Several coaches are stuck in the RPL, including the two Spaniards: Frank Artiga in Khimki and David Deogracia in Orenburg. In other words, club leaders trust their foreign coaches, but we know very well that the future of any coach determines the result. Now the residents of Khimki and Orenburg are in the union zone. Only Akhmat and Fakel are below, where there were already coach resignations during the season. One more defeat and Khimki or Orenburg could be last after a third of the championship.
In general, it is surprising that the leaders of Russian clubs repeatedly step on the same rake, inviting Spanish coaches to the RPL. All history proves it: they do not take root here. The reasons can be different, from purely professional (our football is nothing like Spanish football in its style of play, etc.) to mental. It turns out that Spanish coaches speak different languages with Russian players, even if they study Russian diligently. Let us remember how the compatriots of Artiga and Deogracia failed.
The first was Juande Ramos at CSKA, in September 2009. He arrived in Russia as a top coach, working with Real Madrid, Sevilla and Tottenham and winning the UEFA Cup twice. At the end of 2007, Juande reached third place in the ranking of the best coaches in the world according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, after Carlo Ancelotti and Alex Ferguson. Wow! However, Ramos only lasted 46 days and nine games at CSKA. With him, the team fell from fourth to fifth place and the gap with the Champions League zone increased. When Ramos realized that CSKA was not prepared to make noise in the transfer market as he wanted, he decided to leave.
Juande Ramos
Photo: RIA Novosti
Ramos’s inglorious month and a half could be attributed to Juande taking charge of the military team during the season and not participating in squad recruitment. However, behind him, Unai Emery, future four-time Europa League winner with Sevilla and Villarreal, and French champion with PSG, also had no success in Russia. He took over Spartak in the off-season in the summer of 2012. Emery started well in the RPL, but then his team suffered a 0-5 loss to Zenit and began to shake. At the time of Unai’s resignation in November, the red and whites were in seventh place after 17 rounds. It is true that under Emery Spartak qualified for the Champions League, but lost four out of five games in the group stage of the Champions League.
Before the 2016/2017 season, Rubin was managed by Javi Gracia. This is not the last specialist in Spanish football either: he worked with Málaga, Valencia and Watford in the Premier League. He reached the final of the FA Cup. The Kazan club spent a lot on the Spaniard’s transfers (40 million euros) and hoped to return to the “golden” race. The reality turned out to be cruel. Rubin finished the championship only in ninth place. Javi Gracia was allowed to work until the end of the season and only then was asked to pack his bags.
Javi Gracia
Photo: Artyom Gusev, “Championship”
In October 2018, temporary worker Raúl Riancho had an opportunity at Spartak. He took over the team in sixth place in the RPL after the departure of Massimo Carrera. But only one point separated the red and whites from second. The Italian left “baggage” with which he was not ashamed to appear in Europe. Some details needed to be corrected. Riancho did not have enough time or skills. It lasted three weeks. In six games under his leadership, Spartak won twice, drew twice and lost twice. In the RPL he was already in ninth place.
The next Spaniard also arrived at Spartak: the young, ambitious and, it was believed, talented Guillermo Abascal. With him, the Moscow club sought trophies, but did not win anything. The team finished Abascal’s first season, 2022/2023, in third position, but gave away the Russian Cup that belonged to it. Who cares? A rival with principles! The cup trophy went to CSKA. Last season, Spartak fired Abaskal when the red and whites were in seventh position after 24 rounds. Meanwhile, the club spent 53.7 million euros on transfers for the Spaniard.
Guillermo Abascal
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, “Championship”
In April 2023, the Spanish Pep Clotet came to save Torpedo from relegation. With 10 games left, the black and whites were last, seven points behind 14th place, which was conditionally saved. The Moscow team remained in 16th place, finishing 17 points away from the play-off zone. Clotet was tasked with returning Torpedo to the elite, but was fired in October. The reason was ninth place in the “Best League in the World”. Guardiola’s compatriot turned out to be not Pep, but simply Josep. I’m only remembered for the fact that he suspended players for smiling and laughing.
In March 2024, the former coach of the Spanish national team and Monaco, Robert Moreno, arrived in Sochi. He was also called upon to play the role of “firefighter.” After the first part of the season, the Sochi team was in last place, four points away from 14th place. In general, the chances of salvation were not the lowest for a team that had improved a lot. However, Sochi finished in 16th place, six points clear of the relegation zone. Under Moreno, the southerners won only twice. Now Robert takes the team out of the First League. Sochi is now eighth, five points behind second place. According to rumors, the club is thinking about the Spaniard’s resignation.
Deogracia seemed to be an exception to this sad rule. You could say that he took over Orenburg at the beginning of last season, at a time when the team was drowning under the guidance of a completely inexperienced coach, Jiri Jarosik. The Orenburg team only managed one point after five rounds. Compared to Jarosik, Deograsia’s results are certainly better. Orenburg survived in the RPL and scores an average of 1.09 points per Russian Championship game against the Spanish.
But Deogracia actually got the same team that was in the top 7 with Marcel Lička. All Argentines, starting with Lucas Vera, remained in Orenburg. Interesting newcomers joined the team, for example, the defender of the Russian national team, Arsen Adamov. But under the Czech coach, Orenburg scored an average of 1.53 points in the RPL. That is, almost one and a half times more than under Deogracia.
How the stars behaved in Russia before Miralem Pjanic
Classification
Pjanic – to CSKA. Which of the best footballers who came to the RPL to finish the match was the best?
Artiga in Khimki still has no one to compare himself with. He may have to replace him if the Moscow Region club fires the Spaniard during the season. Recently, the general director of Khimki, Nikolai Olenev, responding to a question from “Championship” about the future of Artiga, bluntly said:
“The information about Artiga’s possible resignation is complete nonsense. We did not even consider this issue. Artiga and I have signed a long-term agreement and continue to cooperate.”
By the way, the next Spanish coach in the RPL will be the tenth in a row. Who else among the leaders of Russian clubs, inspired by the football of the European champions, would risk betting on a coach from this country?
