Season Preview: Rubin Kazan

Intro: Rubin Kazan was somewhat the surprise team of last season. Having finished in 9th in 13/14 season, and sacked legendary manager Kurban Berdyev, many expected them to struggle with inexperienced former Lokomotiv youth coach Rinat Bilyaletdinov at the helm. Financial issues meant that they were restricted in their transfer dealings and no standout signings were made last summer. However despite all this, Rubin battled through, and with a strong core of young Russian talent, were able to finish in 5th place in the league. Bilyaletdinov brought a new, fast style of play to Kazan, and he rejuvenated the careers of several players who had been cast aside by their previous clubs including record signing Carlos Eduardo, who had been lamented during a loan spell at Flamengo, becoming one of the clubs key players, crucial to the style of play that Bilyaletdinov wanted to implement.

A win on the last day of the season would have seen them finish 4th and thus enter the Europa League, however thanks to 4th placed Dinamo Moscow’s financial problems and later European suspension, Rubin returned into Europe after a one year hiatus. This was a substantial gain for the club, who will benefit from the extra money and publicity this will bring to the club.

Greatest Strength: Their Russian backbone to the team. Rubin twice fielded the most Russian players in the league last season, with 8 starting against Rostov at home and Dinamo away, as Rubin ran out 2-0 winners in both. With stalwart Ryzhikov in goal they have a reliable and experienced goalkeeper. In defence they are boosted by the wing backs, 34 year old captain Oleg Kuzmin on the right offers tireless work and commitment, while 20 year old talent Elmir Nabiullin on the left is developing into one of the biggest talents in Eastern Europe, though Bilyaletdinov believes his future lies further up the pitch, and has compared him to Gareth Bale.

In midfield is Magomed Ozdoev. Out of favour at Lokomotiv, his former coach Bilyaletdinov persuaded him to come on loan to Rubin, where he has been reborn, firing in 6 goals from a holding midfield role, each one of them an absolute beauty and 5 of them making Rubin’s goal of the season competition. Rubin took up the option to purchase him fully in the winter transfer window and he’ll be a huge player for Rubin next season.

Up front there is Igor Portnyagin. The 26 year old returned from a loan at Tom Tomsk and was almost sold before the start of the season, but something caught Bilyaletdinov’s eye, and when Sardar Azmoun fell out of form, Portnyagin took his chance with impressive performances against CSKA and Dinamo kicking off a season which would see him score 11 goals and become the league’s top scoring Russian.

Bilyaletdinov’s penchant for giving youth a chance meant that five Rubin players would end up playing for the Russian National Team simultaneously, with the aforementioned Nabiullin, Ozdoev and Portnyagin joined on the field by versatile defender Ruslan Kambolov and pacey winger Maxim Kanunnikov against Kazakhstan in March.

Greatest Weakness: Closing out a game. The final day of the season went down to the wire, and ended up being in a position where due to other results, one more goal against Ufa would have seen them finish in 4th place. However it needn’t have been this way. Several games throughout the season saw them concede very late in the game and drop points. Late goals scored by Ufa, Torpedo, Amkar, Krasnodar and Spartak saw them drop 11 points which would have seen them finish comfortably in 4th, though still a couple of points off CSKA and Krasnodar in 2nd and 3rd. Even some games where Rubin still ended winning, they conceded late, needless goals thanks to complacency and a lack of concentration. If they can cut this aspect out of their game it would be a huge benefit, but so far in pre-season, the same problems continue to occur.

Key Player: Kverkvelia, Ozdoev and Portnyagin were all outstanding last season, but it comes back to the Brazilian Carlos Eduardo. In the grand scheme of things, 3 goals and 4 assists might not seem hugely impressive, but when he didn’t play, Rubin really struggled. His pace and creativity is massively important to Rubin’s counter attacking style of play, and it is often his runs that create the space, or his pass which starts off a good attack. Before the season he was described as lazy and selfish, but Bilyaletdinov had a positive impact on his mental state and after training with the reserves, he improved his effort and has become more of a team player. The 2nd goal of Rubin’s 3-0 win against Amkar in April shows everything that Eduardo brings to the team, exhilarating pace and burning determination, as he bursts past five Amkar players, before digging the ball out from the tightest of angles to set up the goal. His contribution to the team is comparable to what Mesut Özil does for Arsenal: not grabbing the headlines often, but a magical player to watch and clever on the ball.

Transfers/Departures Review: Rubin’s main objective will be to hold on to their big talents, and so far it is looking as if they will do so, with rumours linking players away from the club few and far between. So far, Rubin have brought in 3 players. First through the door was Maxim Batov, a former Zenit trainee who signed from Amkar Perm. Described as a winger when signed, he has so far played in holding midfield, attacking midfield and at left back in pre-season, and that versatility combined with his Russian passport will be helpful next season.

Next in was Albert Sharipov, a 22 year old central midfielder signed from Tom Tomsk. A diminutive player, he is quick and agile and offers creativity and good tactical awareness to the team. Sharipov was shortly after followed by Mauricio Lemos, a 19 year old Uruguayan centre back, who joined on an initial loan deal from Defensor Sporting in his homeland. In Rubin he joins compatriot Guillermo Cotugno, who signed permanently with Rubin earlier in the summer after making a similar loan move in February, and impressing greatly. Cotugno’s success was no doubt a driving factor behind the move for Lemos and was a key figure in persuading him to reject offers from Juventus and Monaco in favour of the Kazan side. Lemos is touted to be a replacement for Cesar Navas, whose contract expired on the 30th June, and with negotiations seemingly stalled, he could become Rubin’s first departure.

Best case scenario for the season: Top 4. So close last season and with no major losses to the squad, the top 4 should be the target for Rubin this year. Internationally, a good run in the Europa League would be a bonus, though the crowded fixture list could prove a problem.

Worst case scenario for the season: Players drop out of form, or are sold, and Rubin drop down the table compared to last season. They lose early in the Europa League and don’t have a good cup run either. Players become disheartened and look to leave for pastures new next summer.

Key early season fixture: The first game of the season away at Arena Khimki against CSKA. The opening match is a great chance to put down some early grounds for a big push on the top 4, and also for some revenge after a 3-0 loss late last season. The game against CSKA will also help create a picture of Rubin’s level compared to the top of the league.

Season prediction: I think top 6. Whereabouts will depend on the rest of the transfer window not only for Rubin but for the other clubs too, but so far none of the big clubs have done anything outstanding to strengthen their squads. The Europa League qualifying could prove tricky, but it will all depend on who Rubin is drawn against and how well the inexperienced players will adapt to foreign styles of play.

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