Advocaat is ‘angry and disappointed’.

Apologize for my long absence; and very briefly, in two words about the last 4-5 months: after the 1st half of Russian season Zenit is on the 6th place with 23 points (+6=5-4), with last year champion Rubin and 4 Moscow clubs above in the table.
After the winter transfer of Arshavin to Arsenal we then lost Danni (Portugese playmaker is out for the season due to injury), Timoschuk (the captain left for Bayern Munich), Pogrebnyak (has just signed for Stutgart).
Dick Advocaat has already reached an agreement with Belgium federation and is leaving Zenit after the end of this season. Sports director Sarsania also left Zenit in winter (now he is a coach of last place club Khimki), and one week ago Igor Korneev was appointed as a new sports director, – Korneev at the same time is Hiddink’s assistant in Russian national team.

And during the yesterday briefing Advocaat has surprisingly made very tough and critical statement, see the video:

Part1

Part 2

If you don’t want to watch all 20 minutes, briefly the main points:
‘I am very angry and disappointed, and don’t know exactly what I have to do with this situation. It’s the first time in my life when the club has bought me players without my permission. There’s nothing about the players, of course, it’s all about Korneev.’
‘When I saw Rosina on the video (Zenit completed the signing of Alessandro Rosina from Torino few days ago) I said no, we don’t take him, we need strikers. I was interested in Pandev, in Guerrero. But I have the feeling that the club is listening to the other people, not to me. I think we have proved in the past that we only do the best for this club, so I cannot live with the situation when the new person, who has just arrived to Zenit 1 week ago, can decide – together with the club – about the player whom I don’t want. So I don’t want to work with Korneev anymore.
May be, the club wants this sports director to be the coach later, don’t know. But for me it’s unbelievable and strange situation what the club has done.’
‘We have lost three top players, so we need other top players, not average.’

What do I think personally? I am on Advocaat’s side, and absolutely don’t like the way how the club management is doing the business.

Whatever will happen next, I am sure every Zenit’s supporter will always be grateful to Mr Advocaat for his work during all last years. And it would be quite disgusting if the current club management, current president would say goodbye to this great specialist in this way, making everything for Advocaat to leave Zenit in bad mood, angry and disappointed.

As for the tomorrow game vs. Saturn, of course we all know that the team, the coaching staff are professionals, and will do everything for achieving a good result – despite all these events, statements, states of mind and states of grace.

Category: Zenit Team News