Garry O’Connor’s Russian club still in deep trouble despite rescue by President Putin

THREE years ago, Siberian club Tom – now home to former Hibernian and Scotland striker Garry O’Connor – was in danger of bankruptcy before being rescued by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin, who was then prime minister, ordered seven of the country’s largest oil and energy companies to pump more than $12 million into the club’s coffers.

The cash injection helped turn Tom’s fortunes around both on and off the pitch, allowing the club to pay off most of its debt and also boosting the team’s morale.

Tom, who owed nearly 600 million roubles (£12 million) in back pay to their players and staff in 2009, had needed around 400 million roubles (£8 million) to keep the club afloat.

However, Putin warned former Tom bosses that it was a one-off deal and they should not expect any such help in the future.

“Many clubs have had such problems, not just in Russia but worldwide,” said Sergei Zhvachkin, who became the club’s president in March soon after Putin appointed him governor of the Tomsk region. “Look at Chelsea. They too were on the verge of bankruptcy just a decade ago, before Roman Abramovich came to rescue them.”

Russian billionaire Abramovich has invested hundreds of millions of pounds of his own money into Chelsea since buying the west London club for some £17 million pounds in 2003. “Now they’re among the biggest clubs in Europe,” Zhvachkin said. “It just shows that nothing is impossible in football.”

However, Tom has continued to face problems both on and off the field.

Their experienced coach, Valery Nepomniashchy, who led the celebrated Cameroon side of 1990 to the World Cup quarter-finals in Italy and has worked with national teams in China and Uzbekistan, quit last year and the team was relegated to Division One (second tier league) in May.

Last month, the club was fined 30,000 roubles by local authorities for failing to pay wages to its staff on time. In addition, local prosecutors have opened a criminal case against their former general director Yuri Stepanov, charging him with embezzlement linked to the 2006 transfer of Russia international Pavel Pogrebnyak.

Investigators said a third party had been paid $400,000 to obtain Pogrebnyak’s transfer from Spartak Moscow to Tom.

The following year, the well-travelled striker moved to Zenit St Petersburg, then to Bundesliga’s VfB Stuttgart before joining London club Fulham last season. He now plays for their English Premier League rivals Reading.

Stepanov has also left the club and the criminal case was closed earlier this year.

Following a summit meeting in the Kremlin headed by Putin this year, Rosneft and Gazprom – the country’s largest oil and energy companies respectively – agreed to share the cost of running the club along with the regional government.

Tom are currently undergoing restructuring after Gazprom and Rosneft officially became the club’s joint owners along with the Tomsk region.

“I think it’s only fair for the state companies, such as Gazprom and Rosneft, to give something back to the people of our region for using our natural resources,” said Zhvachkin.

“With the help of Gazprom and Rosneft we have been able to pay off some 450 million roubles of the money owed to former players and staff but still owe about 150 million in back wages,” added deputy governor Chingis Akatayev.

The team is looking for a quick return to Russia’s top flight next year after comfortably leading Division One midway through this season’s campaign.

They have a good mix of experienced players, such as O’Connor, as well as young blood, including Pogrebnyak’s younger brother, 20-year-old Kirill. O’Connor has played only six games and scored one goal so far, however, with injury and suspension curtailing his involvement. He also missed a local derby on 31 October, which Tom won 2-0.

“We have good crowds at almost all our home games even when the temperature drops well below zero, especially when we face (arch-rivals) Sibir Novosibirsk. It’s our Siberian derby,” said long-time Tom fan Sergei Simonov.

Sibir also have a Hibs connection, having been managed briefly by former Easter Road manager Alex Miller. He was appointed in January of this year, but left after just nine matches. The balance of power in Siberia has now shifted, with Tomsk four points clear of their nearest challengers and 17 points ahead of Sibir with the season two-thirds complete.

The club, however, has still been criticised for relying heavily on government subsidy rather than trying to work out a solid economic plan.

Zhvachkin said he would welcome a private owner with open arms but added it was nearly impossible to find a local tycoon who was willing to risk his own money by investing in the struggling club.

“Well, I can ask Abramovich to sell Chelsea and put his money into our club but I don’t think he would accept such an offer,” he added with a smile.

Despite the recent problems, Zhvachkin dreams of one day playing in the Champions League. “Who knows, maybe I’ll live to see the day when Tom will host a top club, like Chelsea, in a European Cup match,” he said looking up and rolling his eyes.