Goal.com, India
Sept 27 2012
Armenian striker Yura Movsisyan’s life has gone full circle as he
stars in Russia
The attacker decided not to wait for his U.S. citizenship, but his
agent says a return to Major League Soccer in the near future is a
real possibility despite success in Europe
27-Sep-2012 3:20:00 PM
By Frank Dell’Apa
Yura Movsisyan was good with his family’s move to California. He was
12 years old, and, after moving from his birthplace in Baku,
Azerbaijan, to various places in Europe, Movsisyan was getting used to
relocating.
After settling in Pasadena, though, Movsisyan was thinking he could
stay close to home to compete in MLS. But being selected by Kansas
City in the MLS draft meant Movsisyan would be on the move again.
Two seasons with the Wizards. Two-plus seasons, including an MLS Cup
title, with Real Salt Lake. Two seasons with Randers FC in Denmark.
Now, Movsisyan, 25, is in his second year with FK Krasnodar, and
leading the Russian Premier League with eight goals in nine matches.
Movsisyan’s impressive start to the season is setting up some
interesting scenarios. Russia’s big clubs – Anzhi Makhachkala, Dynamo
Moscow, Lokomotiv, and Zenit Saint Petersburg – have expressed an
interest in Movsisyan. At this pace, Western Europe is also going to
be taking notice.
But Movsisyan is not automatically going to pack up and go to the
highest bidder. Partly because that bidder might well be right where
he is. Krasnodar players earn plenty, thanks to club president Sergey
Galitskiy, an Armenian-Russian business magnate.
`They haven’t been in the mood to sell him and they certainly have the
resources to keep him,’ said Patrick McCabe, Movsisyan’s agent. `The
question is, is he going to stay in Russia? That’s difficult to answer
right now, because salaries outside of Russia are much lower. And he
has added more value to this club – when they paid $3.5 million
(2.7m) for him they didn’t have high expectations, and he has
outperformed them.’
McCabe returned this week from a meeting with club officials after
watching Movsisyan knock in two goals in a 6-1 victory over Mordovya.
`They are going to make a strong effort to keep him,’ McCabe said of
Krasnodar. `At the same time, the money you can earn in Russia is
beyond what can be made with some [English] Premier [League] clubs.
He’s 25 now and he knows he doesn’t have a long career, so he wants to
make the most of it and do what’s right for his family. He wants to
play in the Champions League or Europa League, but it’s also a
business decision. This is a job he has to do for himself and his
family.
`He took a big risk when he went on a free transfer from Salt Lake to
Denmark. That’s when he put himself on the map.’
Movsisyan was a 22-year-old starting striker back then, alongside
Robbie Findley, as Real Salt Lake won the MLS Cup title in 2009.
Movsisyan scored eight goals in 2009 bringing his overall tally to 20
goals in 83 appearances for Kansas City and RSL. Movsisyan turned down
what McCabe termed `a strong effort to keep him’ by RSL, going to
Randers FC.
Movsisyan soon committed to play for Armenia’s national team, just
before Krasnodar was gaining promotion. There were unusual
circumstances – Krasnodar had finished in fifth place, but
higher-placed clubs could not meet first division standards. Krasnodar
needed a striker and Galitskiy tapped into his Armenia connections to
recruit Movsisyan.
So, Movsisyan’s life has gone nearly full circle, as he moved to
Krasnodar, near the Black Sea, less than 1,000 miles from his
birthplace in Baku.
Last season, Movsisyan hit 14 goals in 37 appearances as Krasnodar
finished in 10th place.
`I knew if I came in and scored goals things would be good for the
club and myself,’ Movsisyan said in a phone interview. `And now, for
me as footballer, a soccer player, basically I’m scoring and I’m used
to scoring goals.
`It is very competitive. There are world-class teams and there are
good strikers playing in this league – Aleksandr Kerzhakov [Zenit],
Roman Pavlyuchenko [Lokomotiv]. Any of them could be the top
goalscorer, so I am happy to be on top alone. It’s enjoyable to see,
especially playing in a club like this, which is a new club.
`I would say I am getting extra attention from teams. I’m playing well
and they know who I am and my ability. Every game I try to be more
precise with my chances. Maybe, before, I would get three or four
chances and score one. Right now, one or two is enough to score.’
This could be a breakthrough season for Movsisyan. He has displayed
potential since emerging as a 17-year-old playing for Arsenal FC in
Los Angeles. The next year, after performing for Pasadena City
College, Movsisyan became the No. 4 pick in the 2006 MLS draft.
In his first season with the Wizards, Movsisyan produced 0 goals in 10
appearances. Movsisyan had five goals in 18 games before being sent to
RSL in 2007.
`No one predicted he would have come as far as he has,’ McCabe said of
Movsisyan. `His game has developed over the past two years, playing on
the national team, Euro qualifying – I think he got a regular run of
games. The first year, he didn’t play at all in Kansas City. Only in
Salt Lake did he get regular playing time, and even then he wasn’t
starting every game because Findley and [Fabian] Espindola were there,
and that frustrated him.
`At Randers he played January to December, basically the full game, 90
minutes, every game, and with the national team. His confidence was
high. He played as a lone striker with Randers and Armenia, and they
were not that strong, offensively, and so they play on the break. And
that suits his strengths. His hold-up game has improved, he’s
developed his finishing. He always had speed and one-on-one ability.
But a lot of people didn’t think Yura would pan out – he showed
flashes of speed and strength, athleticism, but was he going to be
consistent enough? His goals to games ratio was not that great.
`He had to put it all together and, now, his maturity as a person has
helped. When he was young he was prone to frustration and wanted to
play all the time. He didn’t understand what he needed to do.’
Fate, politics and socio-economics have taken Movsisyan on some long journeys.
The Movsisyan family moved to the U.S. seeking asylum, which was not
approved until Movsisyan turned 19. Before that, Movsisyan `was a
person without a state – he didn’t have a passport, only a refugee
travel document,’ McCabe said.
But Movsisyan was all right with staying in southern California for
football and he was planning to play for the USA.
Then came the draft. Chivas USA would have selected Movsisyan with the
fifth pick, according to McCabe.
`(Former Chivas coach) Bob Bradley was a big fan of his,’ McCabe said.
Bradley then became national team coach. But Movsisyan lost patience
awaiting citizenship and also felt the pull of his homeland.
`Definitely, I did have a chance to play for the U.S., it was a matter
of time,’ Movsisyan said. `But I just decided I wanted to play for
Armenia, just because I like to represent my country, and I think
Armenia could use help, they could use my services a lot more than the
U.S. That’s why it was the right decision to play for Armenia.’
Movsisyan’s wife and two children, could someday re-trace the steps
which brought him to the U.S.
`Yura’s an adventurer,’ McCabe said. `He’ll go where the interest is.
He’ll take a risk and he bets on himself – he doesn’t lack confidence.
He would like to come back to MLS, and not too late in his career.’
But stability is not a bad idea, either. The Russian league is healthy
financially. The Winter Olympics will be held at nearby Sochi and the
country is preparing for the 2018 World Cup.
`For weather, this is probably one of the best places in Russia,’
Movsisyan said. `Of course, with the Olympics and World Cup, things
will definitely progress and cities will become more developed and
things will get better. There will be newer buildings. Right now, it’s
pretty nice just because the football is going good. No complaints at
the moment.’
Armenia is placed in a difficult World Cup qualifying group and will
meet Italy in Yerevan October 12.
`We’ve got a win and a loss, which is not too good,’ Movsisyan said of
qualifying.
`But we have a very young team and these games against Italy, Denmark
and the Czechs are just going to make us better. It’s a good group and
a talented group of guys. Now, everyone has a chance in football –
football is so diverse and any team can beat any team at any time.
“Playing at home gives us a boost. There will likely be a lot of
people in the stands cheering us on. We want to make a good showing
but we can’t forget they were a finalist for the Euros.’
From: Baghdasarian