Four Four Two - UK (2020-11)

FourFourTwo November 2020 81

Promoting Dagestan and its people was at

the heart of Kerimov’s project, according to

former boss Gadzhiev.

“Kerimov told me that he didn’t want to

bring in expensive foreign stars just so they’d

play, get their millions and leave,” he says.

“He wanted them to be mentors to our own

young footballers. The idea was to make the

Dagestanian players better, and it must be

said that the foreigners knew their mission

and took it very seriously. I once told Roberto

Carlos that he didn’t need to attend training,

but he said that he wanted to be with the

team. Eto’o was also a magnificent leader

and an example to others.”

With Russian Premier League rules stating

that at least four Russian players had to be

on the pitch for a team at any given time,

Anzhi built a local backbone. National stars

such as ex-Chelsea man Yuri Zhirkov were

also acquired, but young Gadzhibekov was

regularly partnered in central defence by the

more seasoned Makhachkala-born stopper

Rasim Tagirbekov. In midfield, both Kamil

Agalarov and Shamil Lakhiyalov featured

often. Anzhi aimed to bring through more

Dagestanian youngsters from an academy

that was supposed to be built and nurtured.

“Fans treated local players as extremely

lucky guys who somehow got to play with

the stars, but they also demanded them to

be at their best,” says Batyrov. “Lakhiyalov

always said the supporters were bound to

blame the local lads for defeats.”

Any losses were unexpected, as Anzhi were

recognised as a force in Russia.

“We really believed that we would become

champions,” admits Gadzhibekov. “We just

needed time to achieve that goal, because it

was a new team. There was little doubt that

Anzhi would be Russian champions, because

Kerimov did absolutely everything to make it

happen. When Anzhi were top of the league,

it was completely normal – even the players

themselves almost took it for granted.”

As Russia switched from a spring-autumn

season to autumn-spring, 2011-12 lasted

a year and a half. Eventually, Anzhi finished

fifth and sealed a spot in the Europa League

second qualifying round – although only after

much managerial upheaval.

Gadzhiev was sacked in September 2011,

replaced temporarily by his assistant, Andrei

Gordeyev, and team talisman Roberto Carlos.

“We’ve already talked about trying to sign

players like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard or

Robert Pires,” the Brazilian brazenly declared.

His stint as joint-boss was short-lived: two

months later, ex-Lokomotiv Moscow coach

Yuri Krasnozhan penned a five-year deal. He

quit six weeks later. And so, in February 2012,

Kerimov turned to Guus Hiddink, a legendary

manager and hugely popular figure in Russia

after the Dutchman led their national team

to the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

Anzhi’s 2012-13 campaign began strongly.

Playing in Moscow, they sailed through their

Europa League qualifiers, keeping six clean

sheets against Honved, Vitesse and AZ, and

beating Hiddink’s countrymen 5-0 in Alkmaar.

In the group stage, they downed Liverpool in

Russia after a narrow defeat at Anfield, while

a seven-match winning streak meant they

topped their domestic league in mid-October.

Optimism was soaring: the title was within

reach and Champions League football looked

to be just around the corner.

But such dreams were hardly built on solid

foundations. Despite recruiting Willian from

YURI ZHIRKOV

The Chelsea left-back

made a €15m move to

Anzhi in 2011, then got

pelted with a cigarette

packet while playing for

Russia as CSKA Moscow

ultras bemoaned him

going to their nouveau

riche enemies. Zhirkov

stayed there until the

exodus, when he, too,

hot-footed it to Dynamo

as part of the quietly

undisclosed package.

MBARK

BOUSSOUFA

The Ajax graduate was

a promising winger at

Anderlecht when Terek

Grozny circled in 2011.

When that transfer fell

through, Anzhi swooped

in with an €11m deal.

Boussoufa amassed 87

appearances before the

Eagles made their crash

landing and bagged an

estimated €15m for his

services from Lokomotiv.

LACINA TRAORE

Traore – who had been

linked with Liverpool –

lit up Anzhi after arriving

in 2012. The Ivory Coast

international managed

17 strikes in his only full

campaign, including the

solitary goal which sunk

the aforementioned

Reds in Russia. Everton’s

future loanee actually

stayed put until January

2014 as Anzhi decayed,

then Monaco stepped in.

JOAO CARLOS

The centre-back was

a comparatively cheap

buy from Genk after

Anzhi spotted him in

a pre-season friendly.

He was there for the

whole crazy ride after

moving to Russia amid

interest from Schalke,

racking up the best part

of 80 appearances for

the Dagestan outfit

prior to joining Spartak

in the summer of 2013.

OLEG SHATOV

Shatov was seen as one

of Russia’s rising stars

when Anzhi fended off

competition from CSKA

to recruit him in 2012 –

indeed, Fabio Capello

handed him his maiden

international cap while

he was at the club. He

made 51 outings for the

Eagles before Zenit took

advantage of their woes

and now, aged 30, plys

his trade for Rubin Kazan.

JUCILEI

The Brazilian was hot

property at home after

impressing early on at

Corinthians, convincing

Anzhi to splurge €10m

on him in February 2011.

Twice capped by Brazil

by then, the defensive

midfielder went on to

hit 100 games for Anzhi,

having remained until

January 2014. At that

point, he transferred

to Al Jazira in the UAE.

A nZHI

MAKHACHKALA

AnZHI HAD TO TRAVEL 1,000 MILES FOR HOME MATCHES,

BUT, SAT In FIRST CLASS, THEIR PLAYERS DIDn’T MInD

Words

Mark White