The chairman of the HFR High Council Sergey Shishkarev told in an interview to Handballfast author Nikolay Spirchagov about expectations from the upcoming men’s Super League season.
— I am aware of the offseason results, I payed particular attention to the competitions in Stavropol and Brest. Probably, the performance of CSKA players at Belgazprombank Cup is the most remarkable.
Of course, sometimes it takes long to harness, but then they ride fast, still it was unacceptable to loose 11 balls from their former team mate (the right back Dmitriy Kiselev changed CSKA to Zenit this summer and helped the club from Saint Petersburg to win with a score of 32:30 in a recent meeting — Handballfast). It draws attention, when a well-known to the team player scores so much.
— Are you pleased with the fact that HC Zenit didn’t only become a part of a sports Gazprom family, but, probably, is also ready to fight for the highest awards?
— I’ve been dealing with this project for five years and it is most pleasant to complete it at last. I consider handball acceptance to Zenit family to be a matter of life in Saint-Petersburg. I wish the club victories, I want the team to fight for the gold. The more candidates for top-3 we have, the better.
I want to say once again, that in the absence of international component at the moment, and it is important to create intrigue in our competitions and attract audience with a sparkling play.
— Is a meeting with the leadership of Gazprom concerning handball issues planned in the foreseeable future?
— The company fulfills all the undertaken obligations, increases the financing of the club, so HC Zenit is able to engage strong players. I suppose, the team should show good results with such line-up, so, probably, this meeting will take place after the first success.
— CSKA will defend the title. Zenit is a new candidate, but there is another club Chekhovskie medvedi, left without gold…
— The ambitions of Vladimir Salmanovich are well-known (Maksimov — Handballfast), it’s an additional intrigue in the championship, I hope to see it. Once again, it will be very interesting for everyone, if several teams fight for the trophy!
Photo: the HFR press
