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In his interview to the official web-site Vladimir Dzhubanov, Senior Coach of Spartack-96, informed about his return to the native club, summarized performance results of his team in Moscow Winter Championship and shared expectations relating to Spartak Cup international junior tournament to be attended by his mentees already in a week.   

- When in the autumn Sergey Yurievich Rodionov called me and offered to work at the Academy I responded positively without a moment’s hesitation, Vladimir Vyacheslavovich recalls. – I got down to work reverently and gladly, as I had taken my initial steps in football at Spartak, I had been taught everything I can here. Now I’d like to transfer my own knowledge baggage to the new generation of Spartak footballers.   

- How did acquaintance with the team proceed?

- Initially it was uneasy, as guys are 17 years old, they are approaching adult football, each of them has already formed as a personality. It has taken quite much time to get an insight of everybody, to identify an individual approach, to understand what is he on the football field. I think, the adaptation period has completed successfully: I’ve got a coherent picture of each player and of the overall team, the guys have got to know me and understood my requirements.     

- The first tournament, where you participated with Spartak-96, was Moscow Winter Championship, where your team came third. How do you evaluate the team performance in these competitions?  

- I would grade our performance "good". There is much room for development. The third place isn’t the limit. In olden times, when playing for Spartak school, I used to fight for the first places only, therefore I try to persuade my mentees to win. I’d like to note, that the team had struggled for silverware to the utmost, in the last round against Locomotive everything hinged on us, but we failed. I’m glad that the team has got a strong character: it stands high to drag out a game when losing ground 0:2 to Central Sports Army Club in the away game, but my mentees demonstrated they were capable to achieve that and scored two goals after the halftime. But one needs to play from the first minutes, and not when the opponent has kicked goals twice.      

- Over the recent weeks your team hasn’t participated in test matches, why?

- We have taken a time-out deliberately, so that the guys become football-sick and let off all their energy and steam in the tournament. We have been working intensively, seeking to eliminate any shortcomings in our play; we have been training on the field, where the tournament will be held. The team will participate in two warm-up matches prior to Spartak Cup. In Wednesday evening we’ll play in the manege with US Olympic United, and in Saturday afternoon we’ll conduct a sparring match on the open field with Meteor team from Balashikha.          

- In what condition have five footballers of your team returned back from the disposition of Russia national junior team?

- The national team members have returned back in excellent condition, as they had got through to the final round of European Championship, and I’d like to convey them my sincere congratulations. Currently the guys feel inspiration, and I guess the team will benefit from this. It would be rather difficult for them to move from the natural cover to the artificial field, but we’ve got time for adaptation. The coaching staff counts on each of them, and, fortunately, all of them have returned back without any injuries.  

- Will goalkeeper Anton Mitrhyushin assist the team in this tournament?

- Yes, we count on Anton as well. According to the latest information, he will join us on April 7, after Spartak junior team match in Rostov-on-Don. By force of circumstances currently Mitryushin is subject to a very serious load, because immediately upon arrival he made his debut in the red and whites’ subs, as two his colleagues had been injured, this week he will travel to Rostov, after that he will participate in matches with strong opponents in the tournament. Anton is one of team leaders, and I’m convinced his involvement in Spartak Cup will be helpful for us. However one shouldn’t disregard two other goalkeepers – Yuri Scherbakov and Dmitry Lytkin, who are in superb tonus.      

- What can you say about the opponent teams?

- Our opponents represent Academies of the strongest clubs in Europe. In terms of the entry list composition Spartak Cup deputizes last year’s group of Champions League that is added by English and Ukrainian teams. As the teams represent different countries, each of them will have its own playing handwriting, its own style. I presume, the competition will be exciting both in terms of game content and tournament fight intensity. 

- What is team’s state of mind relating to Spartak Cup? 

- Certainly, the state of mind is combative, because this tournament is an opportunity to show our own level in matches with the strongest teams. We’ll adjust our state of mind depending on each opponent, because Spartak Cup system is such that much will depend on each game. Moreover, surely, the matches will be closely observed by club management and coaching staff of the substitutes, and as many of our guys have been included in latter’s entry form, this fact will whip up our footballers.   

- Please, tell us about tasks formulated for the team in this tournament.