appeared in the media that his compatriot had been negotiating with him even before Nikolic left.

And Leonchenko called the need to pay Serb 3 million forfeit "common practice."

“Following the results of a successful season, it was decided to extend the contract with the coach.

No specialist will sign an agreement without a penalty.

We discussed the further development of the club and are grateful to Marco for his work, with him many returned to the national team.

I am not commenting on the amount of the forfeit, ”the general director emphasized.

But the management made it clear that, contrary to rumors, the demolition of the Russian Railways Arena and the construction of residential buildings on the territory of the stadium are not planned.

According to Plutnik, they intend to reconstruct the object.

Leonchenko added that the concept of work is currently being developed.