Shirokov Roman is the most controversial figure in our football. On the one hand, R. Shirokov is a true leader of the Russian football team. It is impossible to imagine the game of our team without his brilliant and timely passes, a wonderful vision of the field and the true spirit of the winner, whose injection Roman received while playing for the St. Petersburg Zenit. On the other hand, R. Shirokova can be called Russian Paul Gascoigne. An extraordinary talent and inability to get rid of one’s own wayward are related to our violent Englishman of our player.
It is not surprising that many football fans who do not closely monitor transfers and transfers of players from team to team may ask: “Where is Roman Shirokov playing now?” Before answering this question, it is worth taking a short digression into history and tracing the main milestones of the career of the main rebel of Russian football in recent years. So, in the football biography of Roman Shirokov there are three main points: St. Petersburg “Zenith”, Moscow “Spartak” and “Krasnodar” from the city of the same name.
"Zenith"
Now Roman Shirokov is a football player known to the general public. But before the “Zenith” few knew him. In 2007, he showed himself very well in Khimki near Moscow and attracted the attention of a club from North Palmyra. Zenit signed it as a free agent. It was in the “Zenith” Shirokov Roman revealed himself as a football player of the highest class. During the game for Zenit, Shirokov received all his main awards, became the captain of the national team, and they even started talking about him in Europe: Monaco was watching the football player.
What did Shirokov Roman do before 2007? He drifted from one insignificant team to another. At this time, football was not the main business of his life. Before “Khimki” and “Zenith” Shirokov basically sorted out relations with the players and coaches of the teams in which he played.
In “Khimki” he showed himself in all its glory, and in “Zenith” Shirokov settled down and revealed completely. True, even there he could not do without scandals. In 2009, he argued with Vyacheslav Malafeev (then the first number at the gates of the team), but the conflict was not too serious and prolonged.
But in 2014, the relationship of Roman Shirokov and Zenit escalated. The story is dark, and to the end it is unclear why Shirokov Roman left the “Zenith”. Someone says that he did not fit the club’s new coach, Andre Vilasu-Boas. Someone claims that the matter is in the bad temper of the player and he again quarreled with someone. It’s probably all about money. R. Shirokov simply could not conclude a new contract on favorable terms. One way or another, but in February 2014 he went to Krasnodar on a rental basis, before the expiration of the contract with Zenit.
Krasnodar
R. Shirokov found peace in Krasnodar, in a football team created by Sergei Galitsky. In FC Krasnodar, Shirokov played almost as well as in his best years at Zenit, helping Krasnodar to break into European competition. Bulls (the nickname of Krasnodar) pulled out a ticket to the Europa League from their pursuers. A very important component was precisely the mastery game in the center of the field of our main brawler and rebel. Despite the fact that in Krasnodar the player of the Russian national team was very asked to stay, he went to Moscow, namely to Spartak.
"Spartacus"
From this period of the career of Roman Shirokov, there is nothing special to remember. When he came to Spartak, many fans and specialists had high hopes for this transfer. People thought that thanks to the arrival of such a great midfielder, Spartak will be able to return to the leading position in domestic football, but the reality was not so rosy.
In fact, R. Shirokov was recovering for a very long time after an injury, and after recovering, he played only one memorable match. It was a game against Lokomotiv from Moscow, in which he scored a beautiful ball with his head. Then he quarreled with the head coach of Spartak and returned to his favorable atmosphere for Krasnodar.
Krasnodar. The Second Coming of Roman Shirokov
In January 2015, R. Shirokov was again rented by Krasnodar. And again he plays in it much better than in the previous club. Scores a little: just one goal in eight meetings held, but the efficiency on the field is simply stunning. His experience and technique help Krasnodar to be on the second line after Zenit in the current championship of Russia. It is not yet clear where R. Shirokov will end up after the end of the season, but rumor has it that Krasnodar is ready to buy his contract from Spartak. One way or another, but these are the things of the future tense, and now Shirokov is in Krasnodar.