The key facts

  • Lokomotiv lost to Rubin 0:1 in matchday 14 of the RPL and sit 15th with 11 points
  • Mikhail Galaktionov left the head coach position after the defeat
  • Olga Smorodskaya blames the club's management, not the coach

Resignation after a defeat

Moscow Lokomotiv lost to Kazan Rubin 0:1 in the matchday 14 fixture of the Russian Premier League. The only goal was scored by Kazan player Yegor Teslenko in the 71st minute. After this defeat, the club decided to terminate the contract with head coach Mikhail Galaktionov ahead of schedule, and he left his post. This was reported by Gazeta.Ru.

Smorodskaya's assessment

Former Lokomotiv president Olga Smorodskaya, in a comment to Championship placed the blame for the situation on the club's management, not the coach. «I believe Galaktionov is in no way to blame for the situation with Lokomotiv. They took away his entire starting lineup and told him: 'Play at the same level with the youth.' Unfortunately, that's not how football works. Lokomotiv's problem is the wrong strategy,» the outlet quotes her as saying.

The team's position

The defeat to Rubin left Lokomotiv in 15th place in the RPL standings with 11 points. Thus, Galaktionov's resignation has already become an accomplished fact, not a plan: his contract has been terminated ahead of schedule, and the club now has to decide on its next personnel move. Sources have not yet reported who will lead the team.