The Rostov football club mentor Valery Karpin shared his take on last season’s standout coach in the Russian Premier League, weighing in on the awards and the players who shaped the campaign.
It should be recalled that Vladimir Fedotov, the head coach of CSKA Moscow, was named the season’s best coach. In a candid reflection, Karpin suggested that perfection in coaching is hard to quantify and that the real measure of greatness rests with results and consistency rather than flights of fancy or elaborate explanations about schedules. He expressed respect for those who finished in the top two, saying that the best are evident to those who follow the sport closely. He added that the selection process is a mix of opinion and performance, and with no universal taste, people inevitably differ in their judgments, which is part of the sport’s charm, according to sports24.
Speaking more broadly about the season, Karpin acknowledged that the best coach award did not go to him. He noted that the criteria are not merely subjective, and that the most accurate gauge comes from teamwork outcomes on the pitch rather than external factors. In his view, coaches who managed to secure high league standings deserve recognition, and he pointed to the coaches who guided clubs to strong finishes as being especially valuable in the broader context of Russian football, per sports24.
In the season just completed, Rostov finished fourth with 53 points from 30 matches, a strong placement that highlighted the team’s consistency and competitive spirit throughout the campaign. Rostov faced a demanding schedule, confronted a range of tactical challenges, and benefited from strategic leadership that helped stabilize the club during a rigorous year of football. The league title went to Zenit, who captured the championship for the fifth time in a row. CSKA Moscow finished second, while Spartak Moscow took third, underscoring a competitive top tier and indicating the depth of talent across Russian football.
Karpin took the helm at Rostov in March 2022, marking the beginning of a modern era for the club. He had previously served as Rostov’s manager from 2017 to 2021, and his relationship with the club has continued to influence its style and performance. Beyond his duties at Rostov, Karpin has taken on responsibilities within the national team setup, contributing his experience to Russia’s football program on the international stage, as noted by observers and outlets covering the sport, including sports24.
Prior to the season’s close, Karpin spoke about a notable meeting with Artem Dzyuba, the capital’s renowned striker who had spent time with Locomotive and has long been a focal point in discussions about Russia’s forward line. The exchange highlighted Karpin’s ongoing connections within Russian football and his perspective on how players and coaches interact across different clubs. The dialogue underscored a recurring theme in the league: the interchange of ideas and the shared pursuit of success across teams, as reported by sports24.