Soslan, you are a young and, judging by numerous expert reviews, a promising athlete. Please tell us a little about your sports career?
My sports career began in Vladikavkaz. I was eight years old when I was first brought to the football section. Moreover, at that time children of my age were not yet taken to the section, only from the age of nine, but the former Alania club midfielder Hasan Melikov lived in our yard, and he, in general, brought our entire team of yard boys to the football stadium, divided all by age, and I was the youngest of all. Hassan once agreed with the coach, and I started training with the guys who were a year older than me. A rather atypical situation, usually the guys in the republics of the Caucasus are more interested in martial arts than in football ...
We have a republic where preferences are given either to freestyle wrestling or to football. Since it was just 1995, when the Alania club became the champion of Russia, there was just a football boom in the city. Fans literally carried football players in their arms. And I just raved about football and wanted to play. In general, it so happened that it was not my parents who brought me to the section, but I myself came there.
How long and difficult was your journey to Moscow Spartak?
I had to go through a lot to be in “Spartacus”. I arrived in Moscow at the age of 12, I lived in a boarding school sports club CSKA. He went through the entire CSKA school, where he studied for 8 years. After graduation, he worked in a double and, without getting into the main team, drove to Naberezhnye Chelny to play in the team of the first league “Kamaz”. Played in “Kamaz”, I had a good season there. Then he got into the youth team of Russia. A little later I received offers from several Moscow clubs, but I decided to challenge myself and began to play for Spartak.
Why did the choice fall on Spartak?
Yes, because it is the flagship of our football. This is a club with a long and rich tradition, which, just at the moment when I moved there, played qualifying matches in the Champions League. And I, in general, wanted to play for the “red-white” with their numerous army of fans living not only in Russia but also abroad. Therefore, there is nothing surprising here.
Exiled, how much in the game depends on the goalkeeper?
The goalkeeper has a lot of responsibility and a big load. The fact is that the goalkeeper has no right to make a mistake. If the striker did not score somewhere or the midfielder gave an inaccurate pass, then this is not so noticeable. But if the goalkeeper is mistaken, as I had in the last few games, then there is no one to help him out. Goalkeeper is the last frontier. If the midfielder is wrong, then there are another five to seven people behind him who can pull the situation. And the goalkeeper does not have the right to make mistakes, because his mistakes are visible to everyone and affect the results of the whole game directly.
What qualities do you think a real goalkeeper should have?
The first is psychological stability, calmness and composure. And, of course, patience and fighting character.
Today's football in the world has become a highly professional and very profitable sport. Good players outbid different clubs from season to season. With such tendencies, how difficult is it to maintain team spirit in a club, and is it strong in Spartak Moscow? And what role does the coach play in team building?
This is a very good question. Just the coach and the team are closely interconnected. Much of the club depends on the coach. As he manages to win over the team, so the team will play. First of all, the coach must be a good psychologist in order to be able to find an individual approach to each player. Each of the 25 people in the team is an athlete with his own character and character, and the coach needs to pick up a key for each player, arrange him for himself and arrange himself for each member of the team. And if the coach succeeds, then in general this team can achieve high results. Now in “Spartacus” a team has gathered that really wants to win and is able to achieve excellent results. We have a young and ambitious team with a serious mindset for victory, which is ready to work day and night to achieve our goals.
And for yourself, what level do you set?
Of course, I am also an ambitious person. But all my current ambitions are connected with the club for which I play. And the priority task that our club faces today is to become champions of Russia. In 2009, unfortunately, we did not succeed in this, which means that this year there is something to work on, since we will play in the Champions League. It will be difficult, of course, because Spartak has not taken part in this tournament for a long time. But in our club there are many young guys who want to try their hand and who have never played in this League.
There are many skeptics who do not consider Russian football as something serious and competitive internationally. What do you personally think about Russian football, and with what coach would you like to work?
I would not like to guess the name of the coach, today there are many professionals with whom athletes dream to work. Every young player probably has a desire to play in the English football league, and in Spain, and in Italy. I'm not an exception. Of course, I want to progress professionally and play in the best championships. But for now I need to achieve certain results, playing in Russia, somehow take place, earn a name for myself before leaving somewhere or moving on.
If you have free time between training, training and matches, where do you like to spend it and what type of relaxation do you prefer?
Well, spending free time can be done in different ways. You can just go out of town with friends on barbecue. Someone is sitting at home, someone is going to the cinema or reading. Athletes are the same people, and I, like many others, like to relax with my friends. True, because of our profession, we sometimes have to deny ourselves in many ways, observe the sleep, nutrition, and do not forget about upcoming trainings or games. A professional athlete cannot afford much of what an ordinary person can. And this, by the way, has its advantages.
Please tell me, in your opinion, is a professional athlete a talent from God or everyday work?
I believe that a true professional is 90% of work and 10% of talent. No matter how talented a person is, without labor and daily training, sweat and blood, even sometimes injustice, he will not achieve anything in life. Every athlete who has achieved something in his career has gone through all this. Any of us, wanting to achieve something, keeps in mind that success is work, it is breaking ourselves. In training, you need to plow, and not rely on your talent. Now, if you are working on yourself, then at the right time your talent will come to your aid. And if you do nothing, then the talent given from above is worthless. 
Exiled, have you been so purposeful since childhood, or did you have to fight your own laziness?
I have been doing my favorite thing all my life, that's why I always go to training with pleasure. And I never even thought about not going to training. Of course, it happens that my legs hurt or something else, but in my case it all depends on my own mood. If there is any purpose, then no excuses do not work. Having set myself the task, I never turn back.
When you were a boy, which goalkeeper was your idol? Who wanted to imitate everything?
There was no idol. I am a believer, so I follow the commandment "Do not make yourself an idol." But I really liked the game of Zaur Hapov from “Alania”. I just went crazy when I saw his game. Of the current goalkeepers who play abroad, I really like the Buffon from Juventus, Mantarsar from Manchester United, Cassilias from Real Madrid. Perhaps this is the three.
Playing for Moscow “Spartak” as a football fan, which teams do you prefer?
I am a fan of Barcelona, I also really like Manchester United.
Thanks for the conversation, Soslan. We wish you new victories.
Soslan Dzhanaev
Russian soccer player, goalkeeper of the football club "Spartak" (Moscow). Born March 13, 1987. He began to play football in the team “Spartak” (Vladikavkaz). In 1996 he entered the sports school "CSKA". In 2007, at the invitation of Yuri Gazzayev, he moved to the KamAZ club (Naberezhnye Chelny), where he became the main goalkeeper. Having conceded just 17 goals in 28 championship matches, I received an invitation from Moscow Spartak.
At first, he was in stock, being content with double games and rare exits in Russian Cup matches. In the 2009/10 season, Soslan was able to supplant Stipe Pletikosa from the base and firmly took the place of the first issue of “red and white”.
