The Irkutsk Courier
The terraces19 Jul 2027
The ground has had enough
“We travel everywhere and we get this.” 9 of the 21 senior players heard it walking off, and the ones who did not hear it were not playing.
Squad19 Jul 2027
A one-man rearguard from Amin Zhangurazov
There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Boardroom19 Jul 2027
Graduation day at Irkutsk
5 boys move up, and somewhere in the building the people who coached them at twelve are quietly having the best morning of their working year. Nothing about this shows up in a result and it is why the academy exists.
Squad19 Jul 2027
Tumelo Shai falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Match17 Jul 2027
Irkutsk come up short against Saturn
Saturn left with the points after a 0‑2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Market19 Jul 2027
One of our own: Igor Gromov joins the Irkutsk first team
Clubs spend fortunes looking for players and occasionally find one down the corridor. Igor Gromov is that, and the reception he gets on his first appearance will be different in kind from the one any signing receives.
Market19 Jul 2027
One of our own: Evgeni Kuznetsov joins the Irkutsk first team
Clubs spend fortunes looking for players and occasionally find one down the corridor. Evgeni Kuznetsov is that, and the reception he gets on his first appearance will be different in kind from the one any signing receives.
Market19 Jul 2027
Vladimir Chekhov steps up from the Irkutsk academy
There is no fee, no unveiling and no agent on the steps. Vladimir Chekhov has been at this club since he was a boy and is now, formally, one of the first-team squad — which for a local readership beats any signing of any size.
Market19 Jul 2027
One of our own: Vlad Kolmakov joins the Irkutsk first team
Clubs spend fortunes looking for players and occasionally find one down the corridor. Vlad Kolmakov is that, and the reception he gets on his first appearance will be different in kind from the one any signing receives.
In brief
- Squad Dmitry Ikovanyuk gets it from the manager
- Squad Vladimir Tolmachev signs a new deal
- Player ratings Nobody could get near Molemo Seemela