As the second tier closed up for winter at the weekend, there were some critical questions left unanswered. The first part of the league program has thrown up little surprise in the league table, with the possible early season form of Tosno, but the real problems lie off the field.
Three years on from the highly controversial decision to alter the entire country’s calendar to fit the European autumn-spring cycle and many clubs are finding life extremely difficult to sustain. Newly promoted clubs from the Second Division have had around four weeks to upgrade their squad, rest any injuries and gear up towards a punishing new level of football. This year, while the world’s collective jaws dropped at the stupifying brilliance of Germany’s machine steamrollering Brazil in the semi-final of the World Cup, the likes of Anzhi Makhachkala, Tom Tomsk and Krylia Sovetov were already back at work. The total number of games played is not the problem - 34 regular season games compares favourably with most other leagues across the continent. It is the inevitable upheaval that comes with adjusting to life at a new level of football, and with the shorter term contracts that clubs are forced to offer due to financial struggles, all packed into such a crazy turn-around. Having a month off is one thing; recalibrating the focus and mentality of the squad is another entirely.
A tournament for under-10s in August at the Tyumen Regional Centre of Excellence, with FC Tyumen’s Geolog Stadium in the background
One of the strangest and most frustrating things about this level of Russian football is the lack of youth coming through to build their education. There is a bizarre rule that stipulates no player from outside the original registered squad, even if from the club’s academy or youth system, may appear for the club between registration deadlines - unlike in England, where under-21 players may be played even if not named in the initial 25-man Premier League squad. Quite why this is in place remains a mystery, but the quality that would step in is not up to scratch, according to FC Tyumen manager Konstantin Galkin. His club have the Regional Centre of Excellence as their training pitch, essentially giving them first pick on the cream of the largest region in Russia, but he doesn’t rate any of the current youngsters worthy of the Second Division, yet alone the FNL. The fourth annual match between the FNL and Italian Lega Serie B under 21 representative sides on Tuesday was an exercise in expanding the league’s appeal, and a chance for young players to achieve recognition, but on its own it is merely a plaster covering a deep wound that needs to be healed.
Even his friend has left him - with the exception of Anzhi, most clubs are followed by almost non-existent away support (photo by Timofei Ger)
One of the more obvious issues is the alarmingly poor attendances across the league. What can be done to draw crowds in? The weakening of the rouble, the recent drop in oil prices and the knock-on effects of the economic sanctions mean that as little as $6 million account for an entire club’s operating budget - including player wages and long-distance travel - so throwing money at extravagant marketing and signing marquee players is both highly impractical and unrealistic. Some big names still ply their trade here such as Dmitry Adamov, Sergey Kornilenko, Evgeniy Savin and Aleksandr Aliev, but despite “спорт” tv channel’s coverage, there is precious little media interest to spread news to fans.
Anzhi’s Sergey Serdurov recently represented the FNL in an under 21 match against their Italian Lega Serie B counterpartsa
In January, there is the traditional mid-season FNL tournament featuring the top 16 teams going into the winter break held in Turkey. It is a sensible way to keep the long enforced hiatus productive and competitive, but as the cost of the 2-3 week stay has to be paid in euros, the current alarming drop in the valuation of the rouble means that a lot of clubs are seriously concerned at the mounting bill they would have to foot, and there is a real possibility that it might not go ahead. While not completely disastrous from one angle, it is a huge chance to test new signings out against realistic opposition, otherwise friendles have to either involve local amateur sides or travelling long distances for little gain. It is also a rare opportunity to gain some extra exposure for the league while clubs are performing in another country, if only to show that the FNL can mix it with other similar leagues and take its clubs beyond its borders.
Andrey Fisenko is younger than many of the players he officiates at 27 years of age
Perhaps the most disturbing issue to be addressed is the standard of officiating that has lead to accusations of corruption. There are some very inexperienced referees in the FNL, such as the 27-year-old Andrey Fisenko who took charge of FC Tyumen v Tom Tomsk, but the atmosphere at most grounds is hardly intimidating, so the pressure of the home crowd is not a reasonable explanation for anomolous decisions. Galkin has grown so frustrated at the number of poor decision from referees and linesmen, that he has compiled a series of videos as evidence of the injustice his side have faced. While the FNL acted and suspended seven officials from matches involving Tyumen so far this season, the bans have lasted only a small handful of games, and the same referees have been back in action soon enough. On Saturday against Krylia Sovetov, there was a stonewall handball decision turned down by Roman Galimov, despite him being positioned perfectly to view the blatant transgression. While nobody can prove that a blind eye was turned under the influence of money, it is a worrying trend that is growing, even if the mistakes are innocent.
All is not lost, however. After their spectacular implosion at the departure of sugar daddy Suleyman Kerimov, Anzhi have picked themselves up and powered to the top of the league with some exciting young talent in the shape of Yannick Bolli, who has scored nine goals in just 12 games, and 20-year-old Niger international Ahmadou Moutari. A disastrous relegation season last term could have plunged them into serious trouble, but by retaining some stalwarts such as Ilya Maximov and Ali Gadjerbikov while adding fresh legs, they have put on some fabulous attacking displays. Coming from the opposite direction, Gazovik Orenburg have shown that after escaping the doldrums of the Second Division it is not impossible to set sight high, with Igor Koronov in second place in the scoring charts on nine. The challenge for FNL officials is ensure that standards off the pitch are raised to keep faith in the league alive, before too many fans turn their attentions elsewhere.
Author: Andrew Flint
I moved out to Russia in 2010 to teach English because it sounded like fun, then I met and fell in love with FC Tyumen (and my wife!) and decided to stay. Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only English person remotely interested in a Siberian third-tier club, but then who wouldn’t fall for a grizzly Georgian midget, a flying Brazilian and Tyumen’s 93rd most influential figure…
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