Andrei Gordeev's hard work with Saturn could be undone by financial woes.

One of the key stumbling blocks that stands in the way of the progression of the Russian Premier League is the issue of debt. The financial clout of businesses such as Gazprom and Lukoil – while supporting the nation’s biggest clubs – does not stem down to the sides who regularly compete in the lower regions of the table. So while the likes of Zenit St Petersburg, Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow spend millions each and every transfer window, the likes of Amkar Perm and Krylya Sovetov are left trailing further and further behind in the wake of the big spenders. For some clubs the weight of debt is threatening to send them down the torturous path that Torpedo Moscow found themselves in after their spectacular financial collapse left a once great club in total ruin.

One club in the Premier League who are truly hanging onto survival by the grit of their teeth are FC Saturn Moscow Oblast – or FC Saturn for short.

FC Saturn’s problems mimic a great deal of Russian clubs. The lack of private ownership at the rear of the Russian Premier League means that there is a significant level of state ownership of football clubs. FC Saturn are maintained by the region in which they represent, Moscow Oblast – a federal region which is amongst the most densely populated in the entire Russian nation. Therefore if the Moscow Oblast region suffers financially then such permutations have a knock on effect on the stability of the club. It’s a precarious position for any club to be placed in, and it is a problem that all too many clubs must face. FC Saturn is therefore reliant upon sponsorship for solitary financial gains which has proved difficult due to Saturn’s reputation of being a club that is in danger of going under, which makes sponsors wary of putting money into the club.

During the 2010 season there was very real threat that FC Saturn may no be able to complete the campaign due to the financial problems that the club faced. Private investment firm MOITK made accusations against the club that it was owed some £27m, a figure that the club had no way of even attempting to pay off. The state of the club’s ownership also prohibited the government from intervening due to the fact that state funds cannot be used to pay off private debt. MOITK came to prominence within the Moscow Oblast area after the region’s government enabled the investment firm to manage a series of projects within the area – including Saturn’s stadium in Ramenskoye. The club can rightly accuse the Moscow Oblast government of lacking the foresight of ensuring that club would not later suffer from the role of MOITK, as it has shown to during the course of the 2010 season.

The financial problems that continue to face FC Saturn are ultimately lumbered upon their coach, Andrei Gordeev, who at 35 years of age is truly learning his trade in the deep end. Gordeev initially worked as Saturn’s reserve team coach, before being promoted to become caretaker coach following Jürgen Röber’s dismissal in May 2009. After a poor start to the 2009 season Gordeev transformed a team that looked likely to suffer the pain of relegation into a side that managed to finish in 7th place – above the likes of Dynamo Moscow. 2010 proved a more difficult experience for Gordeev and while the club managed to finish in a respectable 9th place the close nature of the championship meant that the club finished a mere 4 points off the relegation zone. For Saturn though surviving another season of Premier League football is in itself an achievement – as relegation and financial woes could have served to make the club a distant memory.

But FC Saturn’s issues show no signs of subsiding any time soon. Players still wait upon unpaid wages which while many seem understanding about the club’s plight, and the sacrifices that may need to be made, such good will cannot last forever. Former Spartak Moscow player Denis Boyarintsev – who currently plays for FC Saturn – has tried to outweigh the financial problems but highlighting the successes of the club on the field this season

‘All the guys are waiting and hoping that everything will be resolved. Why don’t we complain to the House to resolve the disputes? None of us wants to make the club look bad. The fact that all employees of the club worked hard to preserve the team in the Premier League should be appreciated.’

Boyarintsev’s words will no doubt be a reflection of the good work Gordeev has done with this group of players – who have become a relatively tight knit squad. It would not be surprising to see Gordeev plucked from FC Saturn and appointed coach of a club who are able to provide a stronger financial backing to the team. But until that day comes, FC Saturn will remain in the capable hands of a man who has placed himself alongside the likes of CSKA’s Leonid Slutsky as a growing breed of young, Russian managers being given the opportunity to ply their trade in the Premier League. It makes a refreshing change from teams looking abroad for the answers to their coaching problems.

As for FC Saturn’s future, it will no doubt remain precarious as the 2011 season comes round once more. If Gordeev can keep the team afloat during a season which looks to have 44 match days – due to the Russian football calender changing to match the current European one – then the club will be able to build upon such foundations. However the looming threats of MOITK need to be addressed before the club can truly bring its head up from below the surface and breath the fresh air of success and stability.

Spartak Moscow fan Yegor Sviridov was shot and killed in a street brawl.

‘Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play.It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.’ George Orwell

Violence is an every day occurrence. In societies throughout the world people witness violence on a daily basis. For right or wrong, such situations exist and are in fact hugely prevalent issues. The idea of impulsive aggression is perpetuated by the passion that is so often evoked through the trials and tribulations of sport. Football, in particular, generates such strong emotions within its followers that acts of violence are seemingly inevitable – especially as the sport is so easily accessible.

Eastern Europe is no stranger to the mix of football and violence. While Western Europe has attempted, with varying degrees of success, to combat the actions of certain fans Eastern authorities have struggled to implement sufficient measures of prevention and deterrence. Political instability and social conflicts have led to the growth of footballing rivalries that are some of the fiercest in the world. Eastern Europe has issues, but sometimes the strength of unity a group of fans can create can cause change, politically and socially, and also show the wealth of potential that football has to offer.

The news that a Spartak Moscow fan had been murdered – after being shot 4 times, once in the head and 3 times in his abdomen – you would be excused for thinking this was yet more bloodshed in the name of sport. In some ways such assumptions are correct. However this case had a slightly different twist to the headlines of Russian violence that all too often plague the nation’s footballing growth.

The death of, 28 year old, Yegor Sviridov stemmed from a brawl that broke out between a group of North Caucasus migrants and Spartak Moscow fans. The fight, which involved around 10 individuals, was far from the mass scale attacks that have been witnessed in recent years. The fact that one side was not fighting for sporting reasons was the likely reason for this, as it was thought to be a spontaneous as opposed to pre meditated event. The manner in which the incident came about caused a great deal of unrest, as Sviridov and his companions were looking to find a taxi that would take them back home. However once the group had drawn the attention of the North Caucasus natives the situation took its fatal turn. For such tragedy to prevail through the haze of fisticuffs shows the dangers that linger in Russia’s major cities and metropolitan areas.

Spartak Moscow fans take to Leningrad Highway in protest.

As the news of Yegor Sviridov’s death filtered through to Moscow’s news outlets and consequently Spartak Moscow fans, a far more large scale incident was in danger of occurring. Around 1,000 Spartak Moscow fans took to the streets of the city looking to find the right channels in which they could get their voices most widely heard. The crowd ended up on Moscow’s Leningrad Highway, where they brought traffic on the busy road to a halt, via the office of the Golovino Procurator – the department who deal with investigating crime and seeking prosecution of those suspected. The iconic red light of flares lit the main road as Spartak fans looked set to wreak havoc until the authorities took sufficient action to ensure that Yegor Sviridov found justice in the wake of his death. There were limited cases of violence from Spartak Moscow fans, however, as the Police were able to disperse the fans away from the Leningrad Highway and prevent further disruptions within the city.

The strength of feeling and solidarity within the ranks of Russian football fans is astonishing. It is in no way right for fans to see themselves as brothers in arms fighting against the enemies that happen to support a different club. But the sheer scale of Moscovites who headed to the streets to seek justice for the death of their comrade sent out a clear message of unity. Russian football may be all to often steeped in violence but the actions of many Spartak Moscow fans following Yegor Sviridov’s death has truly shown how the sport can bring people together in the name of a cause. There have been pledges to raises funds for the widow of Yegor Sviridov while memorials have been erected in his name. These provide a poignant image in the wake of such tragedy.

The investigation into Yegor Sviridov will no doubt be heavily followed by Spartak Moscow’s fanbase in the hope that justice will be served and that their friend can be laid to rest in peace. The scars of such an incident will  leave a lasting mark on many while the unity of such a large group of civilians shows that sport can create a truly insatiable bond. This bond of equality and brotherhood may cause a great deal of friction between sets of fans of opposing teams but in their own right football fans do have genuine power to do good. Together we are stronger.

Putin's political influence was thought to be a major asset for Russia in Zurich

The World Cup host nations for 2018 and 2022 will be known in merely a couple of days. For the bidding committees of each nation, who have thrown their name into the ring, years of hard work and preparation will soon come to a climax. For many the effort will have been futile, but for those two victorious bids the taste of success could not be any sweeter.

The bidding process has become an ever increasingly politicised arena which has at times turned into a handbag at dawn scenario with blows being dealt left, right and centre from rival bidding teams. The initial front runners for the 2018 tournament, England and Russia, have been prime culprits behind such quarrels and claims of ‘he said, she said’ have been rife – with England even going as far as threatening to lodge an official complaint against Alexei Sorokin, chief executive of Russia 2018. The stakes for the hosting of the World Cup have, seemingly, never been higher as even though England and Russia both have hugely contrasting bids they could both forge strong tournaments. But while Russia and England have been fighting amongst themselves another contender has risen, in the guise of Spain and Portugal.

The vote for 2018 could well become a strong case for the argument of not peaking too soon as the joint bid from Spain and Portugal has gradually built up a head of steam that has turned what was initially thought to be a two horse race into a three way face off, with no obvious victor in sight. The success of the Spanish during the 2010 World Cup has been utilised strongly by the Iberian bidding team, while the infrastructural strength, while not quite as strong as England, remains streaks ahead of their Russian counterparts. The strength of the Spanish and Portuguese bid could well be undone by FIFA’s admissions that they would prefer to see the World Cup head to a solitary nation, as opposed to a joint bid. The strength of the Iberian cause, however, can not be underestimated and if FIFA’s voting delegates vote in favour of such a bid then there can be few qualms.

The strength of the Russian bid, unlike England and Spain/Portugal, has been based upon the assistance and financial support of the Russian government who, along with the vast wealth of the nation’s private sector, were providing the required funds to ensure that Russia is capable of hosting the tournament. The billions upon billions of pounds needed to improve, not only the nation’s footballing infrastructure, but also the country’s infrastructure as a whole is to come primarily from the Russian government. Such a proposal seemed all well and good once President Dmitry Medvedev and especially Prime Minister Vladimir Putin vocally expressed their desire to bring the World Cup to Russia for the first time. Vladimir Putin had previously expressed his intentions to travel to Zurich for the final vote, and would spend some time before the fateful day throwing his political weight firmly behind the bid to those who have the power to make the decision. However Putin’s assertion that he will not be in attendance in Zurich which could well throw into doubt the level of support that the Russian bid actually has from government officials. Putin claims that his attendance in Zurich would have little effect on the final outcome as he believes that all voting delegates have already made their minds up about where their vote is going. However, the degree of reliance the Russians have upon state funding is such that any lack of support or reductions in cost could well have a crippling effect on the way in which the nation can host the tournament.

Comparisons had previously been made between the manner in which Sochi had won the rights to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games and Russia’s 2018 bid. Putin had thrown his full weight behind the bid to capture the Olympics and travelled to Guatemala before the vote for the competition had been cast and wooed members of the IOC into voting in favour of a host which had limited snow based facilities and whose infrastructure was also limited. Therefore Putin’s possible absence from Zurich cannot be underestimated. Putin, unlike England’s David Cameron, is very much a man with strong political clout who has proved previously willing to back the progression of Russian sport.

There could well be queries thrown at Putin that he simply doesn’t want to appear weak in the event that Russia do not win the overall vote. The growth of Spain/Portugal’s bid accompanied by the ever strong English may have caused Putin to take action to save face, make it seem as though defeat is unimportant and the nation will continue on regardless. However the World Cup would be a huge event for Russia. It has the potential to completely transform large chunks of the western side of the nation, providing much needed infrastructural improvements to a nation that requires significant investment in order to truly turn Russia into a global super power in its own right. Putin’s belief that sporting prowess creates a strong, unified nation can come to life with a World Cup and could well provide the Russian Premier League with the infrastructure that it needs to impact itself upon Europe’s elite.

If Russia prove to be successful in Zurich then the government will no doubt relish to opportunity of becoming the centre of the world during the run up to 2018. Money will no doubt be placed within a bottomless pit which will see parts of the nation transformed with accessible transportation links, improved hospitality and impressive local redevelopments all helping rebrand Russia’s historic image. However with the Iberian and English bids providing fierce competition Russia may just have to contemplate redevelopment without the backdrop of hosting the World Cup.

Sergei Semak has become one of Russian football's great professionals

The famed song writer and composer Irving Berlin once claimed that ‘the toughest thing about success is that you’ve got to keep on being a success.’ In relation to sport a truer statement has not been made. Longevity is often viewed as being one of the key benchmarks of success in the sporting world. The teams and individuals who achieved success on a regular basis over a certain period of time can be said to live longer in the memory than those who taste victory on a single occasion, or never at all. There can be few footballers in Russia at present who have experienced as illustrious a career as Zenit St Petersburg’s Sergei Semak. For Semak longevity and success are simply coursing through his veins each time he takes to the field of play.

Semak’s formative years within the game held few clues to the success that was to follow in the coming years. At Presnya Moscow, which changed its name to Asmaral Moscow during his time at the club, and FC Karelia, which was in itself brief, Semak gained valuable experience. This came at a time where Russian football was at its most precarious position following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the nation’s footballing infrastructure. In Moscow Semak found himself in and around a team that had gained itself a place in the Russian Top Division soon after the Soviet Union’s collapse. The club’s first season in Russia’s top domestic league during 1992 where Asmaral finished a respectable 7th place in the Championship group was, however, the peak of its history. Upon Semak’s introduction to the team in 1993 the club suffered relegation to the First Division, which was when Sergei Semak made the decision to join CSKA Moscow. Semak’s burgeoning career could well have floundered in the face of the disappointment of experiencing relegation however it only served to invigorate the young footballer.

Russian clubs as they stand today are often criticised for not giving young home grown talent a chance to flourish in the first team, especially the major clubs in the Russian Premier League. It is fortunate, therefore, that Sergei Semak was beginning his career at a time when money was not as openly available to football clubs as it is today and so Semak  was given the opportunity to experience first team football with CSKA as early as his first season with the club. 13 appearances during the 1994 season, accompanied by a solitary goal proved to be enough to show Semak’s worth to CSKA’s cause and so the club’s new manager Aleksander Tarkhanov, who had been promoted to the role following Boris Kopeikin’s departure, provided Semak with a platform upon which the midfielder could duly flourish.

The exposure Semak gained as a young midfielder with CSKA meant that an international call up was lurking round the corner and in 1997 Boris Ignatyev included Semak in the 1998 World Cup play off against Italy, which Russia went on to lose. Semak’s introduction to international football became the point where the player truly began to exert great influence upon CSKA’s style of play. An eye for a pass, as well as one for goal, led to Semak becoming an integral cog in the Moscovite machine. 27 league goals between 1998 and 2000 truly proved that here was a player at the top of their game. As a result Semak managed to gain further recognition with the national team, however for a player of such quality to be in the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 squads and not make a single appearance in either tournament is a crying shame, and surely one of the few regrets Semak can claim throughout his career.

In the early part of the 21st century Semak and CSKA began to grow further in stature and the 2002 Russian Cup victory proved to be a stepping stone to further domestic glory. For in 2004 the club went on to win its first league title since their Soviet Top League triumph in 1991. For CSKA victory in the Russian Premier League was proof that club had finally adapted to life in the wake of the Soviet Union and that future successes were a truly Russian feat. Semak, upon CSKA’s title success, had already begun to contemplate the idea of moving to pastures new, with a move to a western European league a desired destination. The club’s failure to progress beyond the group stages of the Champions League promptly resulted in Semak’s move away from the Russian capital and to Ligue 1, where he joined Paris Saint-Germain – who incidentally, were the club CSKA finished ahead of in the Champions League group stage.

Semak’s move to the French capital was seen as one to a new frontier for Russian football at a time where a great deal of players, of course with exceptions, plied their trade in and around the ex Soviet states. However as a great deal of Russian players have found to their cost, adaptation is not as simple as it may seem initially. Russian football, much like in England, has often suffered from players being tied to their home nation and finding foreign cultures difficult to integrate within. Russia’s historical identity during the years of the Soviet Union meant that the nation held a particularly strong national identity which caused difficulties for those who attempted to move to foreign climes. These issues were shown to have affected Sergei Semak’s time at Paris Saint-Germain as he struggled to come to terms with the levels of adaptation required to be a success in Ligue 1. His single season in the French game can be seen as a disaster and 13 appearances and one goal later Semak returned to his homeland with, the now disbanded, FC Moscow.

Semak’s reintegration into the Russian Premier League proved to be far more straight forward than his time in France and after two seasons with FC Moscow Semak was signed by the growing might of Rubin Kazan. At the age of 32 Semak could well have been contemplating his spell in Kazan to be his final stand in the game. However his transition from a goalscoring playmaker to a more defensive minded midfielder helped aid his presence within Rubin’s starting line up. With Semak’s experience and knowledge, and his introduction as captain of the side, Rubin Kazan’s meteoric rise to the top of Russian football was complete in 2008, just 5 seasons after promotion from the First Division, when the club won the 2008 Russian Premier League. This success was again mimicked in 2009 and for Semak the success proved to be a glowing tribute to his continually blossoming career.

Semak’s eventual move to Zenit St Petersburg in August 2010 has proven to be the latest bold chapter in his illustrious career. The club’s victory in the Russian Premier League meant that Semak became a winner of the national league title with 3 separate clubs, a feat that will take some matching. Semak’s path from from Presnya Moscow to Zenit St Petersburg has been one that has suffered from trials and tribulations but this has not hindered a player who has become one of modern Russian football’s true greats. Irving Berlin’s words may not have been written about football but in Sergei Semak’s case they could well have been.

Elgar was one of the first to marry football and music

To a great many people there are two key forms of entertainment in the world today; football and music. Both have the ability to inspire and unite just as much as they can discourage and divide. But it is for these reasons that through both passions are stirred in a manner that cannot be replicated elsewhere. So it was a relatively natural progression for the two entities to converge and while there have been moments we would rather forget, the world is a better place for their partnership.

There have been many influential types who have had an impact on the way music and football sit so snugly beside one another. From the original chant composer extraordinaire himself, Elgar, to the hip hop beats of John Barnes – and the many in between – football’s musical accompaniment has a rich and diverse history. Yes, Elgar, a seemingly avid Wolverhampton Wanderers fan, created one of the first recognised football chants – around 100 years ago – through the quaintly titled ‘He Banged the Leather for Goal’. It’s unknown whether the chant was popular on the terraces of Molineux at the time but it is safe to say that such an esteemed figure will probably never again turn their hand to writing songs for football fans to bellow at their hearts content.

But iconic songs don’t need to be written about the game to have a lasting effect. There are countless examples of teams who use music with no relation to football as a defining theme of their grounds pre match atmosphere. Everton famously play the theme to Z Cars, a tv police drama series from the 1960’s, while Liverpool’s anthemic version of Gerry and the Pacemakers ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ is one of English football’s most recognised pre match rituals. While further afield Prokofiev’s intimidating ‘Dance of the Knights’ can regularly be heard at the Estádio do Dragão when FC Porto are doing their pre match warm up. You can even see what it means to the artists themselves in ITV’s recently woeful attempt to sum up the sentiments of the Manchester derby during Eric Cantona: Looking for Manchester. In an interview with former Stone Roses bassist Mani, he sums up his feelings about the connection between music and football. ‘My team, Manchester United, come out to This is the One by the Stone Roses every week and I’m so proud of that. You can’t beat that, I can die tomorrow and I can die a happy man. My team come out to my tune.’ It is the passions that can be stirred through both music and football that make the two link so well together.

While some will disagree, there’s something hugely momentous about the thundering noise of a pa system cranked up to 11, as Nigel Tufnel would say, as the anticipation of the crowd begins to grow and grow until that song comes on and you know that your team are about to put you through another 90 minutes of torturous joy. Whether a token classic such as Thin Lizzy’s ‘The Boys are Back in Town’ or an epic movie soundtrack in the vain of the ‘Imperial March’ from Star Wars, the song is irrelevant for it is the connection between the music and the players who slowly line the tunnel that matters. Even when watching, for example’s sake, Manchester United on the television and hearing the opening bars of the Rocky theme tune while in the foreground Martin Tyler bellows ‘… and it’s live!’. It is these conventions of grandeur that send that match day feeling pulsing through your body. It is this connection and association that make music an important aspect of the footballing experience.

Football songs also have the ability to summarise generations of footballing achievement and failure. Take the songs that have accompanied the many World Cup tournaments for example, these songs can provide a cornerstone of nostalgia and remembrance. Whether Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’ or the England squad’s classic from the 1970 World Cup ‘Back Home’ footballing songs have a place in the heritage of the game itself. Let’s not forget that without a marriage between football and music the world would never have experienced John Barnes’ legendary rap in New Order’s ‘World in Motion’ while the simple chorus of ‘Three Lions’ would never have become the anthem of Euro 96. Without these snippets of light hearted musical moments the tournaments that we remember today would have a much different twist.

The relationship between music and football is also one developing in nations where the game is not yet high on the national agenda. Take India, for example, a charity match that is due to take place between the East Bengal All Stars and the Bayern Munich All Star XI has been designated with its own song and music video. The match, which aims to raise funds for the development of local street children, has been seen as a hugely positive step forward for the East Bengal region as a whole as the area’s general secretary Kalyan Mazumdar explains:

“As we think about this the realisation dawns on us that they are deprived of a better life not because of their fault but for the society who force them to live the way they are instead of helping them, and this is not only a fusion of football and music but it is a fusion of all aspects of life.”

In his final few words Mazumdar, perhaps unwittingly, perfectly summed up the relationship between football and music. The two are intricately related and yet they both each feed into the bigger picture. It may seem an exaggeration to some but both football and music can provide a platform for the betterment of society, especially in nation’s that are still suffering from extreme forms of poverty and malnourishment. While football fans across Europe sing their way through 90 minutes of abuse or elation, the song that will play during that match in East Bengal will help to provide opportunities for people who have few reasons to hope and dream.

The relationship between football and music is not an issue that looks to be subsiding any time soon. From the songs that send a team out to their destiny to the one’s that sponsor a charitable event, music provides football with an added dimension – and memories that football fans can cherish for years to come. Yes, there are times – like after a goal, for example – when music can detract from the footballing experience but on the whole the appropriate introduction of music into the footballing realm is a positive event.

Spalletti is creating his Russian legacy

With the end of the Russian Premier League season in clear view Zenit St Petersburg managed to overthrow Rubin Kazan’s recent domestic dominance by clinching the title in emphatic fashion.

Zenit were made to wait for the chance to begin their title celebrations after a mid week defeat against CSKA, in which the visitors came away with a shock 0-3 victory at the Petrovsky Stadium in front of a stunned, expectant crowd. But just as questions started to be asked as to whether Zenit would have the mental stability to claim the title, they fired back with a sumptuous 5-0 thrashing of Rostov on home turf. The victory quickly softened the blow of their defeat to CSKA and sent their fans into raptures. But once again Zenit’s successes on the pitch were marred by the actions of their fans off it as in the wake of the final whistle spectators poured onto the pitch, hauled down the goalposts and sought to ravaging parts of the stadium. Such aggression continued onto the streets of St Petersburg as fans clashed with riot police who sought to prevent any further damage to Russia’s second largest city. The violent actions of Zenit’s support again overshadows an occasion that should have been a cause for celebration, not mindless acts of hooliganism.

For Luciano Spalletti the successes achieved since his appointment in December 2009 have been nothing short of outstanding. Upon Dick Advocaat’s dismissal, after a poor run of form which left  Zenit in 7th place in the Premier League, the club sort to bring in a high profile name who could take the club to the next level of success. The appointment of Spalletti was a sure signal of intent by the Zenit hierarchy, but it wasn’t without certain criticisms. The objectives that had been placed upon Spalletti’s shoulders included success in all competitions that the club was to participate in, with emphasis placed on the Champions League where the club craves to establish itself within the elite of European football. However Spalletti’s pursuit of silverware in Italian football, particularly with Roma, had been relatively fruitless aside from consecutive Coppa Italia titles in 2007 and 2008. The introduction of yet another foreign coach was a more significant issue, however, as the precedent set by previous managers from outside former Soviet states – and for some reason or other Holland – had been unimpressive to say the least. The sheer levels of adaptation foreign managers must undertake within the Russian game are so vast that for many it proves much too difficult a challenge to accept. However in spite of such issues Spalletti has proved that in the face of certain social and cultural issues strong management and the will to succeed is the key to success in all walks of life.

Spalletti may have failed to bring Champions League success to the club this season on the first time of asking, as they lost to Auxerre in the qualifying round in August, but Zenit are building a side that will come back from such disappointments stronger, individually and as a collective. The confidence that stemmed from an unbeaten run from the beginning of the season which was only broken by Spartak Moscow some seven matches before its end has created a sense of invincibility around the Petrovsky Stadium, which aside from the recent defeat by CSKA, has provided the basis for some particularly impressive performances.  The goals of Kerzhakov and Danny, accompanied by an impressive spread of goalscorers throughout the squad, as well as a strong, cohesive defensive unit, strengthened by the acquisition of Portuguese international Bruno Alves, have helped turn Zenit into Russian football’s most potent force.

Over the coming months comparisons will no doubt be made between Spalletti and his predecessor Advocaat’s teams, however while success is an underlying theme, the two teams are very much created in their manager’s mould. Spalletti has forged a team which is far more ruthless and aggressive to the side that Advocaat led to European success. The Italian’s approach in creating a positive, and yet effective, attacking brand of football has no doubt placed him in the hearts and minds of Zenit’s adoring public. But the one question will remain, can Spalletti convert the domestic dominance this season into a system that can challenge European football’s most intimidating sides. The past year will have provided Spalletti with invaluable lessons about just how strong his side is and can become. There will no doubt be money spent over the winter break as Zenit St Petersburg look to take Russian football into uncharted territories.

Rubin Kazan's maiden league title came amidst accusations of foul play.

Russia and corruption. Two words that over the course of history have seemingly converged hand in hand. It has been claimed that around 50% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) stems from corrupt dealings, with many of the problems emerging from the financial districts of the capital – Moscow. Even though the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has based much of his term in office upon the notion of eradicating corruption from the Russian culture the consequences of his efforts are yet to have a significant effect upon the running of the nation.

There have been many accusations that the corruption – which is so rife within Russian business and politics – is reflected in football. This is in spite of the fact that there have been few public admissions of the depth of problems that Russian football faces. Sensationalist journalism from outside Russia have persistently claimed that match fixing and the bribing of referees is an occurrence that happens on a regular basis, bringing into question the integrity of the sport. Such reports have also claimed that the sport holds an association with mafia figures who regularly seek to affect football results in their favour.

Nikolai Tolstykh is one of the few significant members of the Russian footballing community to have made comments suggesting that corruption and bribery has been involved in football. The claims, made in 1996 on national television, are possibly outdated but their significance at the time was hugely important. Tolstykh’s role within the game cannot be understated for at the time he was the head of Russian Football League, which until 2001 had included the Premier League, and was heavily involved in the boardroom of Dinamo Moscow, where he spent much of his playing career. These positions of power meant that Tolstykh understood the depth of the problems that underpinned Russian football in the years following the break up of the Soviet Union. His admission of freely intimidating referees into making decisions that benefited his needs were made even more poignant by the fact that he was a key figure in the organisation that distributed officials to games across the country. The impact of Tolstykh’s words may not have created sufficient uproar to force through radical overhauls of how the nation organises the domestic game, but such public admissions serve to provide a basis for comparisons with the possibilities of corruption in the modern game.

The idea of ‘dogovornyak’ – whereby a team accumulates wins after agreeing to lose certain matches – is a process that many believe to be rife within Russian football, especially when a small team quickly finds success. When Rubin Kazan won their first Premier League title there was much suspicion as to whether the club had been so successful due to the fact that they were simply reeling in their owings from matches which they had lost the previous season. The suspicion that surrounded Kazan’s league victory circulated from their poor 10th placed finish the season before, accompanied by the fact that the club had never previously won the national championship – in either the Russian or Soviet era. The case against Rubin Kazan has always been without strong foundations and the suspicion merely seeks to remove the element of surprise from the game. If clubs are not able to seek success without being labelled as corrupt then there are severe problems with the mental stability of Russia’s footballing culture. Kazan’s continued success since their maiden league win has expelled the rumours of foul play, but you feel that the next series of accusations could be just around the corner.

The mafia may bring about connotations of Hollywood films revolving around Italian-American gangsters and while they may lack the big screen gloss Russia also has similar connotations. Sir Alex Ferguson famously claimed that dealing with Andrei Kanchelskis’ agents was like being an extra in a Godfather movie – an image that the player strenuously denies – but does Russian football rely upon mafia figures? Zenit Saint Petersburg’s UEFA Cup success in 2008 came in the wake of claims that Russian mafia-types had literally bought the trophy to the nation’s burgeoning super power. UEFA even took investigative action amidst the accusations, but no firm action was taken.

“This word always gets linked with Russia. Why? You don’t hear it in Italy or elsewhere any more so why is this stigma attached to us? For me it is a dirty word and it outrages everybody here when people bring up the mafia thing. It is stupid to think that referees or players have been bought. This just doesn’t happen any more. You would know straight away if someone was throwing a game. When I played I never even heard about the mafia or criminals in the game. Everything was fair.” Andrei Kanchelskis

The connotations between different aspects of Russian life and corruption mean that sport is never far away from scrutiny and suspicion. The need for clarity and transparency in regards to the underlying problems that face Russian football are strong, but whether action can be taken is another matter altogether. The deeply rooted nature of corruption in Russian society means that a complete overhaul of economic and business models, which could threaten to destabilise the nation as it becomes ever reliant on under hand income.

Torpedo Moscow are looking to come back from financial ruin

To some the prospect of death is directly followed by the idea of a reawakening, where one can be resuscitated into a life beyond what has previously been known. That through the perception of all life and hope being lost strength can blossom and provide the will to rebuild even the most unstable of empires. Such a way of thinking may well appear to be a form of irrelevant philosophical mumbling but the relation between the idea of a ‘reawakening’ and football is something that are directly and inextricably linked.

The financial difficulties that currently plague a significant number of European football clubs mean that many fear the consequences of any further damage in the future. Irresponsible spending, poor financial planning and the collapse of the global economy have all affected the sport in a manner that has left many fearing for the future of clubs who languish below Europe’s most lucrative leagues. The fact that half of Europe’s professional clubs currently run at a loss is a clear expression of the financial mire that the game has found itself in. But while clubs live in fear of the consequence of their misdemeanours, others have been forced into facing their issues and are gradually seeing the light at the end of a very distant tunnel. Torpedo Moscow is one such club.

It is difficult to think that during the 1960’s Torpedo were a true giant of the Soviet sporting landscape and yet today financial problems have seen the club fall into regional amateur leagues. It was as recently as 1992 that Torpedo were knocking Manchester United out of European competition and were apart of an immensely strong contingent of clubs based in the Russian capital.

Torpedo’s demise could have been so easily prevented had Vladimir Alyoshin agreed to the sale of the club to a certain Roman Abramovich in 2003. Had Abramovich been successful in his pursuit of Torpedo, the consequences would have severely altered the face of European football as Chelsea would not have been pumped full of Russian oil money. For Torpedo, Alyoshin’s reluctance to sell meant that the club was unable to bring in stars such as Henrik Larsson and Elber, who were rumoured to have agreed to join the club if Abramovich’s bid was successful and so the rest, as they say, is history.

Alyoshin’s tenure at the club can be defined by pure mismanagement and terrible decision making. He betrayed the values and history of the club by moving Torpedo from its spiritual home, the Torpedo Stadium, to the 80,000 seater Luzhniki stadium in a move that left many fans utterly bewildered. Torpedo’s average attendance of around 5,000 fans barely managed to leave an impression on their previous home, never mind the nation’s national stadium. Alyoshin’s mishandling of the club is also emphasised by the fact that upon his purchase of the club – from ZIL car plant – a splinter club came to fruition known as Torpedo ZIL, who maintained links with Torpedo’s former owners. The newly formed club began in the regionally based second division and over a short period of time managed to work its way into a position where the club was in the Russian Premier League and competing against its sister club Torpedo. For Torpedo ZIL, which later became known as Torpedo Metallurg and FC Moscow, to challenge Torpedo and witness its decline was an unthinkable achievement and something that Alyoshin refused to rectify with financial support for his manager.

The rise of Torpedo ZIL, even though FC Moscow ceased to exist this season, can be used as a template and incentive for the gradual revival of Torpedo Moscow. The club is presently owned by Aleksander Tukmanov, who experienced success with Torpedo as a player in the Soviet Top League, is a strong platform upon which to build. Tukmanov’s contacts within Russia are strong as a consequence as his role as a general director for the Russian Football Union. The club’s reintroduction to the professional game is the starting point upon which future successes can be built. Torpedo simply need to ensure that stable foundations are created and that history is not permitted to repeat itself. Under the guidance of Tukmanov the famous club from Moscow can become a prime example of the theory of reawakening.

Sinisa Mihajlovic has struggled since taking over the Viola.

The partnership between Sinisa Mihajlovic and Italian side Fiorentina looks to be on the brink of destruction as the club remains rooted to the bottom of the Serie A. The club’s terrible start to the season came on the back of a wave of pre season optimism which placed the team amongst the favourites to finish within the Champions League places. However one solitary victory in their opening seven games has seen the club contemplate just what lies ahead in a season that threatens to drift beyond repair.

It is often the case that amidst a poor run of results rumours begin to circulate in regards to the manager and various key players, and it has been no different for Fiorentina. The press speculation has caused a degree of uncertainty within the club as Sinisa Mihajlovic has seen high profile managers express their desire to replace the Montenegrin, who was only appointed into the job this summer in the wake of Cesare Prandelli’s appointment as Italy’s national team coach. Former Brazil coach Dunga has been heavily linked as the man Fiorentina would turn to if Mihajlovic struggles to improve the clubs poor form. Such an appointment could well prove to be a risky decision when one considers that Dunga has yet to experience the rigours of club management which is an entirely different method of coaching when compared to that of international football. Even though Dunga has strong links with the club, having worn the famous colours of the Viola in the early 1990’s, it would still be debatable as to whether another young coach would be an appropriate measure to take.

For Mihajlovic, however, the clubs poor start to season has been a result of a particularly difficult run of fixtures which has seen the club play Lazio, Palermo, Genoa, Napoli and Sampdoria in its opening seven games. With strong performances in their upcoming fixtures against Bari, Catania and Chievo, Fiorentina could well begin to climb the table and all talk of a crisis will be forgotten. The club’s problems have also been compounded by the fact that the influential duo of Stevan Jovetic and Adrian Mutu are out of the game for the foreseeable future, the former with a long term injury and the latter due to a nine month drugs ban. Alberto Gilardino has also struggled to repeat the form shown in the previous season, which has left the club with a distinct lack of fire power up front, which has severely hampered any potential progression. The transfer rumours that continue to surround Juan Manuel Vargas and, club captain, Riccardo Montolivo have served to further disintegrate the foundations that had been constructed during Prandelli’s successful reign. Mihajlovic faces a hugely difficult task if he is to replicate the success of his predecessor, especially if the fortunes of the clubs players does not change for the better. It would be far too soon to call for the coach’s head, but time is ticking, and it is not a clock that can keep running forever.