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Goal.com Profile: Diniar Bilayetdinov
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Diniyar Bilyaletdinov - Lokomotiv /
Photo: goal.com
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Not since the days of Andrei Kanchelskis has Russia been
blessed with a midfielder gifted with both silky smooth ball skills and
a cool, calculating footballing brain. At the age of only 22, Diniar Bilayetdinov
captains Locomotiv Moscow, and has quickly become a regular for the national
side. Goal.com looks at his career in more detail...
Early Years
Born on Februrary 25, 1985 to Tartar parents in Moscow, Diniar Rinatovitch
Bilayetdinov, was a tall, ungainly child. His upbringing was very much
football-orientated - his father, Rinat, also played for Locomotiv Moscow,
and internationally for the then USSR.
Bilayetdinov Senior, also a midfielder who played in both the Russian
and Czech leagues, made sure that his son was given a good sporting education,
and his father believes that the time young Diniar spent in the former
Czechoslovakia was instrumental in shaping him as a football player -
his father says that Bilayetdinov Junoir was always more interested in
spending his time honing his skills on the football pitch with his brother
than going to school, wherever he was.
When Rinat Bilayetdinov returned to Locomotiv as a coach, Diniar joined
the Locomotiv Moscow youth set-up. Although his father was highly-respected
at the club, there were few accusations of nepotism from those who saw
Diniar in training, and in action in youth games. He demonstrated proficiency
in all aspects of the modern midfielder's role: crossing ability, tackling,
dribbling, positioning, and he also had a rocket of a left-footed shot.
Locomotiv Moscow
A short time later, the youth coaches were sent running to then-manager
Anatoly Byshovets with glowing training reports, and it was not long until
Bilayetdinov, still only 19 years old, was promoted to the first team
squad. His first season was 2004, but he instantly become a regular in
the Locomotiv First XI. His impact on the Russian league, too, was immediate,
with Bilayetdinov's skills taking all manner of experienced, senior full-backs
by surprise.
Byshovets was astounded with the maturity of the teenager. Although naturally
a left-footer, Bilayetdinov seemed to be able to play anywhere across
the midfield.
He seemed equally at ease when asked to play on the left side of the midfield
four, on the right, or in the centre - in either the holding role or a
more advanced position.
Bilayetdinov started an amazing 24 league matches in his first season
as a professional, proving an astute passer of the ball, with an uncanny
ability to find team mates in the final third of the pitch.
But that was not all - he hit five goals in the league to help his side
win only their second ever Russian Championship.
His astonishing skills made him an immediate hit with the Locomotiv fans,
who nicknamed him "Billy", as his name, even for Russians, is
somewhat of a mouthful. The media, too, were also in a frenzy over Bilayetdinov,
many journalists calling him the "future of Russian football".
He was named among the top five best footballers in the country in 2004,
narrowly missing out on the Player of the Year award to his teammate Dmitry
Sychev, but he swept to the Young Player of the Year award.
The teenager also raised eyebrows in European competitions the following
year, figuring in all four of Locomotiv's Champions League games in 2005,
with his side finishing third in their group, and then he also went on
to play in all of Locomotiv's UEFA Cup matches.
His side went on to win both the Russian Super Cup and the CIS Cup in
2005, but Locomotiv finished third in the league this time - though with
Bilayetdinov now a first-team regular, and a key part of the Locomotiv
midfield. In recognition of his leadership skills, incredible popularity
with the fans, and his footballing intelligence, he was handed the club
captaincy.
Russian National Team
After having proven himself on the domestic stage, Russia coach Yuriy
Semin decided to hand Bilayetdinov a chance at International level, with
the then 20 year old playing with all the maturity of an international
veteran in a 1-1 draw against Latvia.
Since then, coaches have come and gone - Semin, Borodyuk and, most recently,
Guus Hiddink have all been in charge of team matters, but Bilayetdinov
has remained a regular in the team set-up.
Now, in Hiddink's new-look Russian national team, he has
become a part of the young core of the team, along with other talented
youngsters the likes of striker Dmitry Sychev and CSKA Moscow goalkeeper
Igor Akinfeev.
Bilayetdinov was a regular in Hiddink's ultimately successful Euro 2008
qualifying campaign, where he was Russia's best player at Wembley in England's
3-0 win, and where he netted his first International goal, scoring an
equaliser in the 2-1 loss against Israel in the final qualifying match.
The Future
Bilayetdinov has been the subject of a great deal of speculation concerning
his future recently, as it has become clear that a talent such as his
is bound for greater things than the Russian League. There was talk of
him joining Avram Grant's set-up at Chelsea in the January 2008 transfer
window, or even moving elsewhere in London, with reports suggesting Arsenal
have also been tracking his progress.
However, the player has poured hot water on the idea of a move this winter,
saying that he doubts that he would be any more than a fringe player at
a superclub like Chelsea, where international midfielders are already
at a premium.
Instead, he says that he would prefer to wait until the European close
season of 2008 before deciding his future.
And indeed, waiting for a few months longer might seem like a shrewd move
on the part of Bilayetdinov. He is a cult figure at Locomotiv, the captain
of his club side, and an integral part of Hiddink's plans for Euro 2008.
Diniar may rightly believe that it would be better to wait and see if
his stock rises any more in the shop window of the tournament in Austria
before rushing into a long-term decision on his future.
Individual Honors
Russian Young Player of the Year 2004
Tim Alper
Goal.com,
03/12/2007
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