The Russian Premier League has returned and is set to witness an 18-month battle for the title. With Russia about to change to an autumn-spring calendar, in order to move into line with most of Europe’s other leagues, the season will run from 2011 to the spring of 2012.

The last campaign proved once again that a sensible and successful transfer policy could go a long way towards boosting a side’s title challenge and it was therefore little surprise to see Zenit crowned as 2010 Russian Premier League winners.

Zenit sold almost all the players who brought fame and silverware to the club in 2008, when winning the Russian league, UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Players like Andrei Arshavin, Anatoly Tymoschuk, along with coach Dick Advocaat, were the driving force of the club. But Italian coach Luciano Spalletti masterminded a successful formula last season, producing close to perfection in St. Petersburg. Going 21 games unbeaten in the league at one stage last year, it could be easy to forget that the 2010 title was only Zenit’s second. Few would back against them adding another this year.

CSKA Moscow finally, after Valeri Gazzaev’s departure, found their groove again last season and their young team is also experienced. The Moscow side will be tested by their participation in the Champions League, and this could put extra pressure on their domestic campaign at a crucial point. CSKA’s reputation for fighting hard for points remains undiminished and they can be expected to be there or thereabouts when the 2011/12 campaign is wrapped up.

Deposed champions Rubin Kazan are likely to bounce back hard. A very distinctive club, with many nationalities making up the playing squad, Rubin nevertheless know how to follow their coach’s instructions to the letter. When the side won their second consecutive title in 2009, but could not make a breakthrough in Europe, some sections of the Russian press dubbed the side “one-day lucky champions”. Boss Kurban Berdyev has proven though, over the last three years, that Rubin must be considered amongst the country’s heavyweights. While this position will not be given up easily, Rubin do not boast the same financial backing as some other sides.

 

Over at Spartak Moscow, the club’s performance looks set to depend on their charismatic coach Valeri Karpin. Karpin is ambitious to create a new competitive Spartak, as the club is but a shadow of that which used to dominate Russian football. While the coach is a beginner, he does have his strengths and is able to set up his side in a solid and disciplined way.

However, the former Russia international has struggled to unite his players in one single system and there are many areas of the side that need strengthening. But while this might mean the title is a little out of reach, Spartak’s players have shown the willingness to go that extra mile for Karpin, and this was a major factor behind last season’s fourth place finish.

Lokomotiv Moscow ran into serious financial difficulties last season and thus played under the burden of court cases and off the pitch antics. In this atmosphere, when players were thinking about anything but football, even the return of their much-loved coach Yuri Semin could not enable a title challenge to be put together. Semin did rally the troops though and Lokomotiv claimed fifth, meaning a Europa League spot, but is now coaching Dynamo Kyiv. Lokomotiv have made an interesting signing in Senijad Ibricic, but how the Bosnian will perform in Moscow is anyone’s guess.

Spartak Nalchick have always been one of two teams, along with Terek Grozny, that play only for pleasure. Nalchik used to be a side capable of surprising in the first half of the season, and then falling harmlessly away. However, limited financial means has meant Nalchik have been squeezed, and lasting the pace still looks too much to ask. An eventual finish of sixth last season looks unlikely to be repeated as the Northern Caucasus side cannot afford to add the quality their squad needs. Fans hope for European football, but in truth this is too much for Nalchik to manage against the clubs with vastly superior budgets.

Dynamo Moscow managed a series of good results at the beginning of the new millennium, but recently have been slipping down the league. This shows no sign of stopping despite signing Zvjezdan Misimovic from Galatasaray to boost their attacking options. Dynamo’s poor tactical set-up often leads to their season’s ambitions quickly needing to be downgraded and this looks likely to be the case once again as the side have not impressed observers with early indications of their play.

Further down the Russian Premier League and it is a familiar story with several clubs striving to break through to the elite group at the top of the table. Tom Tomsk, FC Rostov, Anzhi Makhackaka, Terek Grozny, Krylia Sovetov Samara and Amkar Perm can be expected to battle for those spots from eighth down to fourteenth, which last season was separated by just seven points, showing the relatively equal strength of these sides.

The likely top sides in this pile, from Tomsk and Makhachkala, will be something of a surprise for Russians given that these are smaller than competitors from larger population centres.

Another surprise for the Russia came in the form of Ruud Gullit and his arrival at Terek Grozny, taking over as head coach of this, often considered semi-professional in many ways, club. While Gullit has not been hugely successful in the dugout there is hope that the Dutchman will be able to change the mentality of the Chechen side and inspire his charges to reach European football. For the former Chelsea manager this is not an easy task.

Also bidding to make a splash are a small team from the equally small town of Makhachkala, where local side Anzhi pulled off a major coup in signing veteran Brazil and Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos. The left back attracted much attention when joining his new side at their training base in Turkey and was quickly joined by forward and countryman Diego Tardelli as Anzhi try to battle their way to the top of this group of hopefuls.

Alania Vladikavkaz and Sibir Novosibirsk suffered the pain of relegation last season, and while this appeared a quite normal event, Alania, after quickly falling behind, managed to catch Amkar Perm, with both sides picking up 30 points. Alania however were chopped due to a disparity in won and lost games. For a club which treated every match as a cup final, the outcome was nothing short of a disaster.

Three new clubs have appeared in this season’s Premier League – Volga Nizhny Novogorod, Kuban Krasnodar and FC Krasnodar. With Saturn losing their spot in the top flight, and indeed their existence due to final problems, FC Krasnodar were handed an unexpected promotion, leaving fans from this town in the North Caucasus rejoicing at their elevation.

This season’s big unknown is just how the long campaign, due to the shift to a European-style system, will play out. The end of the 2011/12 season will be similar to that witnessed in the Dutch Eredivisie, with the top eight clubs struggling for spots from first to eight, and the last eight or six sides playing survival matches to decide relegation. The next 18 months therefore look set to ensure a memorable campaign, with thrills, spills and heartbreak along the way.