So ok, he is the bastard son or grandson of Brezhnev... as long as our team is 'putin' on a good show I don't care!
I lost track/interest in the political map of Eastern Europe. Does having a Russian manager put certain off nationalities joining us.? Will our new found Polish support continue to attend.
What a ****ing racket. I initially thought you must have been pissed to like that ****e then saw what time it was posted. I was hoping a hellfire missile came screeching over the hill and blew the screeching tit and his oppo into next week. No such luck. Shocking field discipline by the way.
Jesus H Christ. Even we wouldn't have taken a guitar into the field. Then filmed ourselves on it singing a **** song. I'm struggling to think of a reason why we would go into a field tbh, unless we were playing cricket or football of course, but even so. Shocking.
One of ours did James Blunt, 1st into Kosovo on his tank thing carrying his guitar, well that's what he said when he was on top gear.
Unless you speak Russian for all we know he could be singing 'let's kill 'em all, mow'em down, don't care who they are they're better off dead', or summat like that.
Leonid Slutsky gave an interview to Russian "Sport Express". Original link: http://www.sport-express.ru/footbal...luckiy-kak-ya-vozglavil-hall-chast-1-1267823/ It's my own translation, so read my signature. -When the idea to work in England came to you? -It came long ago. Ideally, it should be implemented in last May, when CSKA became champions. But that time I was serving two posts and literally next day preparations for EURO started. Then, after EURO finished, CSKA came back from holidays and so on. That's why idea postponed on half a year. There coincided many reasons and accidents. Not only my willing to try in England, but also very high level of fatigue, which have collected during all these years with CSKA. Every year in CSKA with high objectives - it's very complicated and takes too much energy. I repeat: ideally I should do it half a year earlier, but it was physically impossible. Probably, already in October 2016 I understand: I want to try it. But idea, clearly, was very abstract and existed only thanks to my ambitions and willings. -When Hull came on to you? -It happened very fast. There were two meetings in three days. -Who from the Hull's side took part in it? -First time I was talking with Ehab Allam. It's son of a club's president. Second time there was a meeting in Hull where was both Asem and Ehab Allams. -How could you convince them that you are the man whom Hull needs? -I don't even know. I met them only two times. I had a lot of such "interviews" like the first one with Ehab recently in England. I used to them happening so often. It's because of mentality. Initially I was preparing for every interview: learned the squads coming well-prepared. But then realised that it's impossible to come prepared every time if you have five, six, seven interviews with the same club. But with Hull all happened very fast. And at first interview Ehab said that they also have some candidates and it will took minimum a week to make a desicion. But after one day he called me and said "We are ready to sign a contract." -What questions you were asked on the interview? -Classic. My phylosophy. Principles. Development of players. Connections with academy, with club. Metodical desicions. On what I count, how will we share selection. Questions which happens to be asked in every such interview. -In the end of BPL Hull sensationally lost to already relegated Sunderland and relegated too. It turns out, that this disappointing result was good to you? Because if Hull didn't relegate, chair of a manager wouldn't become free. -I wasn't thinking like that. I'll put it this way: at moment when we was talking to Hull, I didn't know much about it. But about some other clubs with which representatives I talked with I knew every single thing. It's funny that Hull wasn't in this category. And yes, Hull wasn't the one and only real variant. But now there's no matter to talk about it. But it were "very long" variants. When I was studying in England, I listened whole course of multicultural relations: how to speak with English, how they negotiate, what's important for them, which processes must happen. There in Russia after almost every business meeting you know the result: "yes", "no", "we'll call you". -And what about them? -In England many meetings can pass without a result. Actually, if they invite you to the next meeting, it shows that first meeting wasn't without the reason. Absolutely different system of taking desicions. -Say exactly amount of English clubs, with whom you negotiated. -That doesn't make sense. But it was enough. Actually my biggest achievement before the contract with Hull was signed was that I appeared in short-lists of all teams which was replacing or planned to replace the manager. Somewhere I had a meeting with an owner, somewhere - with sports director, somewhere - with chairman. Every club has it's own structure. I don't know whether they invited me only to talk or to official interview. Was every meeting the possibility to be hired? But on the other hand what's the point to talk with me beside possible cooperation? -How many offers you received from Russia since you left CSKA? -One. -Name the club. -No. -Did you even consider it? -Of course. -So, you rejected it. Yes? -Not like that. I left with the objective to find a job in England, try myself in other circumstances, in other league. Every variant which came from Russia was as backup if I can't find a job in England. Of course I understood that possibility of not to be hired this summer exists. In such case there was two variants: or waiting for the second chance, maybe October, or coming back to Russia. That's why I was taking Russian variant seriously. -Was you dissappointed that your motherland doesn't pay much attention? Don't you feel you received less offers you could receive exactly because you was saying about your objective (working in England) too much? -I don't know. Anyway I can work only in one club in the same time, right? That's why it's not so interestinh, how many variants there were. I was going to my objective and wasn't thinking about are there any offers from Russia or not. Probably, there couldn't be a lot of. Some is automatically out. -For example, CSKA. Or Spartak where was no reason to change the manager. -Ha, yes. And that's would be not exactly right desicion. -In the middle of spring there were rumours about you and Zenit. Was it real? -I repeat: I don't want to discuss what happened or what didn't. I said that I go to the foreign country, not to leave CSKA for other Russian club. That's what happened in the end. I can't say that I was banned to work somewhere. But it was clear that I determined to try myself abroad. -How many times did you lose in salary compared to CSKA? -(After pause) Minimum four times. -Much. -(Smiling) It wasn't the main thing. -In the interview to one of British media you said that your favorite word in English is dream. -It was beacuse in that moment I didn't have a job and how one for now already classiс said: "Your expectations are your own problems". I was waiting for something but doesn't understand if there someone who waits me. Originally this my project not absurd, but a little weird. A lot of my acquaintances was surprised. At the same time there're a group of firends and relatives which are supporting me in my project. -Will there be any Russians or someone from post-soviet republics in coaching staff? -The question is open. -So it cannot be excuded? -Yes. -And when there'll be clarity? And who will be in the coaching staff from British side? Will someone from old coaches stay? -For now there's only one physical education (fitness) coach, because there was working Marko Silva's staff. Formation of coaching staff and also a squad is my main objectives until 3rd of July, when main period of preparations starts. -If you invite someone ours, will he have to know English? -Yes, of course. -How many new players Hull needs? -We have understanding, but... Understand me, club relegated and if it's not Newcastle, which saved all the squad, budget and so on (very rare situation and Hull not in this situation!) so some players will be demand be Premier League clubs and can leave the club. We must understand exactly number of players who will leave. And I, for example, won't be surprised if we will already work when someone decides to leave. Some players, which will leave I know exactly - we talked about it with leadership. Also we identified positions on which we will buy players. So now there might be different stories. So situation with players from one side is not the most simple, but from the other side anyway a core of 12-14 players will stay. -Name the positions which exactly need to be strengthened. -I'm not ready to make it public. It's my first interview for two countries. When I signed a contract the main difference with Russian contract was in a lot of requiriments linked with harmonization all the words in media. They pay a great attention to it. So given that I first give an interview as a Hull's manager I will not risk to say things which I didn't discuss with the leadership before. Without understanding how it all work there, without talking to club's press-officer I won't do it. But there exactly will be at least 5-6 new players. -Can it be players, with whom you worked in CSKA? -Mmm... I don't know. For now it seems complicated. Because players which plays for CSKA or was sold - they're big transfers, serious level. Finally we are in Championship. -There was rumours about Musa and Doumbia. -It's hard. Every deal will be hard enough. Musa's salary and Hull's possibilities is different. So - I don't know. I think all this deals will be very hard to do. -Not long time ago there was an interview with Roman Babaev, the chairman of CSKA. He said that for years CSKA can't afford to buy a player for more than 1 million euro. Even one million is much for CSKA he said. I don't need to say it to you - you know it without me. And can Hull buy a player for more than 1 million? -Yes, of course. -And that's also because of financial parachute of 40m from BPL? -Including it, yes. And because of team's willing to return to the BPL. Because now it's 40m and if you promote to the BPL - you'll earn 170m guaranted. So of course every relegated club want to return back. Because as practice shows, financial parachute ends soon. And you need to seek to earn more money because if you can't realise the advantage over competitors (this situation will remain about two seasons) you will be regular team and more money will be needed. As I see, every relegated team must try to get back beacuse it's automatically in more advantageous position. In the other hand, situation for team is not simple because a lot of changes in squad coming, it has shorter pre-season. Hull planned control games and all the pre-season - it will be hard to change something radically. But this year I can't see the favourite in Championship, how it was Newcastle last season. There will be hard fight for the promotion between the relegated teams and also Fulham, Reading, Sheffield and Aston Villa. In this moment I can't see huge advantage in teams. Fulham and Sheffield has core squad and they will do targeted signings. But Hull also can have a mission-capable squad to promote. In general we'll see. It's first time when I will shape the squad in such conditions. -In the end of 2009 you became manager of CSKA and worked there until end of 2016. But could work longer, if wasn't going by yourself. Current Hull's owner bought club in 2010 and there were 6 managers since that moment. Won't it be hard for you after working with Evgeniy Giner? -No. I'll try to explain. Yes, I'm the fourth Hull's manager in this year. -That's the thing. -But! Steve Bruce worked there for four years. And left the club because of personal circumstances. It means he left himself. After that there was acting manager - Bruce's assistant. It was clear that he was temporary manager. And Marko Silva - he also left the club himself. So I can't say that club always fires managers. History shows that Hull's owners are reluctant to change manager in a minute. However, in our work all depends on result. So my opinion is: in CSKA I gave the result for years. So there wasn't the point about changing me. If I didn't gave the result I would be fired as everybody else.
Thanks for posting this very interesting insight into our new manager and the process by which he was appointed. I for one really appreciate your valuable contributions to our board. Keep up the good work my friend.
Big thanks for this. He comes across really well, open and honest. It's also good to see that the Allams, even if its for their own personal gain, can see why its important to push hard for promotion this season, whilst we have the financial advantage. I expect Slutsky to be heavily backed in the transfer market.
