“An uneven start to the season.” Interview with Zenit general director Alexander Tserkovny
Alexander Zoteev November 28, 2023, 14:00 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
The official talks about defeats, pressure on the team and injuries.
Before the start of the 2023/2024 season, Zenit St. Petersburg looked like the favorites of the VTB United League. The team retained not only coach Javier Pascual, but also its core, and even managed to reinforce the squad. In the offseason, the team was replenished with Kyle Kuric and Boyan Dubljevic, who played in the Euroleague last season, as well as the current VTB League champion Vince Hunter.
The blue and whites convincingly won the Kondrashin and Belov Cup at home, as well as the VTB United League Super Cup. However, the start of the season was uncertain. The team lost in the first two home games, including against the debutant Uralmash, and a month later Zenit suffered four losses and four wins. After that, the club achieved five wins in a row and is now in third place in the VTB United League standings.
“Championship” spoke with the general director of Zenit, Alexander Tserkovny, about current issues.
Trent Fraser
Photo: BC Zenit
—How would you rate the team’s start to the season? – Ambiguous. We prepared well for the season, confidently winning both the Kondrashin and Belov Cup at home and the VTB United League Super Cup. Then a series of injuries began that caused negative adjustments in the team’s game. When two or three players from the starting five cannot help, it is necessary to rebuild the team’s game, look for new interactions and change what was developed before the start of the regular season. Zenit before the match against Uralmash and now they are, in fact, two different teams.
— If we remove the defeat to Uralmash from the equation, then Zenit this season lost only in matches with direct competitors for the fight for the top six: CSKA, Lokomotiv and UNICS. Yes, Thomas Ertel did not participate in two of these matches, but do these defeats put pressure on the team? “I think we underestimated a very motivated rookie who did a very good job before the season. As for the matches with conditional direct competitors, in each of them we were able to win, but in the decisive moments at the end of the game our opponents were stronger. When a team has maximum tasks, the pressure is practically constant, but most of us are used to it. The main thing is to draw the correct conclusions from any defeat so that the next time there is a victory.
—How are things going with the injured? How serious are the players’ injuries and when should they be expected on the field? “Everyone is recovering, receiving treatment and training according to an individual program. Little by little we will move everyone to general group training.
—Zenit practically does not publicize the situation of the injured. Is there any reason for this? — Our head coach regularly reports on injuries during press conferences. When you need to add any details we will inform you separately. The recovery process for players can be quite difficult, and only when intense physical activity resumes does it become clear that they are ready to return to the field.
Unfortunately, it happens that the forecasts do not match the actual recovery times. Therefore, once again we do not want to reassure the fans so as not to mislead them. For example, we expected Georgy Zhbanov to be ready to help the team a month and a half ago, we even officially announced it. However, at the last moment a hidden problem arose.
—How would you rate the performance of the team’s newcomers in the new season? It seems that in the off-season the club managed not to repeat last year’s story, when during the championship it was necessary to change foreign players. — Time will tell, but I believe in our team.
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