Yury Syomin

Yury Pavlovich Syomin (Russian: Юрий Павлович Сёмин; born 11 May 1947) is a Russian football coach. He has managed FC Lokomotiv Moscow for 4 different stints, for a total of over 23 years. The recent history of the Russian club has been associated with him, as he was also president for a short period.

Syomin was born on 11 May 1947 in Orenburg. His family moved to Oryol some time later. As a child he has showed interest in football, ice hockey, volleyball, and athletics. His son Andrei Syomin is also a player and a coach.

At the age of 16, while still attending school, Syomin started his player career at Spartak Oryol, a Soviet Second League club.

One year later he was invited to Spartak Moscow. He has scored two first Spartak's goals in a European competition (in 1966 against OFK Beograd).

At the age of 20, Syomin changed club again, this time to Dynamo Moscow. With this club, he won his only player's trophy, the 1970 Soviet Cup. He calls the spell with Dynamo the most successful period of his player career.

Syomin left Dynamo due to disagreements with the coach after he was not fielded in a European match. After that he has changed several other clubs. Syomin played for Kairat Almaty, Chkalovets Novosibirsk, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Kuban Krasnodar. He ended his career as a player at the age of 33.

Syomin started his coaching career in 1983, when he was called to save Pamir Dushanbe, a First League team, from relegation. Syomin succeeded and was recognized as the honorary coach of Tajik SSR for this achievement.

In 1986 Syomin went on to coach FC Lokomotiv Moscow, where he spent 19 years. During the period of his work Lokomotiv transformed from a mid-table club to one of the leaders of Russian football, winning the championship in 2002 and 2004. Syomin also enjoyed cup success, winning Russian Cup five times, Russian Super Cup twice and reaching Cup Winners' Cup semifinal twice.