http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Axel-Witsel-c7029 at Russian Premier League club, Zenit St. Petersburg
Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder-c*m-winger, Konstantin Zyryanov, has followed the footsteps of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Andrei-Arshavin-c5771 after deciding to hang up his boots.
The 35-year-old confirmed that he would no longer play for the Russian national team after having a swift chat with newly appointed head coach, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fabio-c13152 Capello.
Zyryanov told Soviet Sport that he had a conversation with the former AC Milan and Juventus coach which resulted in making up his mind to announce his retirement from the national team.
"There was a conversation with the head coach (Capello), which will remain between us. We agreed that I will not be getting any more national team call-ups. I must admit that I learned a lot from the coach and I'm grateful to all
the fans for being supportive in my career," the UEFA Cup winner was quoted as saying.
The former Torpedo Moscow player, who has been playing for the national team since 2006, spent 52 matches and scored seven goals. He, meanwhile, won the bronze medal with the Russian national team at Euro 2008.
Speaking on how long he plans to stay at Petrovsky stadium, Zyryanov denied an idea of an early retirement after insisting that he is glad to be a part of a team that have achieved so much in the past.
The Russian midfielder has been a key member to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Luciano-c22574 Spalletti’s squad that won back-to-back Russian Premier League titles in 2010 and 2011 respectively. As things stand, the St. Petersburg club are at the 3rd spot
on the league table and trail top-spot by five points.
Zyryanov revealed that he is enjoying healthy competition from summer signing, Axel Witsel, and assured the fans of working harder and staying fitter to get more playing time on the pitch.
The former Amkar Perm man insisted that he may have to work very hard if he is to start every match against a man whom the defending champions reportedly paid staggering 40 million Euros to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/SL-Benfica-c40542.
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