"We have a lot of things left unsaid, we'll have our say"

A pre-season press conference of the Gazprom-Ugra volleyball club with the participation of General Manager Vladimir Kondusov was held at the Premier Arena Sports Complex, head coach Alexander Gorbatkov and team captain Dmitry Makarenko.

About team update

Alexander Gorbatkov: The team before the current season has changed half of the composition, in the current realities, this is a serious change. For, so that the game is stable and corresponding to the level of the Super League, need time. We spent two months together, need a little more, to understand, who can lead the team today, who is capable of what. In Kazan, at the preliminary part of the Cup of Russia, did some shooting, have an understanding, there is a composition, with whom we will roll into the championship.

Vladimir Kondusov: We have changed connecting players, this is the basic line. Our pupil Maxim Kirillov was added, Vadim Ozhiganov, Vsevolod Abramychev - a fusion of youth and experience. hope, what should be a good result.

About goals and objectives

Alexander Gorbatkov: We want to win every match. One of my good friends said: I don't see the point in playing in the championship just to keep the place, don't fly out. There must be a maximum result for each match. This does not mean, that we have championship ambitions, but we will fight in every game. Will add as the season progresses.

Vladimir Kondusov: Our minimum goal is the playoffs.

About the Russian Cup semi-finals

Alexander Gorbatkov: In our semi-final group Peter, Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod. These will be good matches., we'll see our strength with our grands, we will see, what are we capable of.

Vladimir Kondusov: Today the federation must decide on the venue of the semi-final stage in our group. Peter and Surgut claim. Approximately the same conditions, but if Zenit resolves the issue with Sibur Arena, he will be given priority, naturally. If not, then we can take the semi-finals. (As it became known after the press conference, the semi-finals will be held in St. Petersburg - approx.. aut.)

About the first game in the championship

Vladimir Kondusov: Absolutely nothing is canceled, not transferable, the team will fly to Moscow tomorrow, from there it moves to Belgorod by train. We play there on the second.

About the captain's role

Dmitry Makarenko: my responsibility is the training process, follow the team, for everything to be fine. All in all we're all captains in the dressing room. I'm just old, probably, gave me this badge, and so we have equality. Sometimes to cheer someone up, direct, prompt - this is the leadership of the captain.

Vladimir Kondusov: Most of the guys spoke in favor of Makar. He has the spirit of leadership, so it's trust, provided by the players themselves.

About the first home game

Vladimir Kondusov: We play the first home match in the second round, 9 October, with Kuzbass. Good, that all covid restrictions, who tied our hands very much, canceled. We invite all our friends, fans, Surgut - welcome! It is possible to organize departure of fans by buses to Nizhnevartovsk for the third round. The main thing is that people have a desire. Who to contact? To me.

About the failed legionnaire from Africa and personnel policy

Vladimir Kondusov: Mamadou Seydou is a Senegalese player, played the last two seasons in Serbia, in a team, ranked fifth in the national championship. His agent suggested we take a look at him.. It was a huge shock for the player, when he found out, that we have minus forty, him and our plus 15 seemed incredibly cold. He trained with us for only three days., so we decided to look at him in Kazan.

Alexander Gorbatkov: He looks good, at a certain level, but, to invite a legionnaire, he must play in the squad and be a leading player, make a result. And we have our own pupil Pavel Tebenikhin in some ways even better.

Vladimir Kondusov: We still have the opportunity to add two legionnaires. We are not in a hurry, there are experienced people, have their own youth: Maxim Kirillov, Ivan Skvortsov 2005 the year of birth, one of the best players for his age, there is still an opportunity to take a Belarusian player. We are still looking.

This year we have assembled the most experienced team of players in the Super League, hence the question of recovery. Together with Alexei Samoylenko, a strong trio turned out, what will they do, if there are failures, we will look for someone. And we have crazy competition.: three liberos, three binders, in the center everything is good in our opinion, old people, just so that they don’t let us down.

About conditioning and motivation

Dmitry Makarenko: We always recover well. I have not had a single serious injury in the last three seasons. (knocking on wood). Here the cup matches were worn out, six games in seven days. too heavy, microtraumas were. But in general, they approached the championship in good condition after the training camp in Surgut - here the stadium was, and forest, and playground. But, of course, better play one game, than ten times to work out. cup revealed, what is work, there were positive moments, were negative. In general, the condition is not yet one hundred percent, but the first two or three rounds will show, what are we capable of. We got guys, who have a lot to say, I think, that together we will still have our say.