Author: Andy Potts

Russian side Sibir Novosibirsk have scored a coup by appointing Alex Miller as their new coach. The Scot has worked with Rafael Benitez at Liverpool, but will find Siberia very different.

Anzhi Makhachkala have called time on Gadzhi Gadzhiyev’s reign and are focused on a star to fill the void. Guus Hiddink has been mooted, as veteran defender Roberto Carlos fills in.

Anzhi Makhachkala are determined to build a team to win not just the Russian Premier League, but the Champions League too. To that end an array of stars have arrived, with more to follow. But there has been criticism of their approach at home.

Ruud Gullit’s sacking as Terek coach may deprive the Russia of glamour, but there seemed no alternative. And his departure bore a resemblance to his exit from Newcastle.

The RFU’s decision to move the Russian football calendar may appear superficial. Yet, the seasonal shift may go a long way towards changing the country’s footballing landscape.

Lokomotiv Moscow were expected to challenge for the Russian Premier League this season, with club legend Yuri Semin masterminding the title charge. Things haven’t gone quite as planned though.

Zenit St. Petersburg are leading the way in Russia and the signing of two of Rubin Kazan’s most impressive performers seems to suggest they will take some stopping.

Torpedo Moscow are a famous name in Russian football, but to say their status sunk in the past few seasons would be an understatement. They are on the rise again though, under Sergei Pavlov.

North Korea have had a rollercoaster World Cup and played so well against Brazil. However, bizarrely a Russian communist group has claimed they were nobbled.

Following a poor start to the new Russian Premier League season, Dynamo Moscow decided to call time on the reign of Andrei Kobelev. Chiefly to blame appears to be a real lack of a cutting edge