Evgeni Plushenko: We are young and daring, so we set the task of becoming World, European and Olympic champion.

Interview with Evgeni Plushenko. Plushenko told about further work with Alexandra Trusova in his academy, who will work with her and what is he ready to sacrifice to make her an Olympic champion.

by sport24.ru dd. 7th May, 2020

Evgeni, whose initiative was the transfer of Alexandra Trusova to your team?

Evgeni Plushenko: It’s was purely the initiative of the athlete! Nobody lured anyone from other coaches and schools. Now the window for transfers is opened. We are preparing documents to for processing the transition to the Moscow Federation, the Russian Figure Skating Federation and SAMBO-70, where Sasha Trusova is currently listed. In general, we are now preparing all the necessary documents. Of course, now we’re signing them, preparing them, and when the quarantine ends, we will file them.

We will also meet with the federation. I will talk about our future plans and preparation for the season, where we will have trainings. We have already begun to look for choreographers. I do not exclude that both short and free programs will be choreographed by a foreigner. The process is running. We communicate with Sergei Rozanov about the programs, we have already chosen music. I repeat, the athlete herself made this choice, yes, she is 15 years old, but she is already experienced. Trusova has already passed more than one big competitions. Sasha won serious titles, so she has the right to make a decision if she feels uncomfortable training in a group or with a coach. Trusova has the right to choose herself with whom to work and in what conditions. We will work together with Sergei Rozanov. We are ambitious and set ourselves plans. As for my show, it will be a minimum that will not overlap with competitive activity. That is, the season ends, and I take part in some shows. But it will be at a minimum.

How long has it become known that Trusova and Rozanov will join you?

Evgeni Plushenko: Long enough. We did not talk about this, but this is a balanced decision of both Sasha as an athlete and Seryozha as a coach. All are already quite mature people, Sasha will be 16 years old in June. Of course, parents will sign everything for her. But it seems to me that the athlete himself has the right to decide where it is more convenient for him to train. I think the federation will also support us and give a permission to cooperate.

You said that Sergei Rozanov will have his own group at your academy. Is it known who will be in it?

Evgeni Plushenko: Serezha Rozanov at my academy will be a full-fledged coach. Nobody will push him into some backyards, he go to competitions, he will lead his group with me. It will be a single team and structure. Those coaches who work for me today will be engaged with their athletes, and Sergei has his own group and his athletes. Who? We will tell you later.

What tasks will you set for Trusova?

Evgeni Plushenko: First of all, I want to say that I have my own academy, which I have been conducting for a year and a half. It has more than 120 people. If earlier middle-level athletes came to me, then they came to the academy, and not to me to lead them. To date, I have created my groups, which I lead and work with them every day. I canceled most of the shows last year. Now I am focused on coaching. As for working with Trusova, we are young and daring, so we set the task of becoming the first at the World Championships, Europeans and the Olympics.

Is Trusova the most important challenge in your coaching career?

Evgeni Plushenko: Of course. This is an athlete with a worldwide reputation. Yes, she has not yet won the World and European Championships, but she has everything ahead. I hope we will realize her dream. The challenge is very serious. I very carefully approached the issue of her coaching. I will have to refuse from some of my shows, tours, and gala, and I will train Alexandra, work with her, we can say on a 24/7 basis.

Some fans recall your battle on social networks with Tutberidze. Have you let go of that story?

Evgeni Plushenko: Completely let go of the situation. I am not the first to attack anyone, I only defend myself. And when I defend myself, I do it very painfully. I immediately told Alexandra and her parents that they need to part with everyone diplomatically, competently, humanly. To call, to meet, wish good, thank for the work. The work was really gigantic. Transitions happen, athletes also left me. Yes, they were not the top athletes, but the situation was similar. This can happen to everyone, this is a big sport. Athletes have the right to make choices about what suits them most.

At one time, Yagudin and Kulik switched to Tarasova from Mishin and Kudryavtsev and there were a lot of such transitions. Trusova understands that she needs to more work on skating skills, on components. We also perfectly understand and will do this. All forces in all formats and aspects will be attracted and involved. I can afford and finance different specialists. I hope that we will also have a federation on our side, which should and must help the athletes who are members of the Russian team and claim first places at all top competitions.

Didn’t Tutberidze’s words hurt you? Don’t you think that in the near future you will have a confrontation, like the “Real” and “Barcelona”?

Evgeni Plushenko: When I started creating a school, I started from the bottom, with the basic training of athletes. I said that if I start to do something, I will always achieve my goal. So it was when I was an athlete. I still have character, willpower, working capacity. Therefore, we will bring everything to the end. My school will be top-notch.

It’s good that there is competition. This is a normal story. And it is necessary to prove not by talks, but by deeds, athletes and programs, results. I am not aimed to talk, I am aimed to show result. I don’t care about Tutberidze’s words.

Related topics: Alexandra Trusova, Eteri Tutberidze, Evgeni Plushenko