Nikolai Naumov, the former president of Lokomotiv Moscow, publicly challenged the trend of bringing foreign professionals into Russian football after the dismissal of Tomas Amaral from Spartak’s sports director post. Naumov’s remarks were reported in the media and directed at what he sees as a growing pattern of outsiders entering the league primarily to profit rather than to contribute to long term development. He stressed that understanding the local culture and the rhythm of Russian football is essential for any successful management, and he warned that outsiders who lack this grounding may struggle to connect with the country’s mentality and the realities of the game. This line of thinking, he argued, risks distorting priorities and wasting resources when a club hires someone from abroad who is not aligned with the domestic scene. The exchange added fuel to the ongoing debate about how clubs should balance international expertise with homegrown knowledge, a topic that continues to shape strategic conversations around the sport in Russia. Source: vprognoze.ru.
“Well, what are they known for, other than the fact that they came to make money, that’s all. In general, these works should be abandoned long ago; Even a foreign coach cannot work, let alone a sports director who does not know Russia’s mentality or our football. This is just a waste of money,” Naumov said. His comments were delivered in a plain, uncompromising style that resonated with supporters who have long argued that leadership roles require more than credential checks. The broader takeaway is a call for careful scrutiny of recruitment practices and a reminder that success in the Russian league requires more than a glossy resume. He also noted that the real test lies in how well leadership roles integrate with local players, coaches, and fans who live the day to day realities of the game. Source: vprognoze.ru.
10 November it became clearIt was learned that Amaral, who has been the sports director of the club since the end of 2023, left Spartak with the agreement of the parties.
On November 10, Spartak defeated Akron Tolyatti in a Russian Premier League (RPL) match. Theo Bongonda opened the scoring in the first half. In the second half of the match, Manfred Ugalde and Bongonda scored 2 goals and made accurate shots. When the score was 0:4, Akron player Soltmurad Bakaev received a red card.
The red whites are in fifth place in the national championship standings with 28 points. In the next round of RPL, Spartak will host the capital’s Lokomotiv at home. The match will be played on November 23 and the starting whistle will blow at 18:00 Moscow time.
Previously Zarema Salikhova ridiculed the dismissal of the sports director from Spartak.