Anzhi Appoint Scottish Manager
News has broken this morning that Anzhi Makhachkala are to appoint former Scotland international Jamie McLachlan as the Club's new manager at the Club's training base in Moscow this afternoon.
Chairman Kerimov stated it was McLachlan's progressive ideas and will to succeed that got him the post and that he had "every faith" in the Scots' ability to do well in Russia and lead Anzhi to glory on man fronts.
When McLachlan was presented to the media he spoke in detail of how the move came about, how he feels about the present Anzhi and where he intends to take the Russian side which was only born 20 years ago.
"I sit here today as the new Manager of Anzhi Makhachkala, a club with great promise. When I was approached by Suleyman to take on the role of Manager, my knowledge of the Club and it's background was minimal. However, after reading an article in the football magazine "FourFourTwo" I was interested to hear more of Mr. Kerimov's ambitions for Anzhi.
"Following a meeting in person and over video technology with the owner, in which we discussed at length how we would work together to ensure we reached ours and the Club's ambitions, which are very similar, I agreed to become the Club's new manager.
"Right now, with the funds available to the Club and the progress made since Mr. Kerimov took over, Anzhi are stuck in a mid-transition phase of development. Much of the old regime remain in the shape of playing and non-playing staff whilst the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Roberto Carlos and others are part of the new regime. Due to Russian Premier League rules, it will be extremely difficult to bring the club out of this level in one transfer window as we have to supplement the squad with around 70% Russian players, with many top Russians being at club's like CSKA Moscow, Lokomotiv, Zenit and the like.
"Despite the financial power available, it would idiotic to try and prize top players away from these clubs in order to strengthen our own as we would only be strengthening our rivals own spending power at the same time. Due to this, I will be, in harmony with Mr. Kerimov, looking to improve the Club's youth production and set-up to ensure we are bringing through our own players, native players, to take the Club to the next level.
"At this moment in time I will work closely with the Club's staff to ensure we can ensure the best performances as possible and the hard work will begin immediately."
With only a month to go until the season begins, McLachlan has much work ahead of him but he promised the Club's supporters that they will be ready.
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