Denis Klyuev: It’s great when you have many young talents

Lokomotiv youth team head coach Denis Klyuev responds to the fans’ questions during a Q&A session on the club’s VK page.

About the conditions at the boarding-school

The ratio of the boys from Moscow and other cities is 50-50. All of them come from our Academy so they are used to living at the boarding-school. Those who are from Moscow live with their parents. As for the general curriculum, we do provide it. Football is important but you have to be educated.

All the boys have been here for long and they have been to the club museum many times. They know history and the players. Besides, Pashinin and Oganesyan worked with us - the men who wrote Lokomotiv’s history.

About feeding players to the main team

Makarov and Barinov have been called up to the main team recently. Now they are with the Russia national team getting ready for the Euro-2015. Barinov has made several appearances. Makhatadze, Kipiani, and Galadzhan have good chances. If they continue to work hard and be as demanding to themselves as now, we’ll be able to see them at the main squad.

Makhatadze, Kipiani, and Galadzhan have good chances to make it to the main team

About many young talents

It’s great when you have many young talents. We can only be happy. Teams win, but only the most talented and hard-working guys make it to the first team. It has always been like that.

About the last season

The last season was a mix. We could have been higher in the table but there were some very objective reasons that did not allow us to do so. If we talk football, I hope the fans liked it. We failed only once, against Tula. We failed completely there, I admit. But in other games we tried to demonstrate good-quality play, even if we lost eventually.

We tried to demonstrate good-quality play, even if we lost eventually

About attack and Denis Anisimov’s fruitful season

We finished second and lost only to the champions. We had been the the most scoring team for a long time. So this year attack looked better than defence. We have problems up front, yes, but we’re working on them. Most important is that Denis always has chances. If he has them, we’ll improve his efficiency.

About the youth team’s coaching staff

I am assisted by Ansar Ayupov, a famous veteran, and once a Lokomotiv player, by the way. Older fans should remember him. Another former player and our Academy coach Vladimir Zelenovskiy also helps me.

About the training camp at Bakovka and the goals for the season

We’re at Bakovka because it can boast all the necessary conditions and great staff attitude - that’s all we need! We feel welcome here! As for the season goals, the final result is important. We always want to be the first. That’s why people play football. We have only one goal: a win. But the main objective is to prepare the boys for the real-life football and for the promotion to the main team.

We’re at Bakovka because it can boast all the necessary conditions and great staff attitude - that’s all we need!

About new players

We’re constantly looking for reinforcement. The main source is our own Academy. Currently there’re four boys from there with us, we’re viewing them.

About the possible meeting with fans

We’re always open to communication. Just recently there was a game between the youth team and the fans. If they want to go through that experience once again, we can do it! Of course, fans are essential to a football team. That’s who we play for.