Vladimir Putin met the head coach of the St Petersburg Zenit football squad, Dick Advocaat, on Saturday. The two men agreed that politicians and coaches are doomed to loneliness. Kommersant's special correspondent ANDREI KOLESNIKOV believes they should have included journalists in that list. He is sure that Dick Advocaat, who was planning to go to Holland, will stay in St Petersburg.
A rainy Saturday morning in Moscow put Zenit's workout in Moscow into question. I thought the same was true of Vladimir Putin's meeting with Zenit's head coach, because it had been delayed for so long. It took less time for Dick Advocaat to come from St Petersburg to Putin's Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow than it took Vladimir Putin to walk from one building in Novo-Ogaryovo to another to meet Dick Advocaat. They did eventually meet, however, and Vladimir Putin told Dick Advocaat that he was popular in St Petersburg.
"Today is your birthday and I will present you with an album," the Prime Minister said, handing over a volume with views of St Petersburg that was thick enough to accommodate five cities the size of Moscow.
During his tenure in St Petersburg, it is unlikely that Dick Advocaat has managed to see even one-tenth of the views in the album. Indeed, if he keeps up his current work pace he might never get around to opening the album.
Vladimir Putin pushed the album to the edge of the table with some effort and motioned to his interpreter to take it away. Mr Putin was aware that the album was blocking the TV picture, arranged with such dedication and tact.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister congratulated Dick Advocaat on his birthday and his personal achievements. There were at least three of them - Zenit winning the Russian championship, the UEFA Cup and the Super Cup. The Prime Minister stressed that the coach had, of course, been highly regarded in Europe before, but his big break came when he became Zenit's coach. The Prime Minister was hinting that Zenit had been a gift to Dick Advocaat, certainly at least as big a gift as the album with pictures of St Petersuburg.
"You had never achieved the kind of results that you have in Russia," the Prime Minister told the coach bluntly and added, "Working with the club is a hard job. You have to live away from your family and travel a lot inside the country... how do you manage?"
The Prime Minister seemed to have touched a sore spot.
"It's hard indeed," the coach admitted, his eyes expressing sincere pain inflicted by the dreadful combination of two factors: having to travel a lot within Russia and living away from his family in the Netherlands.
"It is hard indeed," the coach said, "but first of all, I would like to say how much I admire you. When I was a boy people told me that I would never be successful because only tall people are successful."
Vladimir Putin was listening to Dick Advocaat very attentively.
"It was not until I came to Russia that I realized that short guys can also be successful," Dick Advocaat concluded.
Vladimir Putin gave a barely perceptible nod. Surely he could hardly challenge that statement.
Dick Advocaat admitted that he had failed to learn Russian during his stay in Russia, but this did not prevent him from communicating with the players.
"They can tell from the expression on my face whether I am pleased or not."
Again, Vladimir Putin agreed. He could not challenge that statement, especially since the coach kept comparing his work with that of a political leader. He liked the comparison. He had found out its truth at a personal cost.
On the other hand, it is unlikely that Vladimir Putin has ever had time to think about it. He simply liked the comparison.
"I have to work seven days a week," the coach continued. "Political leaders have the same lot. But with us, work is like a disease."
"I am familiar with that," Vladimir Putin admitted, caught offguard.
"Both our trades involve loneliness," the coach sighed.
"Yes," the Prime Minister replied with a sigh.
Thinking that perhaps he had distressed the Prime Minister, Dick Advocaat gave him a cheerful smile.
"I know that fans display the picture of you wearing a Russian General's uniform," Vladimir Putin said. "How do you feel about it?"
"Back in the Netherlands I worked as an assistant to Rhinos Michels," Dick Advocaat said. "They called him General. And they called me Little General."
He had to come to Russia to fulfill his ambition.
"What are your plans?" the Prime Minister inquired.
Two weeks earlier the coach had announced that he would leave his post as head coach of Zenit. It was hardly cheerful news for the people in St Petersburg and, according to Kommersant, Mr Advocaat is under pressure to stay in St Petersburg. So far he has refused to budge, but there is still one more instrument available. Could it be that we just witnessed that instrument being used? Nothing can be ruled out, considering who Zenit's supporter is.
"My folks want me to come home, the Dutchman pleaded with the Russian Prime Minister. It is a very difficult decision; I am told that we can still achieve a lot, but unfortunately I am no longer young..."
"If you live in the Netherlands, your folks will probably not see much of you either," Vladimir Putin replied.
At that moment, it hit me that the Dutchman's chances of returning to the Netherlands were slim. Putin would not let him go.
Well, that's good. Let him work for Russia a bit more...
