Russia coach Dick Advocaat should recall 36-year-old Zenit midfielder Sergei Semak to the side for Euro 2012 despite his age, Semak’s Zenit St. Petersburg teammate and Russian goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Malafeev and Semak were both in the Russia squad that reached the semifinals of Euro 2008, but Semak fell out of favor when Advocaat took charge of Russia in July 2010 and has not played since.
Semak’s experience, stamina and personality would all be assets to the squad, Malafeev said, when asked who he would pick for Euro 2012.
“Semak offers a lot of experience and can perform a large amount of work and he’s got enough skill to score beautiful goals in key games,” Malafeev said.
“As a team player he’s friendly, understanding, sociable and positive. In that respect he wouldn’t disturb the team.”
Semak missed most of the current Russian season with a recurring injury to his foot, and has scored three goals in 16 league appearances.
Malafeev said that Semak’s ability to recover from setbacks could count in his favor for Euro 2012 selection.
“After that he put the shirt back and was useful to Zenit in the games he played in. Whether that’s enough for the coach is the big question.”
Semak spent a decade at CSKA Moscow, scoring 69 goals in 289 appearances until 2004, when he joined Paris St. Germain for a season and later helped Rubin Kazan to back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009.
Zenit signed Semak in 2010. His contract will expire in December 2012, but the club has already declared
its intention to agree an extension this summer.
Semak has played 65 times for Russia, scoring four goals, and last featured in a friendly against Hungary in March 2010.
