Interview with new WAG Head Coach Evgeny Grebenkin

Evgeny Grebenkin watched admiringly by Russian gymnastics supremo Andrei Rodionenko at the London Olympics.  Courtesy of the RGF.

While there has been so much talk about Alexander Alexandrov's departure from the role of WAG head coach, the appointment of his successor, Evgeny Grebenkin, has gone almost without comment.  If one positive thing can come out of the current brouhaha, I hope it will eventually be the emergence of a strong new coach at the top of the Russian gymnastics tree.  At 44, Grebenkin breaks the mould; he will have trained under the old Soviet system, but brings to the role the potential of a future for Russian gymnastics.  

Russia needs some young blood to take the sport forward towards Rio 2016 and beyond.  70 year old Rodionenko, 60 year old Alexandrov, 59 year old Alfosov ... these coaches simply cannot go on forever.

Grebenkin does not obviously have much experience as a head coach, but then again neither did Alexandrov when appointed to the role in 1988.  A technical expert in the uneven bars exercise, Grebenkin will have much to learn, and I wish him the very best of luck, trusting that the tradition of excellence and innovation he has established on the bars can be continued, and extended to include the other three apparatus.  

Putting to one side all the vitriol, it is true to say that Russia has not exactly fulfilled its 2010 promise on floor or vault, nor challenged the weakness in mental toughness that has dogged their competitive efforts for so many years.  Hopefully Grebenkin and his team, including Alexandrov as personal coach to Mustafina, can put that right in future.  One thing that will need to be addressed as soon as possible is Grebenkin's own conflicting responsibility as personal coach to both senior Diana Elkina and junior Ekaterina Baturina.  Surely the Rodionenko family cannot allow this contradiction to continue?  Anastasia Grishina's own personal training arrangements also need some solidifying as Sovietski Sport has apparently confirmed that Zelikson has stepped down as her coach.

In reading Lupita's translations of the many interviews with coaches over past days, I am struck by how little we really know about the emerging situation in Russian gymnastics at the time of the Olympic Games.  We are forced to rely on media representations from a variety of sources, which all may be distorted in one way or another.  And then we have the complicating factor of Valentina Rodionenko, whose sole purpose in life appears to be to upset people and stir up trouble.  

If Alexandrov's re-assignment as personal coach to Mustafina had been handled differently, we would be reading an entirely different story in the press, one that would cast much less negative light on the way the Russian national team is managed.  It is not unusual for coaches to be replaced, or for duties to be re-assigned, at the end of an Olympic cycle.  But Valentina's undermining of Alexandrov began early, well before the Olympics, and has continued.  Without her outspoken and often spiteful comments much of the press controversy need not have arisen.  Under circumstances driven by her, it was inevitable that conspiracy theories would emerge.  This has surely been to the detriment of the calm conviction and application that elite gymnasts need to be able to train.  As Aliya Mustafina's father, Farhat Mustafin, said in a recent interview, it seems that certain individuals have acted in an unethical manner.  

For now, though, let's move on, and read what the new WAG head coach wants to say about his new job.

Lupita, thank you for all the hard work!!

The interview appeared on the 26th September on the website of the Russian Ministry of Sport.



EVGENY GREBENKIN - Alexandrov and I have no complaints about each other

How do you feel after being named head coach of the gymnastics women’s team?

-You know, I feel no special emotions. I have been working with these kids for four years as a bars specialist. I’ll continue to work with them.

- A legal issue. Have you officially signed your contract?

-No, I haven’t signed anything so far.

- The Federation has not defined your work with the women’s team…

- No, not yet.

- You were named in a very nervous situation. Could this have a negative impact on the team?

-My nomination was quiet. Alexandrov’s replacement took place in a nervous situation.

- I have to ask you about your relationship with Alexander Alexandrov…

-I have a good relationship with him. I worked with Mustafina as I work on bars. We don’t have any complaints. After the meeting, we shook hands, spoke about what we would do in the future, who we would work with, which elements we would teach and so on. Now the athletes have to recover. The men rested after the Olympics. We will start the new quad step by step.

- Alexander Alexandrov said that he still doesn’t know if he will remain Mustafina’s coach. Do you know if he has made a decision?

-Today he came to the gym and worked as Mustafina’s personal coach. He is the only one who can say what his plans for the future are. So far, Alexandrov works in the gym, coaches. Everything is normal.

What are the next competitions for the national team?

- I have seen the competition calendar. The first tournament will take place in Stuttgart at the end of November. Yet all our Olympic gymnasts - as far as I know - decided not to compete there. They decided not to force the training and to quietly recover. As you may know, two American gymnasts got injured after the London Olympics when they performed in an exhibition. They “broke”, as we say. Maroney has already had surgery.

Before I was named head coach, the gymnasts decided not to compete at those tournaments. They’ll recover and we will work for the next quad. This year there won’t be tournaments for the members of the Olympic team. The junior team or a part of the first team will compete there. I mean those gymnasts who didn’t participate in the Olympics. 


I'm sure that all readers wish Evgeny the best of GOOD LUCK in resuming his new role at Lake Krugloye!!