[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"football-site-config":3,"world-cup-status-en":27,"news-detail-gazprom-chief-reveals-why-zenit-chose-semak-over-foreign-coaches-after-mancini":43,"news-related-gazprom-chief-reveals-why-zenit-chose-semak-over-foreign-coaches-after-mancini-en":75,"news-related-match-gazprom-chief-reveals-why-zenit-chose-semak-over-foreign-coaches-after-mancini-en":26},{"adSlots":4,"affiliateMode":5,"brandName":6,"contentStrategy":7,"currency":8,"friendLinks":9,"homepageLayoutKey":10,"leagueFocus":11,"locale":12,"planVisibility":13,"seoDescription":14,"seoTitleTemplate":15,"siteCode":10,"siteName":6,"siteType":10,"subscriptionMode":5,"timezone":16,"id":17,"tenantID":18,"primaryDomain":19,"countryCode":20,"logoUrl":21,"faviconUrl":21,"theme":22,"seoKeywords":24,"status":25,"ads":4,"focusLeagues":26,"affiliatePolicies":26},[],"shared","Football Prediction Platform","scores_predictions","USD",[],"main",[],"en-US",[],"Football fixtures, results, free predictions, subscriptions, and clearly labeled partner links.","{page} | Football Prediction Platform","America\u002FNew_York",323900000000000000,1,"football.easytestdev.online","US","",{"primaryColor":23},"#1677ff","football predictions, football fixtures, football results","active",null,{"active":28,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueImagePath":31,"seasonId":32,"seasonName":33,"startingAt":34,"endingAt":35,"daysToStart":36,"daysToEnd":37,"phase":38,"includeQualifying":28,"hostCities":39},true,"326135624916537344","World Cup","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fleagues\u002F1.png","326255613308833792","2026\u002F2027","2026-06-11","2026-06-28",2,19,"upcoming",[40,41,42],"Mexico City","Monterrey","Zapopan",{"article":44},{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":45,"category":46,"excerpt":47,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":48,"leagueId":49,"leagueName":50,"matchId":51,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":52,"slug":53,"sourceName":54,"sourceURL":55,"teamId":56,"teamName":57,"teamIds":58,"teamNames":66,"title":74},"In a revealing interview featured in the documentary series 'Zenit Forever,' Gazprom chairman Aleksey Miller shed light on the pivotal decision that shaped the future of Zenit St. Petersburg. The club's leadership faced a critical juncture after the departure of Italian manager Roberto Mancini, and the choice of his successor would define a new era for the blue-white-sky blues.\n\nMiller disclosed that within the club's upper management, there was a deeply ingrained belief that Zenit required a foreign head coach to maintain its competitive edge. This philosophy had guided previous appointments, but Miller himself held a contrasting view. He observed that the pool of available and effective foreign coaching talent was diminishing rapidly, a trend that concerned him about the club's long-term strategic planning.\n\nThe Gazprom chief expressed his personal disagreement with the prevailing sentiment at the club. While the boardroom consensus favored an international appointment, Miller advocated for a different path. His perspective was rooted in a practical assessment of the coaching market and a belief in the potential of domestic expertise to lead one of Russia's most prominent football institutions.\n\nUltimately, the club moved in the direction Miller supported. Sergei Semak was appointed as the head coach of Zenit's first team in 2018, a decision that marked a significant departure from the club's recent tradition of hiring foreign managers. Semak, a former Russian international player, stepped into the role with the task of building upon the foundations laid by his predecessors.\n\nThe results of this appointment have been nothing short of historic. Under Semak's leadership, Zenit has achieved an unprecedented period of dominance in Russian football. The team has secured the Russian Premier League championship title for six consecutive seasons, a streak of success that has solidified Semak's legacy and validated the decision to entrust him with the managerial reins.\n\nThis sustained success in the Mir Russian Premier League has demonstrated the effectiveness of the club's strategic shift. The move away from the perceived necessity of a foreign coach has proven fruitful, with Semak's deep understanding of the club, the league, and Russian football culture contributing to a golden era for Zenit.\n\nMiller's comments provide a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the internal debates and strategic calculations that occur at the highest levels of football club management. The decision to appoint Semak was not merely a coaching change but a philosophical shift in how Zenit approached its leadership structure, one that has been rewarded with a remarkable run of domestic trophies.\n\nBased on reporting from Чемпионат.com.","news","Gazprom chairman Aleksey Miller explains Zenit's decision to appoint Sergei Semak as head coach following Roberto Mancini's tenure, highlighting the club's shift from foreign to domestic coaching talent.","327754222760103937","326135625054949376","Premier League","0","2026-05-07T08:23:15Z","gazprom-chief-reveals-why-zenit-chose-semak-over-foreign-coaches-after-mancini","Championat","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.championat.com\u002Ffootball\u002Fnews-6459374-aleksej-miller-raskryl-pochemu-zenit-naznachil-sergeya-semaka-posle-roberto-manchini.html","326257796423094272","Russia",[56,59,60,61,62,63,64,65],"326257611768860672","326222707169431552","326257539962376192","326257545754710016","326257546392244224","326257554411753472","326257556324356096",[57,67,68,69,70,71,72,73],"Zenit","Anderlecht","Como","Newcastle","Nottingham Forest","Newcastle Jets","Newells Old Boys","Gazprom Chief Reveals Why Zenit Chose Semak Over Foreign Coaches After Mancini",[76,106,134,159],{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":46,"excerpt":77,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":78,"leagueId":49,"leagueName":50,"matchId":51,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":79,"slug":80,"sourceName":81,"sourceURL":82,"teamId":83,"teamName":84,"teamIds":85,"teamNames":95,"title":105},"Pierre Sage is set to join Crystal Palace after leading Lens to Coupe de France glory. Sporting director Jean-Louis Leca must now find a successor and reshape","338193111534538753","2026-06-05T03:15:00Z","pierre-sage-to-crystal-palace-what-it-means-for-lens","L'Equipe","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FPierre-sage-sur-le-depart-jean-louis-leca-le-directeur-sportif-de-lens-va-avoir-plusieurs-chantiers-a-gerer\u002F1681831#at_medium=RSS_feeds","326257536443355136","Lens",[83,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94],"326255037950988288","326257535952621568","326257572367568896","326257602382008320","326222711447621632","326257536049090560","326222712726884352","326222711682502656","326257844615647232",[84,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104],"Crystal Palace","Marseille","Le Mans","Vitesse","France","Nice","Cape Verde Islands","England","Ajaccio","Pierre Sage to Crystal Palace: What It Means for Lens",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":46,"excerpt":107,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":108,"leagueId":49,"leagueName":50,"matchId":51,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":109,"slug":110,"sourceName":111,"sourceURL":112,"teamId":113,"teamName":114,"teamIds":115,"teamNames":124,"title":133},"Chris Wood's serious knee injury clouds New Zealand's World Cup hopes as the All Whites face Iran, Egypt, and Belgium in Group G.","338128485845307393","2026-06-04T23:01:18Z","new-zealand-s-2026-world-cup-bid-wood-injury-a-major-doubt","The Guardian","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Ffootball\u002F2026\u002Fjun\u002F05\u002Fnew-zealand-world-cup-2026-team-guide","326222713104371712","New Zealand",[113,63,116,117,118,119,120,62,121,122,123],"326257595583041536","326222712622026752","326257808754348032","326257660145963008","326222711976103936","326222712013852672","326222712265510912","326222711401484288",[114,71,125,126,127,128,129,70,130,131,132],"New Caledonia","South Africa","Northampton","Motherwell","Australia","Iran","Egypt","Belgium","New Zealand's 2026 World Cup Bid: Wood Injury a Major Doubt",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":46,"excerpt":135,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":136,"leagueId":49,"leagueName":50,"matchId":51,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":137,"slug":138,"sourceName":111,"sourceURL":139,"teamId":140,"teamName":141,"teamIds":142,"teamNames":150,"title":158},"Spain 1-1 Iraq: Yamal injury concern as eight debutants feature in World Cup warm-up. Torres gave lead but Doski's long-range stunner equalized. Depth tested.","338113367510093825","2026-06-04T22:04:33Z","spain-1-1-iraq-what-yamal-s-absence-squad-rotation-mean","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Ffootball\u002F2026\u002Fjun\u002F04\u002Fspain-iraq-friendly-international-match-report","326222711653142528","Spain",[140,143,144,145,146,147,60,148,149],"326257593141956608","326257565195309056","326222711908995072","326222713142120448","326222712819159040","326222712395534336","326257565233057792",[141,151,152,153,154,155,68,156,157],"Chattanooga","Barcelona","Mexico","Canada","Iraq","Norway","Atletico Madrid","Spain 1-1 Iraq: What Yamal's Absence & Squad Rotation Mean",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":46,"excerpt":160,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":161,"leagueId":49,"leagueName":50,"matchId":51,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":162,"slug":163,"sourceName":164,"sourceURL":165,"teamId":166,"teamName":167,"teamIds":168,"teamNames":177,"title":186},"NI's youngest post-WWII side (avg age 22.1) beat Guinea 1-0 with Atcheson scoring and sent off, while Morrison debuted, showing grit before facing France.","338103552524161025","2026-06-04T21:18:17Z","ni-record-youth-side-show-grit-22-1-avg-age-beats-guinea","BBC Sport","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fsport\u002Ffootball\u002Farticles\u002Fc7v9ve8415mo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","326257664243798016","Northern Ireland",[166,169,170,171,172,86,173,174,175,176,90],"326257791738056704","326257545918287872","326257545968619520","326257808385249280","326257807630274560","326257664713560064","326257664403181568","326257808158756864",[167,178,179,180,181,96,182,183,184,185,100],"Guinea","Liverpool","Arsenal","Sheffield Wednesday","Southampton","Luxembourg","Gibraltar","Blackburn","NI Record Youth Side Show Grit: 22.1 Avg Age Beats Guinea"]