Czerczesow was covered with shame. Legio Warszawa, time for your move

Although he has not been working in Warsaw for nearly six years, most fans must have had good memories of him until Tuesday morning. Maybe even very well. The Russian in the capital was remembered not only as a temporary coach who successfully fulfilled his mission to save the club’s century by winning the Polish championship and the Polish Cup in 2016.

Czerczesow in Warsaw was something more. He was a jovial gentleman from the East, who aroused not only a smile but also – and perhaps above all – respect. In Legia, they still remember how he scared the players with a heavy winter camp, during which they would not touch the ball. Well, unless it’s a medical one. Or, like midfielder Mateusz Szwoch, he heard from a Russian that due to constant health problems he would only play the violin for him.

Czerczesow was a champion in media games and showing footballers a place in the line, but in Legia – both in the football community and the club itself – they also loved him for the fact that he strongly identified with the club long after parting with it. The Russian liked to parade with the Legia lanyard around his neck, he greeted the fans at every possible opportunity and showed them “elk”.

Today, however, the Polish champions should do everything to cut themselves off from Czerczesów. Because the Russian is not only a coach, but also a friend of Vladimir Putin, whom he publicly supported on Tuesday morning.

Legia should cut off from Czerczesów

Cherchasov saw nothing wrong with signing the letter sent by the association of football veterans from Russia to FIFA. It shows that the Russians still do not understand why their teams and national team were excluded from the international competition.

“We do not understand and do not accept this decision. We know that when you made it, you were guided by the events in Ukraine. But we do not understand how excluding Russia from all international football competitions can help resolve the geopolitical situation. On the contrary, such a decision only leads to divisions in global football community “-.

In recent days one could have blamed Czerczesów that he did not speak out about the war in Ukraine. It could only be presumed that Putin’s friend was standing in a large stride. On the one hand, the famous phone calls to and from the most important person in the country, attempts at the future in parliament, autographs and warming up in Putin’s “glow” on the occasion of the previous World Cup, during which they were the coach of the Russian national team. On the other hand, criticism and disagreement with military aggression from the West, including Poland, in which Czerczesow felt comfortable.

By signing up to the list of Russian football veterans, the former Legia coach made himself clear and chose his path. And at this point, Cherchev is no different from Putin’s other buddies, who pat him on the back during the brutal attack on Ukraine. For the Polish champions, this is the last call for action.

It is hard to expect Legia to follow in the footsteps of the Ukrainian federation that works in the Russian Zenit St. Petersburg and did not condemn Putin’s actions. The Warsaw club cannot say that Czerczesow did not win two trophies in the most important year in history and did not lay the foundations for promotion to the Champions League. But it can do something else.

Perhaps the right move would be a message in which Legia will definitely dissociate itself from the opinion of its former coach? A reasonable move would also be to remove the photo of Czerczesów, which hangs in the corridor leading to the pitch among all the coaches who won the Polish championship with Legia. It is a kind of Hall of Fame, and the Russian has just become infamous.

Someone may say that these are just empty gestures. But that wouldn’t be true. There is more to it than that. For solidarity with Ukraine and unity that the world of sport presents in the face of war. Legia, which has already supported Ukraine, may do it again. Although symbolically, it is very strong and clear.