I want to start by saying Alexander Kerzhakov is training very well and is an example for the others, he deserves to be on the pitch.There is an impression that Dundalk isn’t a good team, they are a good team, they’ve won their championship three times in a row, on Sunday they might win the cup too. They’ve kept their players and are very good physically and technically.
Their football is a good European style football, not the old British kick and rush style. Remember from the first match when their player ran with Lombaerts, he kept pace with him and the team has pace. It won’t be easy, it’s not the end of qualification, we have to play to the end. The Europa League is a special competition as is the Champions League and I want you all to know it.
How is Dzyuba’s injury?
He needs a rest and Kerzhakov is ready to play, he has had some problems recently and asked permission from the Russian manager to miss the international games and to recuperate. We have two weeks to look after some of our players, like him and Zhirkov, we’ll see, but I think he is fit and is ready for tomorrow.
What do you think of Alexander Kokorin’s call-up to the national team?
I don’t want to discuss this, let’s talk about Zenit, not the national team. He’s had some good moments, he’s playing well for Zenit and helping the team, he’ll play tomorrow.
Zenit are expected to win tomorrow, with Zenit being the top ranked team and Dundalk the lowest ranked is this a problem for Zenit?
No problem at all, they have the chance to qualify, they are a good team and played good matches with AZ, Macabbi and against us for 70 minutes. They’re well organised with a well-developed counter-attacked. In the end of our match we changed our rhythm and gave them difficulties. I expect a good match tomorrow, they have nothing to lose and Zenit have a lot to lose.
You’ve recently met with a Ukrainian agent what was this about and who will play in goal tomorrow?
We met with Vadim as he proposed some young 17 year old player from Dynamo Kiev, I saw him train and he has a Russian passport, he’s good for us so we made this transfer and for us it’s a good transfer as he wasn’t expensive.
About the goalkeeper, tomorrow Misha Kerzhakov will play. Lodygin needs some time to recover mentally after his mistakes and the criticism he’s received, so at the moment I prefer Kerzhakov.
