Ivan Oblyakov: It will be great to score a goal on my birthday

We asked Ivan about his birthday and preparation for the season after a morning walk, which preceded the friendly match with Copenhagen.

«I'M ALMOST OLD NOW»

 — Ivan, happy birthday! How do you feel at the age of 23?
— Thank you! How do I feel? I'm almost old now (laughs). It seems that I was eighteen recently, but now I'm 23. So, it's time to achieve success, to win something.

— Aleksey Vladimirovich said in the team that he expects an adult game from you. Do you agree?
— Absolutely. I have to show it already. I am slowly moving towards this, I am succeeding in something, but I need to make even more progress. Everything is ahead.

— Who congratulated you this morning, except for the guys from the team?
— Parents, friends, relatives. Not everyone has written yet, but I will receive messages during the day. My wife, of course, was one of the first to congratulate me.

— Yes, you have recently become the head of the family. How do you feel in this role?
— Understanding comes gradually, I begin to understand the responsibility. I have my own family, I hope it will grow.

— Are you planning your family to grow?
— Of course. I think, there is no point in getting married and so on without this (smiles). There will be even more responsibility for the family then.

— Before we talk about the training camp, tell us about your wedding trip. You and Kostya Kuchaev and your other halves were at Krasnaya Polyana, right?
— Yes, we had a good rest, although we were a little unlucky with the weather in Sochi. But we still went to the sea, went for a ride there, then went to Krasnaya Polyana, climbed up on the funicular. It was raining and cloudy, and, to be honest, it was scary (smiles). For ourselves, and even more so for my wife and Kostya's girlfriend. But in general, I liked everything very much.

«THERE IS NO INDIFFERENCE IN THE TEAM AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN»

— It seems to be your first time in Bad Tatzmansdorf…
— Yes, I moved three years ago, but at the very end of the summer, so I missed the Austrian training camp then. It is a good place with good fields, a gym nearby, a spa for recovery, comfortable rooms. It was hot at the first training camp, now the weather is better: it is easier to train, the sun is not so hot.

— We are talking right before the friendly match with Copenhagen. Do you have plans to distinguish yourself on your birthday? Have you ever scored on your personal holiday before?
— Yes, it happened in youth team. Nothing special, but it would be nice to score today. So, a small bonus for your birthday (smiles).
— Taking this opportunity, I would like to wish Vanya to grow up — Oblyakov's friend Igor Diveev joins the conversation. — You are old, but there is no growth (laughs). But seriously, I wish you good luck and good health. He knows that he will have everything, and I will always support him in any difficult situation. Happy birthday, Vano! You’re the best! (smiles).

— What are your hopes for this season, Ivan? The previous one didn't work out very well for the team…
— The attitude is not to dwell on failures. The fans, of course, expected that we would perform better. There was criticism, we accept it. We will try to move only forward, standards are always high. There is no indifference in the team and there has never been because any person, an athlete, a football player wants to win, including me. We will do everything to make the next season a successful one for PFC CSKA.

— And now, just for a few words, let's go back to your birthday. What was the most memorable, unexpected gift you received as a child?
— I don't remember anything surprising at all. I liked cars with a remote control, when I was a kid, they just appeared at that time. I could have been given several of them at once in a year, it was fun to drive them off-road with a remote control in my hands. I was given balls, but not often, we already had them in our team. And, by the way, I remembered an unusual gift.

— Tell us.
— When I was a little boy, I was given a huge tiger, bigger than myself. It was my favorite toy, when I was a child. A meter in height and almost as much in width. Probably, it can still be found somewhere at home. Mom knows exactly where it is (smiles).