Valery Karpin, the head coach of the Russian national football team, shared his perspective on dealing with online haters in a recent interview with Nadezhda Strelets. “I’m used to hate, so it’s like water off a duck’s back,” Karpin stated. “Who are these haters? What kind of people? Why waste nerves on them?” He explained that he no longer pays attention to negative comments directed at him.
When asked about a 2011 incident following Spartak Moscow’s 2-5 loss to Porto, where he approached furious fans, Karpin noted, “I went out because they were about to explode.” He added that he managed to calm them down, and by the end, the crowd was applauding.
Karpin also provided updates on the Russian team’s upcoming schedule. The squad will face Egypt on May 28, Burkina Faso on June 5, and Trinidad and Tobago on June 9 in friendly matches. In March, they played friendlies against Nicaragua (3-1 win) and Mali (0-0 draw). The 57-year-old took over the national team in July 2021 and extended his contract for four years in 2024.
On November 17, Karpin announced his departure as head coach of Moscow’s Dynamo, stating that his priority was his role with the national team. His coaching career includes stints at Rostov, Torpedo Armavir, Mallorca, and Spartak. Since 2022, the Russian national team has only played friendly matches due to suspensions from UEFA and FIFA.