Adult fans remember striker Ilshat Faizullin very well. His calling card are two assists at the Camp Nou in the legendary match between Barcelona and CSKA (2-3).
Less is known about Ilshat Galimzyanovich’s leadership activities. In the process of collecting material about the start of the season in the RPL, Alexey Batrakov spoke with three coaches. And two of them, independently, expressed their respects to the former sports director of the Lokomotiv academy.
Andrey Altukhov
Batrakov’s first coach at Lokomotiv
“Other academies and schools trained five times a week, but we were lucky with the sports director. Ilshat Fayzullin insisted that at a young age children are enough with two training sessions and one day of play.”
Andrey Nagibin
former Lokomotiv academy coach
“I am a Faizullin coaching student. He taught us to work outside the ordinary. That’s why football players grew up like that. And there were no algorithms. Faizullin always said: “If you want to raise a football player who is not like the others, then you have to train him differently from the others. Think, invent.”
After such reviews, continuation of the topic was suggested. And now we are talking with Faizullin himself, not so much about the prodigy Batrakov, but about the system of training young football players in Russia. Faizullin hasn’t been with Loko for a long time, but the guys who started in the academy with him continue to enter the RPL.
“There is hope that there will be even more Batrakov”
— The young Batrakov alarmed the Premier League. Do you feel involved in the emergence of talent? — I feel that during the three years at Lokomotiv the work we did was not in vain. I am glad that the guys who were then jointly selected by the national team and the coaching staff are now showing themselves. Here we have to talk not only about Batrakov, Rakov and other footballers born in 2005. Loko’s older students successfully play in the RPL, in the national team and abroad. These are Zhemaletdinov, Miranchuk, Barinov, Mostovoy, Makarov and many others.
— Nowadays there is still more talk about Batrakov. Surprised by your anomalous performance and statistics? — The man entered the first team and is showing himself. Of course, this is surprising. But this is his job, which he has done since he was five or six years old. The environment he has had over the past 10 years has contributed to his successful start in the major leagues. More combinations within the team. Interactions in midfield with Barinov and Karpukas give Batrakov the opportunity to express himself more clearly.
Alexey Batrakov and Dmitry Barinov
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, “Championship”
—Which of the “firsts” would you compare it to? Golovin, Dzagoev, Izmailov? — All players are different. Some run a little faster, others a little slower. Some can beat, while others prefer to play more passes, depending on their characteristics. There are many Batrakov of this type. You just need to create conditions for them. And the conditions are not just throwing the ball: playing. It is a great systematic work, a whole project that includes not only the coaches, but also the club, the sports director and the youth director, who determine the direction of the work. Each coach comes to the academy with his own ideas, but it is necessary to channel them in the general direction. The recruiting team must understand which guys to select. The most important thing is that the tournaments must be adapted to the appropriate ages. Thanks to Vladimir Kuzmichev (former director of the Lokomotiv academy – Championship Note), in 2010 we were able to propose to the Moscow Football Federation a project to adapt the competitions for children of 10, 11 and 12 years old.
-What do you mean? — Gradual increase in the size of the soccer field and the number of players. At Lokomotiv we started playing five against five from a young age so that all the children could express themselves. From a young age he must play with the ball and not run stupidly looking for it, as happened before. Some sports directors then said: “We should go to Italy for a tournament and play 10 against 10 or 11 against 11.” What could I answer? We are not in Italy. I think this reform should have been carried out sooner. At least they laid the foundation, that’s good. There are hopes that there will be even more Batrakov.
— One of the Lokomotiv coaches, Alexander Kudinov, said about you: “Ilshat completely changed our view of the world from the word, honors and praise for it.” What did you bring to his work that was so revolutionary? — We changed the focus of the training process, the methodology. For us, all our work was built through game exercises: through them both technique and tactics were established, depending on age. There were small games, big games, with goals and without goals. The most important thing a child wants when he comes to train is to play. And only the game allows him to show all his qualities. And for this it is important that it always arrives fresh. Of course, it is difficult for him to train every day. There is also a school, a road, lessons: living in that regime at six or seven years old is not good for either the child or the parents. Therefore, we shorten the training process for the youngest and increase the load gradually according to age. At the same time, the technique was designed purposefully: dribbling the ball, passing, hitting. Everything is playful. Otherwise, we like to do closed form exercises.
– How so? — For 20 minutes you keep the ball and do something with it: juggle, hit the wall. And only at the end do you begin to interact in some way with your partners. But for us everything was done in game mode, and not just for a week, a month or even a year. Equipment was given to children under 12 years of age. The result is the number of Loko students in the RPL. There are many of them.
“How many covered stadiums do we have outside the Urals? I think they can be counted on one hand.”
— Was your approach based more on your personal experience as a coach in Spain or on your body of knowledge over the years of performance? — Any footballer who played at a high level went through some stages. Naturally, something important remained in memory. We simply updated the techniques that the trainers used on us. The essence of the work has not changed: more emotions, a gameplay component and tactical nuances have been added.
– Methods of training youth in the USSR and now: heaven and earth? “Now the training process is planned in such a way that the child spends more time on technique or game exercises. We had simpler things: a ball for one, for two. We work on technical elements and then we play soccer.
– So simple, but effective! – Yes, but don’t forget that at that time there were many schools operating throughout the Union. Hence the abundance of teachers.
— Is your characteristic technique more innate or acquired? — Coordination and speed were innate to me, and technique and tactics were acquired qualities. Denchik Evgeniy Pavlovich instilled in me a love of sports in the Ogonyok team. Sergei Anatolyevich Belenkov in Fakel gave me the opportunity to play purely football. And Vladimir Sergeevich Babkov installed the equipment for me at FSM. Then Pavel Fedorovich Sadyrin, the kingdom of heaven, saw me in the double and helped me take my first steps in CSKA.
Ilshat Faizullin at CSKA
Photo: from personal archive.
—Did working in a Spanish children’s school help you look at football from another perspective? — Only in terms of tactical work with children over 12-13 years old. And so, more or less, everything remains the same. Perhaps there is more variety in play exercises so that children have fun and acquire skills that they can later apply in larger spaces.
— Do climatic characteristics have to be taken into account in the development of these programs or are they universal for both Spaniards and Russians? – Of course, running in the snow is not the goal. In order to practice throughout the year, it is necessary to create an infrastructure. How many covered stadiums do we have beyond the Urals? I think they can be counted on one hand. Although, for example, I am still in touch with the Temp football academy in Barnaul and went to visit it to give seminars. The man invested his money, built a stadium, fields and is developing football. But unfortunately these are isolated cases. God grant that there are such enthusiasts not only in Barnaul, but also in other cities.
— Your former employees complain that today in schools everything focuses on the result of the game. Is this a problem? —The result has always been talked about, since Soviet times. Although my coaches considered that the main result was what I was capable of doing on the field, based on the training process. A lot depends on the club and the coaching staff that comes to work at the quarry. A school coach should not satisfy his personal ambitions through the players: winning tournaments and qualifying for a higher team. His ambitions must be directed at the development of the footballer. These things must be discussed by the authors of the project with the technical staff. For example, you can’t practice one thing all week and then suddenly demand something completely different from the players in the game. Coach Altukhov told him the same thing. The game helped us understand what we had done in the weekly cycle and the progress the boys were making. At the same time, coaches must feel supported by club leaders.
— In grassroots football, does the coach’s salary depend on the team’s results? “I don’t even know what it depends on.” Probably because of the name of the club and the sponsors (laughs).
– Why then the obsession with the result? —Probably somewhere the Club leaders demand it, because they have some kind of report: where the money is invested and why. I have no other understanding. Even based on simple logic, when a coach takes a child he should not do something with him, but rather give him something so that he continues to grow as a person and as an athlete. This is what the mentor’s ambitions should aim at. So that later you can remember with your friends who you trained, and not how much you earned and what you earned for the children. You have to win in professional football. I want to emphasize: in academies, the result must begin from the moment when the players have already formed some kind of base, both technical and tactical. The taste of victory must be instilled from the age of 15. And at 10-11-12 years old, children should be instilled in a playful way with the idea that victory is important, but defeat is also part of the game. This is how it is necessary to perceive failures and move forward, and not give up.
—What is the current general situation of promising young people in the lower leagues? – Super. We must give credit to the RFU for the creation of the Southern Football League. Money is being invested in youth development. It is from the youth league that we must begin to demand results. And there coaches must prepare in such a way that they not only prepare them for victory, but also contribute to the future development of the footballer. They also have to mentally prepare guys for downturns and defeats. And if a player receives increased attention from the press and fans, as is now the case with Batrakov, he must be prepared for it.
— You also “shot” early in football. Any advice for Alexey? – Continue what you did before. Nothing else. Furthermore, Batrakov’s environment should support his simplicity. Don’t say how good it is (smiles). Mom and dad will say this. And you must perceive what is happening now as a professional. Only then can Batrakov take a step forward.
– In your case – this?.. – Consolidate what has already been achieved.
Lokomotiv today is an example for everyone. But not everyone has academies of this type.”
— Are there more young talents in the RPL or is it an illusion? — Everything changes from year to year. In some places there are more talented players, in others less. This year, boys appeared, first of all, where the conditions for this were created. Perhaps Lokomotiv simply did not have the money to sign other foreign players. I don’t know the situation thoroughly. The club decided to use its own boys, and they turned out to be no worse than those who could have come from other leagues. You yourself know that number one or two on the list will not travel to Russia. Usually the number three comes. I think our players deserve to play in the Premier League no less than them.
— Is Lokomotiv with two foreign players a positive story for the Russian championship? – Yes, an example for everyone. But don’t forget that not everyone has academies like Lokomotiv.
— Have you followed CSKA for a long time? – Yes, especially because Zhemaletdinov and Mukhin, who was with me in Kazanka, play there. I look, I follow them. I watch all the guys I worked with as much as I can.
— In the mid-90s, up to 20 Russians played in the Spanish Example, including you. Why is there only one now? —We probably gave results when they took us. The first players who came showed themselves and then were more willing to invite others. In addition, our team, in one way or another, constantly participated in the world and European championships. And we weren’t that expensive. Although in 1995 they paid a million dollars for me, a lot at that time. I hope to have fully returned the money invested in my development (smiles).
Perhaps now priorities have changed in Europe. The borders within the EU have been opened and footballers from other countries are no longer considered foreigners. Competition has increased.
Great interview with Ilshat Fayzullin: CSKA, Barcelona, Spain
Exclusive
“With the money from the victory over Barcelona I bought a piece of land in New Riga”
—What brought you to Leningrad? — The answer is very simple: Vadim Evseev. He talked about this project and asked if there was any desire to join it. I agreed. When Vadim was just starting his training to obtain a coaching license, he came to our academy and spoke. We have all played football before and we think the same. It’s easier to work in that combination. Now we are back to solving problems in professional and adult football. Leningrad’s goals are simple and complex at the same time: win, preferably in every game.
