Thursday 28 July 2016

Season Preview (Russia 16/17)

League Name: Russian Premier League (RPL)
Start Date: 30th July
Honours (15/16): CSKA Moscow (League champions), Zenit St. Petersburg (Russian Cup winners)
Teams qualified for European football (16/17): CSKA Moscow, Rostov (both UCL), Zenit St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Spartak Moscow (all UEL)



Another season rolls in, amidst another changeable climate in the Russian game. Off the back of one of their most disastrous major tournaments in living memory at Euro 2016, Sbornaya and the Russian Premier League have been widely critiqued across the country as the cause and also the potential solution to the national team’s woes, as the country prepares for its World Cup hosting in two years’ time.

After last year’s reduction of overseas playing recruits to six, there's been an upsurge in demand for this to be reversed immediately to increase competitiveness for places and quality within the national team talent pool, ironically the reason why it was first introduced by the RFU. This all seems to have fallen on deaf ears however, with the RFU continuing to plow forward in their pursuit to see more Russian nationals in action, by even suggesting that the limits could be extended further.

Evidence shows that this isn't improving what little talent Russia has. Young players again are becoming the main story for the wrong reasons, commanding ridiculous salaries after only featuring fleetingly. The transfer of Rifat Zhemaletdinov falls into this category perfectly, a talented individual who was in high demand and granted high wages after only appearing in a handful of games, as his transfer from Lokomotiv to Rubin attests to. All it would seem because he's a talented Russian player, something in desperately short supply at the moment.

What this develops is players without motivation, idolised by their employers who need to keep up their home quota with little enticing them to further their careers elsewhere in Europe. The general image of young Russian footballers wasn't helped this summer either by the perceived actions of national team players' Aleksandr Kokorin and Pavel Mamaev, who were criticised for partying extortionately a week after Russia crashed out of the Euros.

All this is extenuated somewhat by the fact that Russian domestic football is starting to fall behind the rest of Europe. Over the last few years, the pursuit of an extra direct Champions League birth has become tangible, tantalising fans to dream that the RPL could become a dominant force within European football. The chances however have come and gone, with countless disappointments on the continent, with 2015 champions Zenit St. Petersburg arguably being the only side to come out of this pursuit with any credit whatsoever.

Come the new season, the RPL is dealt an even heavier blow, with their most competitive side on the continent coming under major reconstruction. Mirroring the stop-start progress of the new Zenit Arena (which was due for completion this year, before plans were put back again), the team itself has seen many leave as a consequence of finishing outside the UCL qualification places. The biggest names in Russian football have either departed or are due to; Brazilian striker Hulk has joined Shanghai SIPG in China, while Belgian internationals Axel Witsel and Nicolas Lombaerts are set for moves to England.

A promising change however is that in the dugout, with arguably the best performing coach in Eastern Europe over the last decade in Mircea Lucescu, joining from Shakhtar Donetsk replacing the outgoing Andre Villas-Boas. With high expectations held of him, Zenit will aim to return to the Champions League at the first attempt as a bare minimum. Pre-season signs have been promising, beating champions CSKA 1-0 in last weekend’s Super Cup, in which Zenit illustrated the sort of dominance they can potentially wield. While the likes of Dzyuba, Kokorin and Shatov disappointed in France over the summer, on their day they remain head and shoulders above the rest in the domestic game.

In the red corner, as far as the title goes, CSKA Moscow are similarly reconstructing, after star striker Ahmed Musa joined English champions Leicester City over the summer. In his place, comes the giant Ivorian Lacina Traore, formerly of Anzhi Makhachkala and Kuban Krasnodar. Hardly a like for like replacement in terms of style, but similar will be expected of the striker in terms of output to fill the dearth in attacking quality at the Army club. In defence, while experience continues to be the name of the game, the last few months have hardly illustrated confidence in Berezutski and co. as a dependable back line.

It all looks a little grim then, especially when you consider CSKA head the way in Russia’s hopes of European success, having failed to make it out of the group stage of the UCL in their last three attempts. Joining them in Europe's elite competition, however briefly, are last season’s fairy-tale club Rostov. As I predicted earlier in the year, finishing second for the club is likely to prove calamitous for Russia's European coefficient, as they now have to undertake potentially two difficult rounds to even qualify for the UCL group stages, and if they fail at the first hurdle another similar strength playoff to get through to the Europa League.

A 2-2 draw at home to Anderlecht on Tuesday was an entertaining affair, however pointed to the realisation that we’re unlikely to see Rostov in the UCL for much longer, after the Belgians clinched two away goals. Considering their own interests at home, Rostov will again be looking to upset the apple cart domestically. Much of their cause starts and finishes with their coach Kurban Berdyev, who continues to evade being tied down after late disagreements with the club hierarchy over the team’s future direction. Throw in the on-off transfer of Sardar Azmoun, and Rostov like many go into this season with a lot of question marks against their name.

There’s every possibility that the title race may open up, even more than last year, which can only be a good thing for the neutral. Champions in 2009, Rubin Kazan are starting to show they’re on the way back to emulating their successful days with easily the most high profile signings of the summer. Former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, Belgian striker Maxime Lestienne and experienced defender Carlos Zambrano have all joined up to a team under new management. Spaniard Javi Gracia joins the club after two years with Malaga and a wealth of experience in La Liga.

If Rubin are going places, the opposite can be said of Lokomotiv Moscow whose transfer activity has been subdued at best, with skipper Vedran Corluka likely to depart in the coming week. Across town at Spartak Moscow, the fans can at least point to a new signing of two. Fernando from Sampdoria is an interesting addition, while much of their success in an attacking sense will again come down to whether Dutch attacker Quincy Promes stays at the club until the end of the window.

A final case for potential success could come from Krasnodar, who have purchased Marat Izmailov to work in addition to last season’s golden boot winner Fedor Smolov in attack. The European heroics of Icelandic centre back Ragnar Sigurdsson have been reclaimed for now, and but for a notable transfer or two, Krasnodar’s squad on paper at least looks the most stable of the dark horse contenders and a credible outsider to leapfrog those who falter ahead of them.

Down at the other end, Dinamo Moscow’s relegation to the FNL last term is a clear reminder that no team’s safe of a quick and devastating decline. After a miserable season for much of it, Anzhi Makhachkala’s late rally saved them in the final weeks of the season. Yet again they’ll be many people’s tips to be contesting the relegation spots this term alongside Ufa, Amkar Perm and the three promoted clubs in FC Orenburg (champions of FNL, promoted to the RPL for the first time in their history), Arsenal Tula (who return after one year away) and Tom Tomsk (who beat Kuban in May’s relegation playoffs).

Ones to watch:

Fedor Smolov (Krasnodar) - Last season's top scorer has a big season ahead of him to prove last year was no mere fluke. With a potential title push, Europa League football and engineering himself into a workable position in a pre-World Cup Russian national team, he'll have plenty of opportunities to impress.

Lacina Traore (CSKA Moscow) - The ranging figure returns to the league where he made his name after a disappointing spell in France. Last time in the RPL he dovetailed beautifully with Samuel Eto'o with Anzhi, an opportunity that won't be emulated this time around as he'll be thrust alone as the only notable striking option in the domestic champions' squad.

Alex Song (Rubin Kazan) - An undoubted talent who's played at the very highest level, but his commitment to the cause will be questioned from the first match. If he plays to his potential, Rubin have clinched themselves the base of a European contesting midfield, with bags of talent pouring forward from him in attack.

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