Zenit: Take 2 For Maradona

Hulk has been named player of the month for April in the Russian Premier Division.

Zenit are Russian Champions for the first time under head coach Diego Maradona. The Russian squad secured victory with 2 games left in hand and a total of 59 points.





A Sky Sports Analyst caught up with Maradona after the game:

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Journalist: What do you think about this year's victory?

DM: Well, the team played very well together, moved the ball around, that kind of thing. They played with fierce spirit all the time that I was here. They deserved to win.

J: What do you think about the skeptics that don't believe that your track record from At. Madrid and Argentina is good enough for Zenit and that this victory should be celebrated by the former manager of Zenit?

DM: Well, I don't know much about the old manager, but I brought a new playing style, the style that I learned when I was a player, and it has seemed to work. I think I made a great signing in Wellington Nem and am well on my way to displacing the old Zenit coach. A new style of football will be played here, this is just the beginning.

J: What are your goals for next year?

DM: I want to retain the title, win the Russian Cup, and get to the quarter finals of the Champions League at least.

J: Thank you for your time Mr. Maradona.

Congrats on the title Diego finally found his home?

He better have

Well done, will be interesting to see how you do next season too

Awesome season there Madrista! Hope Maradona found his home

congrats mate! Maradona's persistence paid off!

This is Brilliant mate, unlucky with the sacking but fantastic to get back into it.

Not doing so bad

End Of Season Update
What a Season for me, Diego Maradona. I won my first trophy as manager, but not where I expected it. I started my career off in Spain, but after some embarrassing performances, I got fired. My job hunt led my to Russia and to Zenit St. Petersburg.

I had some great success here in Russia with 14 points in 7 games in the Russian Premier Leauge. We also would score 19 goals in 10 matches under my rule. Results for the league are posted below



We would finish first with 62 points in 30 matches, 2nd place Anji were 5 points behind us with 57 points. Kerzhakov was 4th on the goal scoring charts with 17 put in the back of the net.



Zenit would make it to the semi finals of the Europa Leauge after bowing out in the Champions League Group G, which included Bayern, LOSC, and Galatasaray. We beat the likes of Fenerbahce, Sporting (Sorry Blue :P), and Metalist before losing out to Schalke, the eventual Champions by a goal.



We bowed out of the Russian Cup in the semifinals after CSKA Moscow managed to oust us on PK's. This was a big disappointment to me as I believed this was a winnable competition.



We were not very active in the transfer marker when I arrived although that will change hopefully with more cash. One big signing I did make was Wellington Nem from PSG. Nem is a young Brazilian Superstar with potential to be one of the world's best. The deal was for 11 million pounds, 3 million up front and 7 in monthly payments. I don't usually like monthly payments, but this was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.





Here are some of the biggest results from throughout Europe.









Barcelona were the winners of the Champions League.

http://i46.tinypic.com/r2s1u8.jpg
Sky Sports here, we've just learned that Zenit manager Diego Maradona had strengthened his squad in the back with the new signing of Center Back Bruno Ecuele Manga from FC Lorient. The deal was reported to be around 15 million pounds and gives Zenit a new younger leader in the back, a potential successor to Bruno Alves. He will be a starter this season, says Maradona.

Preseason Update

Zenit had a pretty average preseason and we could have won a trophy if we had played better. We did however do well on the transfer market and made some shrewd deals. Without further ado, here is the preseason.

Our first game was against Metallurg Lipetsk and was a relatively easy game. We scored first with Igor Denisov header and we never looked looked back. Axel Witsel scored another one in the 43rd minute;. The last goal was Witsel again in the 92nd minute, he calmly converted a PK.



Our second game was a hugely frustrating game against FC Istres, a French Side. The D was pitiful and no matter how many goals we scored, it just was not enough. We struck first with a Skirokov finish in the 21st minute before an immediate equalizer came from Barillon of Istres in the 23rd minute. Our new signing Manga scored a head ball off a corner kick before yet another equalizer in the 51st minute. They would score 2 more before we scored a consolation goal in the 81st minute, from Danny.




Our third game was a straight forward match against a better french side than Istres, OGC Nice. This time we were really solid, getting our first goal in the 11th minute from free signing Hubschmann. We followed our first goal with an Axel Witsel goal in the 38th minute. They pulled one back a goal in the 88th minute with a direct finish from Bosetti, but Axel Witsel would not be stopped, the next minute he beat 2 guys before powering a hit past the keeper.



Our 4th game was in the Russian Super Cup against Rubin Kazan, a great test for the season.




What a disaster it turned out to be. Wellington Nem, our new signing from PSG got us off to a roaring start with a powerful finish in the 3rd minute. From there, it all went downhill. In the 9th minute Solomon Rondon beat our keeper while a 32nd minute goal for Rubin would give them the lead. It looked like we would go into half time 2-1 down, but a Cristian Ansladi goal in stoppage time would put the game out of reach for us. But it wasnt over, Rondon scored again in the 61st to increase our misery. That is how the preseason would end for us, in heartbreak.



We were active in the transfer window this summer with some key captures.

The first was Wellington Nem, a fast Brazilian superstar who can play anywhere in the Attack. His versatility makes him a great option for any top team and it was a bargin to take him from PSG for only 11 million pounds. He would score his first competitive goal at Zenit against Rubin in the Russian Cup.



Our next signing was Bruno Ecuele Manga, a center back from Lorient. The 24 year old provides great physicality in the back as well as great heading. The Youngster is a leader already and is a bargain for 15 million pounds.



We also brought in Thomas Hubschmann, a Czech center back to provide more depth. He was brought in on a free.



We also sold Alexandr Bukharov, a striker not needed at the club, to CSKA Mosscow for 3.5 million pounds.





We made 34 million pounds in June and our financial report projects us to improve our financial status in the coming months, so some good news there.

Sky Sports Here, we've just learned that Diego Maradona has signed young striker Diego Rocha on a free. Rocha looks to have decent potential and is a no risk signing for Maradona.

Sky Sports here again, another one of Maradona's coups. It seems like the board has arranged the transfer of Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ocha for 7 million pounds. The Mexican will be first choice as the 2nd choice keeper is 34.

Yeah, Ecuélé Manga and Nem. Nice m8;)
Keep it up