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GINER SET TO REACH THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMIFINAL
CSKA president Evgeniy Giner visited Sport Express
office on Saturday and summarized the Russian Premier League season-2009.
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Evgeniy Giner Photo SPORT EXPRESS
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The interview with the Sport Express office guest - CSKA
president Evgeniy Giner - lasted for record two and a half hours, as he
shared his thoughts about the finished season.
"This year was transitional for CSKA, since many youngsters came
to our team and we changed two head coaches", said Giner. "And
of course the most pleasant thing was our progress to the Champions League
first knockout round".
"Frankly speaking I am not very disappointed by the fifth place in
the standings this season, mainly because we rejuvenated the lineup considerably".
"We are used to talk about Alan Dzagoev as abut leader of the team
and we forget about his age".
"Our leaders Vagner Love and Yuriy Zhirkov left the club, Krasic
had a bright season. Akinfeev, the Berezutsky brothers, Ignashevich, Aldonin,
Semberas stayed with us and these experienced players help youngsters
establish in the team".
"However to say that I am not upset by the fifth place would be wrong,
though we really deserved it".
"CSKA advanced in the Champions League campaign mainly due to our
successful performance in Manchester and even in Wolfsburg we looked pretty
well. Maybe players lacked power in the concluding 5-10 minutes of the
home clash against United".
"I think that experience of those players, who played in the Champions
League for a long times, desire and passion of our youngsters are the
main factors which helped us achieve success this time".
"Both Alexey Berezutsky and Sergey Ignashevich are first-choice players
and their absence in the match in Istanbul was a big loss for us. But
the team can't consist of eleven players, and CSKA didn't fall down".
"We will need to reinforce the roster regardless our participation
in the Champions League campaign. I would prefer if we are tipped against
one of top-clubs, because it seems to me that it's possible to play against
such team as equals in the two-round tie. We need to compete with them,
however it would be impossible to level with their high class".
"I think that we will keep all our leaders in the squad at least
until summer break, though everything could happen. I talked to Milos
Krasic and he told me that he is not going to leave us until summer and
I suppose he is right. If he shines at the World Championship, he will
get even more offers".
"We acquired defender from Russia and very ambitious striker from
the other country, I can't say if we manage to get him in winter, but
we will definitely do it in summer".
"The striker is not from European country, but he plays in European
championship. I have no right to unveil the name of Russian defender until
20 December, while foreign forward's club needs to make the final decision".
"We settled all details concerning these players and I hope that
their names will be unveiled by the end of the year".
"I haven't talked to Vagner Love about his return to Moscow, but
I know that his problems, which made him leave CSKA, have almost been
settled down".
"His contract had an option, which allows him return in winter and
he must do it in summer".
Sport
Express Daily, 14 Dec 2009
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