The Russian football world on Saturday evening mourns the untimely death of Konstantin Sarsania. The best specialist in breeding issues in the country, a famous sports functionary and coach, died at the age of 50. The cause of the tragedy was a detached blood clot, the football agent confirmed.

“This is very unexpected and sad news,” he admitted. “We talked to him the day before yesterday, everything was fine,” he added. -

There are different people in football, Konstantin has always been an extremely positive and polite person.”

The Russian Football Union clarified that Sarsania’s death occurred in one of the hospitals in St. Petersburg.

“He was the most famous and authoritative person in the football world,” says a special communiqué. — He himself played excellently for Soviet and French teams, worked in various clubs as a coach, manager, and sports director. In 2010, he was an adviser to the president on sports issues. He was a bright, positive, open person and a professional in his field.”

The Russian Football Premier League paid tribute to Sarsania with a photo of a burning candle.

“Konstantin Sarsania will be remembered by everyone who knew him as an open, positive and friendly interlocutor, a great professional and an excellent person,” follows from the organization’s obituary. — The Russian Premier League expresses its deepest and sincere condolences to the family and friends of Konstantin Sergeevich. We are with you in this difficult hour. Be strong."

In 2006-2008, he worked for the St. Petersburg club, and very successfully: the blue-white-blues successively won the Russian Championship, the Cup and the Super Cup.

A little later, Sarsania held a similar post in Dynamo Moscow, of which he was a student. During his presidency of the RFU he was his adviser.

In addition, Sarsania is known as a licensed FIFA agent, TV commentator, head coach of the capital's Sportakademklub, Khimki near Moscow, Voronezh Fakel and Lithuanian Atlantas.

Following the Zenit website, which was one of the first to report the death of a club employee, Lokomotiv expressed condolences through the official portal.

“As a versatile person, Sarsania learned about football and realized himself in different capacities - player, agent, coach, functionary. He was often called the best in his business, says the railway workers’ publication. — We express our deep condolences to the family and friends of Konstantin Sergeevich, the football club.

The Dynamo press service recalled the milestones of the deceased’s career related directly to the blue and white team.

“Sarsania was from that group of the Dynamo school (born in 1968), which then gave the football world four future famous football players and coaches - also , and ,” Dynamo emphasized. — Sarsania completed the Dynamo double, was on the way to the base, played six matches for the first team, but all unofficial. Then there were various clubs in Russia and France, agent and coaching activities.

Sarsania returned to Dynamo in 2009 as a sports director. He is responsible for Kevin Kuranyi's transfers, returns, etc.

Konstantin Sergeevich left our club in December 2010. Recently he worked as the sports director of Zenit. We will remember him as a positive person with a great sense of humor, a true professional in his field. Condolences to the family and friends of Konstantin Sergeevich.”

At Atlantas, to which Sarsania gave the last five years of his life, they also named the cause of death of the ex-mentor - thrombosis in the lung. They said here that this week the specialist visited Klaipeda again and attended the match of his former team with Suduva.

Sarsania was also remembered by those teams in which he never officially worked, but collaborated as an agent.

“Throughout his entire life, Konstantin Sergeevich was a great professional in his field and made a great contribution to the development of Russian football,”

- written on the Rostov website.

“Fakel”, Perm “Amkar”, ... also considered it necessary to express condolences to the relatives of the functionary.

“Unfortunately, the person to whom I owe the move to Zenit has died,” the Portuguese, one of the best foreign players in the history of Russian football, wrote on Instagram. “Yesterday I spoke to him on the phone... I’m shocked!”

“This is a very sad event for the entire football community, tragic for family and friends,” another blue-white-blue veteran commented on what happened on the same social network. -

This man made a very big contribution to the development of Russian football, to the victories of Zenit. And the current successes were achieved with the help of his professionalism, experience and work.

Personally, I could express my deepest gratitude to him. During difficult times for me - in 2002 and in 2005-2006 - he was the person with whom I consulted about my career elsewhere. He managed to bring objective information to me, for which I am also grateful to him - I spent my entire life in the same club. His experience and advice were useful to me. Although he was not officially my agent."

A sports journalist, former press attaché of the Russian national team, who in the early 2000s worked together with Sarsania at national championship matches as a co-commentator, posted on his Facebook page a photo of the functionary from the time he first came to Zenit.

"Goodbye my friend. Loved you very much,” he captioned the photo.

A well-known former coach, and now a deputy, joined in the condolences and recalled that in 1989 Sarsania played for him in Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz).

“I also remember him from the Dynamo Moscow double,” he told SE. “Kostya is a respectable, professional person; you could always rely on him. He served football all his life..."

Other news and materials can be viewed on the chronicles, as well as in the sports department groups on social networks

APARTMENT

- Do you see the stairs?

The father of my good friend, an 80-year-old professor of sports medicine Sergey Konstantinovich, meets me at the door. Indicates a flight of stairs. The steps are just steps, nothing special.

I trained my son myself, putting on a belt with five kilograms of sand. He had to cover this span in two upward leaps...

I shake my head - I wouldn’t have signed up for two jumps myself. It would be good if three would be enough.

- Did Konstantin grow up in this apartment?

Certainly! Where? I once miraculously bought it. Kostya was still in his mother’s stomach. Do you know how you earned it?

- How?

In 1967, he went to Mexico as a doctor for the USSR weightlifting team. Athletes were in full swing, bought here and sold there. But I didn’t know anything, I just moved from Tashkent to Moscow. But the athletes taught me: “Seryoga, buy three Zenit cameras. You’ll sell them in Mexico.” It cost 360 rubles. You can’t find it yet - only through the plant in Krasnogorsk!

- A lot of money.

And I, a candidate of sciences, have a salary of 90 rubles. Another ten extra for the degree. I barely scraped enough money for one camera, and the athletes carried 3-4. They were paid more than a thousand rubles for each record. And also Valerka Frolov, European boxing champion, taught me: “Take a balalaika. It’ll go away easily!”

- Did it go away easily?

The way he sold it was also a circus. The Great gave the address and password: “Ask Senor Alvarez”... In a word, I earned one and a half thousand rubles from one camera. My mother-in-law added 500 rubles, my mother added 500. 400 rubles were not enough for the first rent payment. Nobody gives! TO Jabotinsky I go - he answers: “I have everything on a three percent deposit.” Batishchev: “I just lent it to Grisha Kochiev for the Volga.” Do you know who helped out?

- Who?

- Chazov(a famous cardiologist, in the late 80s he was the Minister of Health of the USSR. - Note "SE")! My wife worked with him and was friends with Evgeniy Ivanovich himself and his wife Lida. He gave 400 rubles. He said, “Give it back when you can.” We returned it after two months. Otherwise we wouldn’t have this apartment. That's why his portrait is still on my shelf.

Sergei Konstantinovich SARSANIYA is the father of Konstantin Sarsaniya. Photo by Yuri GOLYSHAK, "SE"

CHURCH

I see Chazov’s portrait in the hallway - and the room is filled with photographs of Konstantin. Here with his sister, here with a ball, here he smiles at some of his thoughts...

Sergei Konstantinovich hands me something:

Here you go.

I look closely - a tiny paper icon. Signed - Saint Cyril, from the Danilovsky Monastery.

My son always carried it, along with other icons, in his breast pocket and never left it.

But this one,” he points to the large one, in the frame, “was brought by our Abkhaz relative, the abbot of the monastery in New Athos, Father David. Here in some newspaper they wrote about the “Georgian line”. So there is no Georgian line. Abkhazian!

If I hadn’t traveled all over Abkhazia last summer, I wouldn’t have realized how big the difference is.

- Was Kostya a believer? - I ask for some reason. Although I know the answer very well.

Very! Kostya got this from his mother. She has become heavily involved in religion in recent years. I often visited the very Church of the Deposition of the Robe where Kostya’s funeral was held. It was her mother who liked her for something. Then she baptized us all in it - me first, then Konstantin and his wife and Tanya. The son of this church has helped a lot with money since he played in France. Not long ago he donated two million to gild the dome; two columns inside the church were completely rebuilt with his money. It is located right next to the Shabolovskaya metro station - stop by and talk to the rector, Father Alexander. He and Kostya were friends. It was he who performed the funeral service for him on the day of the funeral.

- Kostya was buried next to his mother.

Yes. We bought this place a long time ago. I thought I’d lie down there myself - but this is how it turned out... We could have buried him at Troekurovsky, or at Vagankovsky. They offered to help us, buy a place. But they decided that he should be buried next to his mother. Kostya is absolutely his mother’s son. Not only are they very similar in appearance. They had a very strong connection on some internal level. They loved each other very much.

Konstantin SARSANIYA, Roberto MANCINI, Oreste CINQUINI (from left to right). Photo by Alexander FEDOROV, "SE"

BEEPING

I still can't believe his death. It seems that if I dial the number known throughout the football world, starting with “136”, I will hear a voice.

I tell my father about this - he silently takes the phone. Presses the button:

Here, I have him written down as “Sonny”. Nobody will answer.

The handset responds with long beeps.

Nobody is answering.

I notice a piece of paper on the table. For some reason, the candy wrapper was preserved and smoothed out. Lord - yes, there is a portrait of Constantine on it!

Yes,” the father grins. - This is also a memory. Kostya was recognized as the best coach in Lithuania in 2014. The candies have been released.

Candy wrapper with the image of Constantine Sarsania. Photo by Yuri GOLYSHAK, "SE"

FRIENDS

Someone is ringing at the door.

And these were my son’s closest friends who arrived. They will also tell you something. Won't they bother us?

- Well, what are you talking about?

They were with him from his youth until his last days. My son generally communicated well with people. He never considered himself superior to others and knew how to make friends. I never considered the people who worked with him to be servants. Kostya gave everyone nicknames! So, Vova Tunkin, with whom he played in the Moscow double team, first nicknamed him “Tunkenbaev”. Soon the nickname shrank - it became “Baev”. Then simply - “Bah”... Wherever Kostya worked, he took Vovka with him everywhere as his second coach. And Sasha Martynenko, who is from Chimkent, called him “Kazakh”.

- How are you?

I was his "Peps".

- Why?

Well, how should I know? He called his sister “Tsitsitronix”, “Osya”, his daughter - Nadison. Sometimes he added “square garden”. He could simply call it “Nadyusonchik”. His driver was “Serge”, his nephew was “Pioneer”... The only one left without a nickname was his mother.

LITHUANIA

The guys enter the room and hand over some old newspapers with Konstantin’s interview. Voronezh, Lithuanian...

- So how did the trouble happen to Kostya?

The guys will tell you now, but first I will,” says Sergei Konstantinovich. “He’s been dragging his left leg lately.” I thought there was something wrong with my spine. The discs are moving. A chiropractor, Candidate of Medical Sciences, lives nearby here. He had been working on his back for a long time, and his son believed him very much. Almost immediately I went to his house. The last time everything happened in this apartment. I spread out the sheet and he adjusted something for Kostya. The leg wouldn't let go. I couldn’t stand it anymore, I said: “Son, we need to have an operation!” - “No, dad, Borisych will do everything for me - and it will become easier.”

- It turned out that it’s not in the back?

Yes. Kostya died from someone else. I went to Lithuania - that’s where it all started. The guys will tell you, they know. They brought me a Lithuanian newspaper - in it Kostya seems to be saying goodbye to this country...

- So did you love her?

Yes. He really liked it there. And there he had a beloved girl, Roberta. And in those days we went to a game there - against Sudova. Tell me guys.

“I let Konstantin Sergeevich go to Lithuania for a few days,” Tunkin enters into the conversation. - So as not to go to Makhachkala for the match. Do you know why?

- Why?

Because there are a lot of friends there. Everyone is trying to feed, pouring food. But Kostya didn’t need it at all. On September 30, we met at a St. Petersburg hotel and went to the base. There he and Fursenko talked - and he and I went by car to Lithuania. Kostya wanted to rest a little. Breathe the sea, the climate there is wonderful.

- Did you limp?

Yes, I noticed. Kostya waved it off: “Come on, it’s nonsense. Maybe thorns. From the back.” We spent the night in Palanga, and in the morning after breakfast we walked along the sea. Kostya said that you need to walk for 45 minutes, no more than one half.

- Did he have a house there?

No, I always lived at the Vetra Hotel. A “luxury” was assigned to him. We had excellent relationships with everyone - from the director to the waitresses. He was adored! Then I noticed that his calf muscle was swollen. In the evening I went to see our friend...

- Former torpedo pilot?

Not only. How could a sports director go to both . Together with . He told me this himself.

- In St. Petersburg, his schedule was tight.

I ended up at Zenit - I had to sign 30 contracts right away. Can you imagine what kind of hellish work this is? No horse can stand it! He practically lived on airplanes.

- They said the blood clots were caused by the number of flights.

Including this! His girlfriend is related to medicine, she kept saying: “Kostya, you need to take aspirin and wear tight stockings on the plane.” Those who have high coagulability should definitely wear stockings. Maybe the last flight played a role. Who knows? And before that I flew to Argentina...

2010 Alexander BORODYUK, Konstantin SARSANIYA, Evgeniy GINER. Photo by Fyodor USPENSKY, "SE"

ARGENTINA

We’ve flown to Argentina before,” Vladimir adds. - Before Zenit, there were many invitations to work as a coach in Europe. Two Belgian clubs, a Portuguese and one South African team. Before that they called me to Bahrain. There was actually a crazy invitation - all the teams came under his leadership. Their selectors watched Atlantas matches. They liked Kostya’s approach to youth, French style...

-Where does French come from?

We still have "Akademika" And "Sportacademclub" there were two coaches from France - a former sports director Christian Laurier And Sanchez Daniel. This one actually played with, and is now working somewhere in Africa. They outlined the training process for us for six months. All dosages. Sergeich said: “Do you know why the French took this path?” Do you know?

- No.

I’ll tell you from his words - the French created a football institution in their country after they beat the Germans 3:1 in the semi-finals of the World Cup, but lost on penalties. When Schumacher broke Battiston. We developed a methodology. Soon the generation became world and European champions. Kostya worked using the same method. In 2005, these two Frenchmen came to us with a program. And Konstantin himself had a fantastic eye for the player.

- Did he still want to be a coach?

Yes. Lived it. He said: “Now we’ll win everything with Zenit, and then I’ll coach again. But in Europe. So that one day I can come to England.” I remember asking him: “Are there many more transfers?” - “Yes, now we need to sign another central defender, an Argentinean. Then it will become easier.” This is what we were talking about.

- When did you fly to Argentina with him?

- What's the funniest thing that happened to you there?

We are sitting at the hotel for breakfast - air conditioning, beauty. It's minus 25 in Moscow, but it's warm here. Kostya says: “Shall we go for a walk?” Let's go out. He is wearing white trousers and a T-shirt. And there is “+35”! Terrible humidity! In a quarter of an hour we were so sweaty that we rushed back. Kostya frowns: “That’s it, we’re done with our walks.” Then he often remembered: “Do you remember how you went out in white trousers?”

2010 Dick LAWYER, Konstantin SARSANIA, Nikolai PISAREV (from left to right). Photo by Sergey KUZOVENKO, "SE"

GIVEAWAY

- Was the master playing pranks?

Here's the story - one day I received a call from an unfamiliar number. A dull voice: “Are you Tunkin? Do you know that you have an illegitimate son? Wait for the call.” I tensed up, obviously. Which son, where from? Then an SMS from the same number: “To sort things out, we need to meet with you. Get ready!” Half an hour later there was a call from Sergeich. “Things are fine, but not great,” I tell them, “Here’s the story. A meeting was scheduled for tomorrow...”

- What did you advise?

“This is a serious matter,” he answers. “I’ll come now!” We call this number together and the call is dropped.

- That's the story.

Kostya turned gloomy: “Everything is clear, this is a one-way number. They are going to call in one direction, “load”... Now we will find out!” I felt a little better - if Sergeich got involved, everything would be sorted out. Five minutes later - a call from this number. Kostya's voice: "Well, Tunkenbaev?" But it doesn’t dawn on me that this is a joke. The thought is that the special services are working, they’ve already dialed the number! They even call from it! And Kostya laughs: “They gave us new phones in Khimki, think quickly...”

- Was Kostya the sports director of Dynamo at that time?

Well, yes. I was just moving to .

- I know, there was some story with Berdyev in Africa.

In Senegal. But about her - only from Kostya’s words, I was not there. Let's go to the market to look at the masks. Sergeich is a joker, he cannot live without humor. He called some ragamuffin over, gave him 5 dollars: “Go up to that man, say: “Kurban Bekiich, give me some money!” He himself looks from the side. Kurban is fingering his masks - and there’s a black kid on the side. I’ve forgotten all the words, except one - he’s tugging at his sleeve : “Bekiich, Bekiich...” He turned pale!

FUNERAL

I turn to my father.

- Who told you that Kostya died?

Daughter. He passed away at 18.45. At this time Tanya was at my house. At 18.50 the doctor called her and informed her about Kostya’s death. They write - “he died in the arms of his son”... What kind of “hands”? Denis was in the hospital at that time. But who will allow him to stay in intensive care all day? To say goodbye when my father was still alive, but unconscious, yes, they allowed me in. For some reason they also wrote that he died in St. Petersburg. Where did they get this from? Unclear.

- When was the last time Konstantin was in this apartment?

I keep a diary, now I’ll tell you for sure... I definitely came for my 80th birthday, September 5th. I was just sitting on this sofa. The closest people gathered here. True, before that I had not been there for 52 days. Everyone is busy and busy! I tell him: “Son, you don’t have to come. But at least call! Ask: “Peps, how are you?” That’s enough for me.” And the last time I was here was on September 13th. It was Tanya's birthday then. And he had to be in Moscow on the 14th. So he specially came on the Sapsan on the 13th to congratulate his sister.

- Did Zenit handle the funeral?

Fully. Fursenko organized everything at the highest level, Zenit paid for everything. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the club for this help. Special thanks to Alexander Gennadievich Povarenkin, who was next to our family all these difficult days, helping to resolve issues with the funeral.

- Was there someone who was expected at the funeral - but he never showed up?

Of course! We talked for hours.

- Is it really true?

Certainly! - Tunkin exclaimed. - Wenger explained to him how he tracks players. He showed: “Look, we won this match because we entered the fight at maximum speed. Everything is explosive. The team that moves the most wins.” They had a real friendship.

Not only with Wenger, confirms Martynenko. - Once I asked: “What kind of people do you have in France?” - "Michelle Platini..."

- Do you still have any of his gifts?

Once he gave uniforms to Alga veterans for 10 thousand dollars. I took it. And he bought me a white horse for 5 thousand dollars. As a friend.

- Did you bring it yourself?

No, he gave me the money and punished me: “Just buy a white one! Stalin and Zhukov drove a white one.” I had a house in the mountains, I bought and gave a horse to the herd. Kostya kept asking: “How is the horse?” And I immediately take out the photo...

THE ESCAPE

- How did Konstantin end up in France?

“It’s just a detective story,” Sergei Konstantinovich smiles. - Miraculously, they released me. He was not 24 years old. But young football players were not released, there was a law. But we need to talk about all this in order.

- I'm ready.

Three times before this, my son went to tournaments in Croix. The guy is sociable, he made friends with everyone there. Especially with the chairman of the Soviet-French Friendship Society. Somehow in 1987 he came back: “Dad, he offered me a contract” - “Kostya, are you crazy? What contract?!”

- Why?

Nobody has left yet. I dreamed that he would play. He was attracted to youth teams as a central defender. But if Kobelev and Kharin won everything, then Konstantin was not included in the lineup. He played for Dynamo-2, accepted the first team. There was no attention to Kostya - he decided to leave. They sang to him: “Kostya, let’s go to Voronezh! Double bonuses from the chemical plant...”

- Dissuaded?

- “Son, what are you doing? Dynamo is a company. Play here. What’s Voronezh like?” For the second team Golodets answered - he marinated the football players for a long time. They give money for the double, but not for Dynamo-2. Uvarov was playing in the double team back then - for the first time I saw a goalkeeper running towards someone else’s goal in the last minutes...

- Did you go to the matches?

I didn't miss a single one. They played at the Vodny Stadium. He reassured: “This striker can be released as you like, but the defender must mature. Too much depends on him, bonuses for the whole team. One mistake and that’s it.”

- At the same time, Byshovets trusted the young people.

I kept wondering - what is Byshovets pulling? Made it to the national team. He’s “wooden”, he didn’t even play in the Moscow championship!

- Where else could my son go?

Beskov saw him at some game. Said, “I need this guy.” So Kostya went to Tarasovka - and missed the stop! I’m running back along the railway, the warm-up has just begun - it flies in. Beskov turns: “Oh, namesake! Are you late? We often have newbies slip by. Come on, change your clothes...”

- Why didn’t you stay?

Played for the reserve team. I somehow got into a match with . In Luzhniki they played on the second field, a synthetic one. Kostya played very poorly. I even said: “Son, you can’t do this. What are you doing?” In the fall, Beskov tells him: “Stay in Krasnaya Presnya, our subsidiary team. Go with her to Guinea now. The season will end - I’m removing 10 people, taking 10 new ones. You’re among them.”

- Did you go to Guinea?

Just a thief, he says. The soles are cut off as you go. Then everything changes in Spartak, Beskov is removed, Romantsev comes. And before that, they tried to drag Kostya to Ossetia, where Romantsev trained. A telegram arrived from the Chairman of the Sports Committee of the Republic, Dzasokhov: “You are invited to watch.” I was in favor, but Kostya insisted: “My ankle hurts.” Here everything unfolds - Romantsev takes on Spartak Moscow!

- Didn’t remember about Konstantin?

In January I go to Romantsev’s playpen to ask for my son. They trained in Sokolniki. A year has passed since the previous meeting. I say: “Take it!” - “He refused the invitation. And now I have 40 people...”

- What did they answer?

He didn’t say a word - he turned around and walked away. I will not humiliate myself even for my own son. Romantsev turned out to be such a vindictive person.

- Haven’t you met?

I gave lectures to Gazzaev at the Higher School of Technology. Then Valery convinced: “Persuade Kostya - let him come to me!” Well, he went. Gazzaev kept his word - he delivered it right away. The very next day. Kostya grabbed his head: “They are all running to attack, and behind me and the goalkeeper. I don’t know where to run.” Gazzaev taught him: “Kostya, you take the attackers to the edge.”

- He played for a short time in Vladikavkaz.

In 1989, I went with the USSR youth field hockey team to Ottawa. We return with bronze medals, and suddenly Kostya meets me at the airport. “Son, you have games!” - “And I left Vladikavkaz...”

- For what?

But I made a decision. I did not consult with anyone. “Son, you’ll be disqualified!” - “Don’t worry, I’m already on another team.” He was friends with his son Koloskova, who played in Smolensk. He helped to sign up for Presnya. Gazzaev calls me: “Konstantinich, I will disqualify him!” - “And you’ll be right...”

Konstantin SARSANIYA. Photo by Alexander FEDOROV, "SE"

FRANCE

- I feel like we are getting closer to leaving for France.

Beskov helped him leave!

- Like this?

My son was 22 years old, and he could leave at 24. Kostya personally recorded a disc with his games and sent it to France. 1990 "Krasnaya Presnya" I helped send it - it’s profitable for them, they can get money for a football player if everything works out.

- Cleverly.

Then an official document appears - “the Krasnaya Presnya club asks to send such and such a player to France.” Such issues are discussed at a meeting of the USSR Football Federation. Chairman - . My friend, we worked together at the institute. I helped him with his dissertation, a normal guy. Suddenly he, a young scientist, is appointed head of the football and hockey department. He has already defended his defense, but has not yet received his diploma. And I have a friend who is a member of the expert council of the Higher Attestation Commission. Koloskov asks me: “Seryoga, talk to me so that they can issue me a diploma faster.” It's a completely different matter when you are officially a candidate of science.

- Happened?

All issues are decided by ordinary people. Which papers are drawn up. My friend listened to the request and answered: “Can Koloskov make a hockey uniform for a child?” - "No problem!" A whole trunk is the administrator of the USSR national team Seglin brought it the next day. The issue has been resolved. I helped him, right?

- And here is an opportunity to help you.

That's it! Slavka is a great fellow and replies: “Let the Moscow Federation of Trade Unions write a letter of recommendation to Kostya. I will have grounds to raise the issue with the executive committee.” Before the meeting of the executive committee, I see people standing in the corridor Mark Godik And . Members of the executive committee. I say: “You will support me at the meeting!” Simonyan immediately refused: “I don’t know him, I won’t speak.” The year old hesitates: “We’ll see...” Then the son told how the executive committee went.

- How?

Beskov suddenly stood up and supported! Beskov is a quantity, right? So the issue was resolved. They gave permission. But at the last moment I was the only one who helped Kostya out. One day before the transfer window in the French championship closes. It is necessary to send permission from the football federation - they say it gives the go-ahead. So the person who handled the transfers almost ruined the whole thing. They show me: “Konstantinich, look what they sent from us” - and show me the fax. Where instead of “we confirm” something abstract is written. They simply wouldn’t have signed a contract with Kostya!

- Wrong?

He wanted to take money from us. And I never gave a bribe. This goes against my nature.

- How could you help?

He rushed into Koloskov’s office: “Slava, what a nit you work for! Look what he wrote.” He ordered that everything be immediately formalized as needed and sent by fax.

- Did you go to France to visit your son?

Yes, they came. I visited abroad regularly, and our mother worked as a doctor in the 4th Directorate, then in the clinic of the Administration of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions. Served the Central Committee, the Council of Ministers, and trade unions. She had never been allowed to go abroad before - what kind of secret does she know? And then they released me. She walked into a supermarket in France and almost fainted. Leave me here for three hours, he says. Three hours later they took her from there with a whole bag of gifts for all her relatives...

CROSS

- The agency business is a dangerous thing. Weren't you afraid for your son?

No. He was a very confident person. He believed in the Lord God - he knew that he would save him.

There was confirmation that God loves him,” Vladimir enters. - Once we were rushing along the highway to Voronezh, speed 120. From a minor road a tractor crossed our path. Drunk, probably. And Kostya’s reaction is crazy. I can't imagine how I pulled it out. He generally made decisions instantly. As soon as the computers arrived, I asked: “Why don’t you have a computer or a modern phone?” And Kostya tapped his forehead with his finger: “Well, why do I need a second computer? It will fail. I don’t need it.”

- The phone number was quite ancient.

Yeah. But he kept calling. Once in Turkey we were lying on the beach, one call after another. Konstantin looks at him: “If only we could throw him into the sea...” And I say: “Let’s exchange phones for a couple of days” - “Then we’ll go broke.”

- Why am I asking about concerns? Former football player Andrei Streltsov said that Sarsania took over Khimki, but the previous management remained in debt to Nalchik for the last season. Konstantin said: “We will not give it back.” Dangerous situation.

I worked there. But we didn’t really know anything. Kostya didn’t even want to get into it: “We’ll play honestly.” He also knew how to smooth things out and didn’t lead to a showdown. We actually arrived at that match in Nalchik 40 minutes before the whistle, and for some reason landed in Kislovodsk. Sergeich and I talked about something among ourselves. We separated. We played honestly - we finished 0:0. It wasn't a friendly game, that's for sure. There was almost a fight. At the end they didn’t score a penalty on us, we dragged it. Just a massacre.

There were dangerous situations,” the father suddenly remembers. - One of these. Kostya was flying somewhere, and the Dagestanis were holding the Vnukovo airport. They attacked him right there and pointed a pike at him.

- Did they take the money?

Not only. The main thing is that they removed the gold chain with the cross. Kostya just said: “Guys, you’re doing this in vain. You’ll have to return it.”

- Did you have to?

I called my friends, even cooler. They took the situation into their own hands and came to investigate. We went out to the robbers - they replied: “Understand, this is our job. But Konstantin is a respected person. What should we return?” - “The main thing is a cross with a chain, left from my grandmother.” Returned. Kostya treasured this cross very much and wore it without taking it off until his death. His grandmother gave him this cross. I melted down my wedding ring and made a cross for my grandson as a gift.

- And money?

They said about the money - we can’t return it. But you will get two plane tickets to go anywhere. And there was one more case. About fifteen years ago. Kostya was flying out of Belgium. At the airport, a man was standing in line for a flight; he had to pay for the excess; he didn’t have enough money. Kostya gave him either 20 or 200 dollars. He was stunned. I asked Kostya’s name. He said that he would give everything. A few months later in Belgium, this man found his son in a hotel. He didn't come alone. Kostya let them into the room. They pointed their guns, took out all the cash from the safe, and then began to threaten Kostya with reprisals against his family and demand large sums. This is such gratitude. Thank God it worked out! Friends helped!

But this incident did not change my son. After his death, people came up to my daughter and me and said that Kostya helped them: he gave someone money for an operation, someone got them into a good institute, and helped someone buy an apartment. He loved people and helped them whenever possible. Although he had a principle that was incomprehensible to me personally. He said: “Dad, I will never ask for my loved ones!” And he didn't ask. He even refused me when I asked him to somehow connect me with. I made an exception only once - I helped my son a little.

PRIDE

- Konstantin’s children, Denis and Nadezhda, what are they doing?

Denis graduated from the Russian State University of Physical Education and Technology this year. This is the former GCOLIFK. Trying his hand at breeding work. He plays for the KAMAZ team in the amateur league. He has a growing son, Dima, he is now 1 year 8 months old.

Nadya graduated from the Maurice Thorez Moscow State Linguistic University. Knows Spanish, English, French, Arabic. Before going on maternity leave, she worked as a news producer for the Spanish edition of the RT television channel in Moscow. Now she works as a mother, raising her son Kostya. He is 4 months old. Nadyushka named him after her father.

I want to say that I, of course, knew about Kostya’s affairs, projects, connections in the football world. But, as it turned out, even I did not fully understand the scale of his personality. This was a revelation for me. I'm proud of my son! I’m happy that in his short life he managed to do so much and left a bright mark not only in football, but also in the memory of people...

How Sarsaniya died. Doctor's comment about a broken blood clot

“Soviet Sport” asked doctors to explain what this means and whether it is possible to protect oneself from this.

The death of a talented person - the sports director of Zenit - shocked everyone. The diagnosis - a broken blood clot - sounds quite often. Sarsania was hospitalized on Friday. Apart from the phrase “feeling unwell,” the relatives knew nothing for almost a day. Today it became known about the death: a blood clot broke loose from a 49-year-old functionary. Sarsania did not complain about his ailments. At least, there was no information about this. We turned to cardiologist Sergei Terekhov for comments: - The phrase “detached thrombus” is heard often. What does this mean? First, what is a blood clot? A thrombus is a blood clot in the human body. It is located in the cavity of the heart or the lumen of a blood vessel. This is not normal, not a healthy phenomenon. This occurs due to impaired blood clotting function. For a blood clot to appear, the vessel wall must be damaged from the inside or have an atherosclerotic plaque. In the initial stages, this is generally painless for the patient. In other words, the blood clot “does not show” any physiological signs. First, the thrombus consists of fibrin filaments that are deposited on the altered vessel wall. Then thrombotic masses are applied to it, the clot grows. Upon reaching a critical size, the blood clot breaks off and the blood flow stops, which instantly leads to death.

Articles | "He brought about a revolution." In memory of Konstantin Sarsania

- Does this happen to athletes in the same way as to ordinary people?
- Definitely there is no such data. Although a blood clot can form as a result of mechanical trauma. Therefore, athletes, let’s say, have a higher risk. But in principle, any participation in professional sports carries increased risks to health and even to life. Mini-footballer Konstantin Eremenko, legendary weightlifter Leonid Zhabotinsky, swimmer Evgeny Krotov died from a blood clot (this happened right during the swim). - Is a detached blood clot always fatal?
- If it happened in the heart, then yes. Moreover, death will occur instantly. Considering that about a day has passed here, we can assume another option: the blood clot arose in some part of the veins affected by infection. - Who is at risk?
- Men over 40 years of age and those who suffer from problems with blood clotting (in women, the blood is renewed monthly - this bothers them less until a certain point), people with impaired diet and excessive body weight. There are quite a lot of risk factors - a lot of literature has been written about this, smokers, drinkers, and people with diabetes.

On October 7, 2017, the sports director of the football club "" Konstantin Sarsania passed away. He was 49 years old.

There is only one reaction to this news: shock. It’s hard to find any words, the question in my head is: “How can this be?” A man who was in the prime of life passes away so abruptly and unexpectedly...

In 2006, Sarsania took the post of sports director at Zenit. Under him, Roman Shirokov, Anatoly Timoshchuk, Konstantin Zyryanov, Viktor Faizulin, and Miguel Danni joined the team. Zenit's successes at that time were largely related to the club's transfer policy, which was carried out by Konstantin Sarsania.

At the end of 2008, Sarsania became the head coach of Khimki near Moscow. In 2009, he left his post and took the position of sports director of Dynamo Moscow. During Sarsania's time at the Dynamo club, she signed Igor Semshov, Andrei Voronin, Kevin Kuranyi and Alexander Samedov, who became key figures in the team.

In February 2010, Sarsania became an adviser to RFU President Sergei Fursenko on sports issues. In August 2010, he became the head coach of Fakel Voronezh, where he spent 2 years. From 2013 to 2017 he coached the Lithuanian Atlantas.

On May 27, 2017, Konstantin Sarsania again took up the post of Zenit sports director. In the summer, Argentines Leandro Paredes, Sebastian Driussi, Mathias Kranevitter, Emmanuel Mammana, Emiliano Rigoni join the team. Zenit also signs Daler Kuzyaev, Alexander Erokhin, Dmitry Poloz and Denis Terentyev. These people form the backbone of Roberto Mancini's new team.

On October 5, Sarsania was admitted to the hospital and died two days later. The cause of death was a detached blood clot.

Team website expresses his condolences to the family and friends of Konstantin Sergeevich Sarsaniya...

This evening sad, shocking news came: the sports director of Zenit died suddenly. According to available information, a blood clot broke loose. This open and always quite frank person in interviews, and most importantly, one of the greatest professionals in Russian football, was only 49 years old. Konstantin Sergeevich lived several lives in football - player, agent, sports director, in addition, he realized his dream of working as a coach, albeit not at the highest level.

Sarsania was in a coma for three hours and died without regaining consciousness

Sarsania was born in Moscow, went to the Dynamo school. The young defender failed to make it into the blue and white main team. He played for Krasnaya Presnya, Spartak Vladikavkaz, Fakel and Asmaral, and in 1991 he ventured to France. There he played for Armentieres and Dunkirk, but at the age of 25 he ended his career and switched to agent activity. In 1998 he became a licensed FIFA agent. Sarsania was fascinated by projects related to training young players and selling them to serious clubs. Konstantin Sergeevich founded the Academician school, where he gathered gifted children from all over the country. He established contacts with European top clubs, in particular, Viktor Budyansky and his other students ended up in Juventus.

In 2006, Sarsania became the sports director of Zenit for the first time and assembled a team that soon won the Russian Championship, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. According to the president of the St. Petersburg club Sergei Fursenko, Sarsania did not make a single transfer mistake then. At his instigation, Zenit made the largest and, as the future showed, very effective transactions: they bought Shakhtar from Donetsk Anatoly Timoshchuk for 20 million dollars and Miguel Danny from Dynamo Moscow for 30 million euros. In the case of Danny’s transfer, much was decided by the personal acquaintance of the sports director with the agent Jorge Mendes, who spoke about the release clause in Danny’s contract.

Having solved the problems with Zenit, Sarsania tried to realize himself in the coaching field in the Premier League. Before that, he combined work at the St. Petersburg club with the role of coach of the Sportakademklub. In 2009, Konstantin Sergeevich took charge of Khimki, but failed to keep the troubled outsider afloat. In September, Sarsania resigned after seven consecutive defeats. Then he worked for some time as the sports director of Dynamo and adviser to Fursenko at the RFU, however, in August 2010 he returned to the coaching bridge again - he accepted the invitation of Fakel. From 2013 to 2017, the Russian specialist headed the Lithuanian Atlantas, with whom he played in European competition. At his instigation, the current Zenit striker ended up in Lithuania Andrey Panyukov and top scorer of the Europa League Maxim Maximov.

Changes at Zenit after the unsuccessful 2016/17 season led to the return to the St. Petersburg club of the people who built the golden team of the 2000s. Fursenko again became president, and Sarsania became sports director. Konstantin Sergeevich criticized not only the selection activities of Zenit in general, but also the fact that there were no local students left in the team. Among his first transfers were transfers Denis Terentyev from "Rostov" Dmitry Bogaev from "Tosno" and Dalera Kuzyaeva from "Akhmat". The same Kuzyaev is now called the opening of the season. In general, the Russian direction of Zenit’s selection in the summer was in the hands of the sports director. Thanks to Sarsaniya now under the leadership Roberto Mancini Russian national team players play Alexander Erokhin and Dmitry Poloz, and also an old-timer of the RFPL Christian Noboa.

“I will use all my knowledge and skills to ensure that our results are at least no worse than in 2007-2008. I am grateful to Sergei Fursenko, who invited me to work with him at Zenit for the second time as a sports director. I would also like to thank the head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, for the trust he has placed in me,” Sarsania said in May, when his appointment to the St. Petersburg club took place. The updated Zenit really pleases the Northern capital with its results and, perhaps, will become as successful as Zenit 10 years ago. But, unfortunately, Konstantin Sergeevich was not destined to see the final result of his team’s work.

10 best transfers of Konstantin Sarsania to Zenit during the time of Advocate

Konstantin Sarsania, following Sergei Fursenko, returned to Zenit, again taking up the position of sports director of the club.

Friends and colleagues about him

Vitaly Mutko, President of the RFU:
- Sarsania spent his whole life in football, he is a professional person. Konstantin was devoted to the game and saw the development of football in his own way. I am very sorry. He was an intelligent, calm, clean and well-mannered guy.

Vyacheslav Malafeev, ex-goalkeeper of Zenit and the Russian national team:
- This man made a very big contribution to the development of Russian football, to the victories of Zenit. And the current successes were achieved with the help of his professionalism, experience and work.

The editors of “Championship” express their condolences to the family and friends of Konstantin Sarsania.