Roman Shirokov: My wild vodka benders nearly put me out the game

May 11 2008 By Gavin Berry In St Petersburg

Rangers V Zenit 3 Days To Go

RUSSIAN rebel Roman Shirokov hopes to be drinking out of the UEFA Cup on Wednesday night - six years after ending up in the last chance saloon.

The Zenit St Petersburg star has revealed how a long battle with booze almost cost him his big chance in football as a promising career spiralled out of control.

Shirokov's story is an incredible tale of rags to riches and it could be lined with silver if he helps the Russian champions to victory in Manchester.

The stopper had huge potential as a youngster at CSKA Moscow and his single mum worked extra shifts as a nurse to help fund his career after Roman's dad died when he was just 14.

But after CSKA loaned him parout for first-team experience he went AWOL on a two-month drinking bender with his mates.

When Shirokov finally returned to the Russian giants he was sent to the army as punishment.

By then his career was well on the slide and the disgraced player ended up scratching around the lower leagues.

Numerous bust-ups with managers followed before he finally found his feet and started to fulfil his potential at Russian Premier side Khimki.

It was there Russia boss Guus Hiddink spotted his ability, tipped off Dick Advocaat and now Shirokov is destined for Euro 2008 and chasing UEFA Cup glory.

Ahead of the showdown with Rangers he said: "Only six years ago I was in the army because I was sent there at age 20.

"I was on the books at CSKA Moscow but got farmed out on loan to a smaller club, Torpedo Zil, to gain experience.

"CSKA's president said to me: 'Roman, after six months you will come back and be a first-team player'.

"But a couple of days after going on loan a friend came to visit me and we went out - then returned almost two months later! We were drinking, parout tying and doing whatever.

"We drank beer, vodka and sometimes both mixed together. My mum was so upset when she read everything.

"My father died when I was 14 and mum worked as a nurse so it was hard for her because she had taken on extra shifts to enable me to get the train to Moscow.

"She didn't understand what was happening and was swearing heavily. My mother used harsh language and I didn't like to hear that.

"When I finally returned CSKA asked me to write a letter explaining everything.

"And as I wrote I realised I had been away for 50 or 60 days. They sent me to the army and I had to paint walls red and black at the base in Vatutinki, dig trenches and help lay electrical cables.

"I slept in barracks and got up at six o'clock every morning.

"It was punishment and when I came out I was finished with CSKA.

"That was at the end of 2002 and the first time I understood my problems with alcohol.

"I was ready to finish with football and thought getting another job was my best option so went to university and graduated with a law degree.

"But just when I was thinking about working as a lawyer my first ever football coach Vyacheslav Komarov, who was training a team in the Russian third league, asked me to sign.

"He took me under his wing again and I stopped drinking because of my respect for him. From there I started rebuilding my career.

"I had to leave the club for financial reasons but thankfully by then my drinking had practically stopped.

"Something clicked inside me that if I didn't stop then it might be too late."

After working his way through the leagues Shirokov returned to the top division with Khimki and won a call-up to the Russian national squad from Hiddink.

Advocaat then signed him for Zenit and although he had spent his whole career in midfield the Dutchman switched him to defence during an injury crisis.

Shirokov will now play in the UEFA Cup Final and go to Euro 2008 as a stopper.

He said: "Our former defender Erik Hagen broke down so I was put in his place at centre-half and did well.

"I took it calmly, kept my place and it has gone from there . I don't know if Advocaat knew about my ability to be a defender - maybe instinct just told him to play me there."