I. Metshin: "We want to grow a new fan"

(Kazan City KZN.RU, March 4). Mayor of Kazan, the president of football club "Rubin" Ilsur Metshin today participated in the talk show "One day with the League" at the federal sports channel "Match TV". The main topic of discussion, the participants of which were president of the Russian Football Premier League Sergei Pryadkin, CSKA president Evgeny Giner and president of "Lokomotiv" Olga Smorodskaya, was the question "What happens to a Russian football?". Program was moderated by Kirill Kiknadze and Konstantin Genich.

The participants actively discussed the change in the formula of the Russian Football Championship (from spring-autumn to autumn-spring), the subject of quality of football fields and arenas, occupancy of stadiums, buying of foreign players, support of youth football, as well as the payback of football as a business sector.

Speaking of attendances CSKA president Evgeny Giner said that many of the stadiums do not have enough infrastructure that would meet the requirements of fans. President of "Lokomotiv" Olga Smorodskaya, in turn, stressed that at the matches "atmosphere of celebration and love, rather than fight of fans" should be created. The president of FC "Rubin" Ilsur Metshin said that viewers are willing to attend sign games. "It is not difficult to invite to the "Liverpool"- I. Metshin said. According to the president of "Rubin", collecting 45 thousand spectators at a football match (that is how much the main football arena of the capital of Tatarstan "Kazan Arena" accommodates) – is  not the one day work. "We want to grow a new fan" - said the Mayor of Kazan. These, according to the Mayor, Kazan schoolchildren may be. I. Metshin told colleagues about the launch of the action "The most football class". Buying tickets for the matches of "Rubin" and visiting them, students can become owners of valuable prizes.

The presidents of the clubs discussed the topic of readiness of stadiums for renewable national championship in football. "All remaining matches until the end of the championship we want to hold on “Kazan Arena”- said the Mayor of the capital of Tatarstan. I. Metshin said that the city also has a stadium "Central" and "Rubin", ready to take the Premier League matches. "Kazan deserves applause for what is done in football terms," ​​- Evgeny Giner commented on the presence of three stadiums in the city.

One of the key themes of the program, which was actively discussed by the participants, was the development of Russian football. According to the presidents, Russia should revive the state support of youth football. "Children's football is not only academia, but also trainers, infrastructure, methods", - I. Metshin said about the need for an integrated approach to address the issue. The parties reviewed the experience of the leading European countries and stressed the importance of the problem.

Responding to the comment of the program host Kirill Kiknadze that football is a business that pays for itself, Evgeny Giner said that after numerous defeats German national team of the country began to revive public-private partnerships to support football. Olga Smorodskaya supported the colleague. "While there is nothing to do on the football business," - she said, noting that the sale of beer and work of bookmakers is banned at the stadiums. "Restrictive measures are the last day", - Ilsur Metshin said, noting that the behavior depends on the education of culture of a fan. "As a Mayor, president of the football club, I am responsible for fans," - continued the Mayor.

Club leaders also discussed the issues of performance of teams in European competitions, the presence of foreign players, transfer campaign. In conclusion, the question about the financial "fair play" was raised. According to Sergei Pryadkin, in each country the individual requirements must be. "Europeans cannot assess the state of our market", - said the President of the Russian Premier League, what was supported by other speakers.

In conclusion, Ilsur Metshin invited all program participants and its viewers for the first match of "Rubin" after the winter break. Kazan residents will play with the Krasnodar "Kuban" on March 5 at the stadium "Kazan Arena". Beginning of the meeting will be at 17.00.