Hulk, Axel Witsel, and David Bentley. Yep, David Bentley. I think it’s fair to say that at the beginning of the season, no-one would be bracketing them in the same category. And to be fair to the two Portuguese league players, their career trajectories are taking vastly different routes from the boy from Cambridgeshire.
Yet they all find themselves recent additions to the Russian top flight, transfers that have left many scratching their heads. David Bentley may not be at the peak of his talents, but for all three there is a lingering question mark over whether this is a step in the wrong direction.
But why? The rise of the Russian Football Championship and its compatriot, the Ukranian Premier League, has been relatively swift over the past few seasons and they sit 9th and 7th respectively in the club co-efficients for the Champions League. Not up to touching the might of La Liga and the Premiership just yet, but other divisions would be wise to be looking over their shoulders.
Hulk and Witsel probably represent the first two world stars plucked at their peak, but it’s a trend that is likely to continue. The raising of eyebrows at such transfers, and the questioning over player motives will become lessened over time.
Russian football is in a hurry. Massive structural advances are necessary in order to host a successful World Cup in 2018, and of course the Ukraine has just co-hosted what turned out to be a very successful Euros. With these advances and investment come better players and coaches. Fabio Capello is of course the new Russian national manager but the Championship has some other very high profile names in its top positions.
Spalletti, formerly of Roma is in charge of Zenit, Guus Hiddink at Anzi, and Unai Emery has recently taken the reigns at Spartak having previously held the managerial role at Valencia. These are big names to rival any of the top European divisions and can only bring further success.
And what of the clubs themselves? Whilst big name signings are a relatively new phenomenon, the clubs themselves should be familiar to any follower of European competition, both within the Champions League and the Europa League. It makes sense to start with Zenit, backed by Gazprom’s oil millions and flexing their muscles in the transfer market. They’re not a new force in football, having won the then named Uefa Cup in 2008, and subsequently the Super Cup with a memorable victory over Manchester United.
With a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League last season, and a group this year (featuring a desperately weak Milan) that they seem sure of qualifying from, Zenit are starting to represent one of the newer powerhouses in world football.
Shakhtar of Ukraine, also won the Uefa Cup the following year in 2009 and Spartak were in the quarter finals 2 seasons ago. Even Anzi, newcomers to Europe have started very impressively, reaching the groups to face Liverpool by thrashing AZ in qualifying. They will be a stern test indeed for the Brendan Rodgers Anfield revolution.
So we shouldn’t be looking down on Russia as being a poor cousin, and we shouldn’t be surprised with the sudden demonstration of financial might. Hulk and Witsel have made a move to a club with a recent excellent track record, and a club who can legitimately call themselves contenders to be in the final stages of the Champions League, and there aren’t many clubs out there that can say that. In years to come we may be looking back on them as pioneers for the league rather than failures for not joining a La Liga or Premiership team.
Which brings us back to David Bentley. It may be that no Premiership team wanted him or trusted his ability to shine anymore, his weary injury prone body and apparent lack of enthusiasm for the game too much a risk. Rostov are very much a mid table side, but he’s joining an exciting league which is surely better than another loan move back down into the Championship. Who knows, perhaps with a little luck we’ll one day be looking back on him as a pioneer as well.
Follow Nick Bell on @tracking_back
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