By David Gold at the Inside World Football Forum in Moscow
June 24 – CSKA Moscow President Evgeny Giner (pictured) told the Inside World Football Moscow Forum that Russian clubs must “learn how to make money” as the country’s Premier League looks to develop in the lead up to Russia 2018.
Giner said: “We have to make all clubs private and then owners will think how to make money, rather than how to spend it.”
Russian football is going through a series of major changes, as it transforms its domestic calendar so that the league campaign runs from July to May, rather than March to November as it does currently.
In recent years its clubs have made a significant impact in Europe, with both CSKA and Zenit St. Petersburg winning the Europa League and Russia climbing to seventh place in the UEFA Coefficient rankings.
It also faces a number of challenges, such as the perpetual scourge of racism, improving attendances and the quality of youth football.
The CSKA President did, however, insist though that Russian football is going in the right direction in its efforts to become one of Europe’s top football leagues.
“Russian football, like the country in general, is developing dynamically,” he said.
“We are only 10 years old, we are moving fast and our strides are giant.
“I am confident that we will eventually be at the top, battling with the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga.
“But many European leagues already know things we must learn.
“In Russia we are in a transition from state to private ownership.”
Giner was speaking on a discussion panel looking at the development of Russia’s Premier League in the upcoming years.
He was joined by Tottenham Hotspur executive director Donna Cullen, Premier League general secretary Nic Coward, and Russian Premier League executive director Sergei Cheban (pictured), who told the forum that Russia had good reason to be optimistic about its youth football.
“Youngsters put on shirts, not just of [Lionel] Messi, but of [CSKA goalkeeper] Igor Akinfeev,” he said.
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