Co-founder of ProTeam agency, **Stanislav Ryzhov**, commented on Serbian coach **Sasha Djordjevic’s** refusal to lead St. Petersburg’s Zenit in the VTB United League.

“Djordjevic’s decision has clearly thrown Zenit’s management into a bit of a dilemma, and in this emergency situation, they’ve found a temporary solution. Rostislav [Vergun] is a skilled tactician who speaks English fluently and knows how to motivate players emotionally. I can say this: following their games against CSKA, Zenit has a streak of matches against opponents they should beat, regardless of whether the head coach or the general director is on the bench.

If the reports about Djordjevic turning down a ‘1+1’ contract are accurate, and if Zenit is unwilling to commit to anyone for the 2026/2027 season, then no reputable European coach would agree to such a contract structure.

I wouldn’t be surprised if, after a series of anticipated wins before the championship break, the management decides to halt their search altogether and see how things unfold under Vergun’s guidance. This is especially true considering the old adage in team sports, which is that swapping any coach for another often results in a brief upturn in performance,” Ryzhov said, as reported by ‘Sport Day by Day’.