Alexander Mostovoy criticizes coaches like Abascal and Musaev.

13 hours ago7 min read

In a characteristically unvarnished and passionate critique that cuts to the very heart of modern football's coaching carousel, former Russian national team midfielder Alexander Mostovoy has unleashed a damning assessment of what he terms 'non-playing coaches,' specifically targeting figures like Spartak Moscow's Guillermo Abascal and the recently discussed Murad Musaev. Mostovoy, a veteran whose career was built on technical brilliance and an intuitive understanding of the game, leverages his 'richest experience' to see right through managers he perceives as lacking the fundamental, lived expertise of a top-level player.'I speak the truth, I invent nothing,' he asserts, a statement that echoes the no-nonsense ethos of old-school football purists who view the proliferation of tacticians without significant playing pedigrees with deep suspicion. His argument is not merely anecdotal; it's a thesis on the inherent disconnect between theoretical knowledge and practical, on-pitch genius.To test his hypothesis, he proposes a brutal litmus test: place a coach like Musaev, whose resume includes stints at Krasnodar and Paris FC, into the high-pressure, survivalist cauldron of a club like Pari NN. Mostovoy predicts a swift dismissal within '2-3 months,' citing a pattern of previous departures and labeling the continued employment of others, like the struggling Shpilevsky, a 'nonsense' after all anti-records have been shattered.While conceding that exceptions exist—the occasional alchemist who somehow makes it work—he points to the revolving door at Spartak Moscow as Exhibit A. 'How many coaches have already left Spartak?' he questions, noting that despite repeated failures, these departing figures often exit with 'raised noses,' their reputations seemingly unscathed by underperformance.His most scathing commentary, however, is reserved for Guillermo Abascal, the Swiss-Spanish manager at Spartak's helm. Mostovoy’s critique transcends tactics and table positions, zeroing in on the most basic element of the sport: a relationship with the ball.'You can see how he stops the ball, how he strikes it?' he scoffs, implying that a coach's fundamental technical inadequacy is a fatal flaw that should be apparent to all, yet is tragically ignored in the modern game's obsession with data and system-based management. This perspective taps into a timeless debate in football, reminiscent of the divide between a professor like Arrigo Sacchi, who had a modest playing career, and a natural-born maestro like Johan Cruyff.Mostovoy is firmly in the latter's camp, championing the idea that the soul of football is passed down through generations of players who have felt the grass under their boots and the weight of expectation in a packed stadium. His comments are not just about two individuals but represent a broader, ideological battle for the soul of football management, questioning whether the game's highest echelons are being overtaken by theorists who lack the intuitive, almost spiritual connection to the beautiful game that only a life spent at its epicenter can provide.

#editorial picks news

#Alexander Mostovoy

#coaching criticism

#Guillermo Abascal

#Murad Musaev

#FC Pari Nizhny Novgorod

#Spartak Moscow

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