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Rubin FC trainer says 'soccer shapes children's souls'

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MOSCOW, November 5 (RIA Novosti) - The manager of new Russian champions, Rubin FC, spoke on Wednesday about the social importance of the country's national game.

Kazan-based Rubin secured the Russian title for the first time ever on Sunday with a 2-1 victory away to Moscow Region side Saturn. Fittingly, 2008 was the year that Rubin celebrated its 50th anniversary.

"The best thing is that we are not just playing soccer but educating people by example," Kurban Berdyev told the Sport Express paper.

"This is no exaggeration. In the Soviet era, people believed in the party, in the ideas of that age. But what do people believe in today? We're not so rich in ideas, right? But sport provides us with aims that can be achieved, one that allows those who share them to feel pride. In that respect, all the clubs in Russia are engaged in a very necessary activity - we are shaping the souls of children," he said.

"I've just spoken to one of our supporters - he'd waited forty years for this!" the normally reserved Kurban Berdyev told the paper, adding that the club's supporters had "been dreaming of a brighter future" when the current squad had yet to be born.

"When you see their happiness, you realize that it's worth working in soccer," the 56-year-old trainer said.

"The first Russian side to congratulate us was Terek Grozny, and the first foreign team was AC Milan," he added, stating that the club had many fans abroad.

Rubin, founded in 1958, spent the entire Soviet period in the lower divisions and were only promoted to the Russian Premier League in 2003, finishing third in their debut season.

The club, from Russia's Muslim Republic of Tatarstan, splashed out during the close season, bringing in a number of Russian and foreign players, including 35-year-old Savo Milosevic, the former Yugoslavian and Serbian international and one-time Aston Villa striker. Indeed it was Milosevic who scored the second goal in the win over Saturn - the goal that brought Rubin the title. He then announced his retirement from professional soccer.

Although Milosevic spent a lot of time on the bench as Rubin marched on to the championship, Berdyev said the Serb had not complained and had "showed he was a real professional," by "not turning up to training with a sour face."

Rubin, sponsored by local power utility Tatenergo and the industrial and investment company Taif, also brought in 32-year-old Sergei Semak, the former CSKA star. Semak flourished in Kazan, and his performances saw him first recalled to the national side and then named squad captain by Guus Hiddink at Euro 2008.

Rubin's success surprised even their most optimistic fans. The club led all season, starting their campaign with a record seven victories in a row. The season also included memorable home (4-1) and away (3-1) victories over 2007 champions Zenit.

Berdyev did not let success go to his head however, usually merely remarking, "Glory to Allah, we won," after each match.

Rubin will now go straight into the group stages for next season's Champions League.

"To be successful in the Champions League we need to strengthen two or three positions," Berdyev told UEFA. "We need good centre forwards, holding midfielders, a winger and a playmaker. I am sure some day we will cause a surprise in Europe too."

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