Girls and football - things, in the opinion of people far from sports, completely incompatible, and even anecdotal. Although in fact, women have long earned a reputation as a good specialist, who can work with men's teams. For example, in 2016, Chang Yong-ting made the Hong Kong team Eastern champion of the country, the beauty of Tihana Nemchich from Croatia for several years "steers" the local club "Victoria", and in Italy Patricia Panico and does represent the country at the international level, training the men's team before 16 years.

It turns out that there is no need to go far beyond examples of such experience - there is also a woman in the Sverdlovsk Region who does not just work in a football club, but works for the benefit of the main team in the region! In FC Ural Elena Afanasyeva, of course, is not the head coach, but she is a member of the team's staff - responsible for the physical training of all players. JustMedia. Ru met this woman and asked her the most interesting questions. Enjoy reading!.

- How did you get into football? Why did you choose such an unusual profession for a woman?.

- I am a professional sportswoman in the past, I was engaged in athletics, if more specifically all-round competition. Then I worked as a coach for a long time in my sport and realized - I need to move on. I worked a little in basketball, also a physical training coach. Then I got into Ural, passed the trial period and signed a full-fledged contract. Worked with the team back in the FNL, now in the Premier League.

- In Russia there is such a tradition that on February 23 the female half of the collective congratulates the men. How do you get out of this holiday, because you are alone in a team of players and coaches?.

- To begin with, on February 23 this is my birthday (laughs). And since we have a birthday party at the club, on this day the guys congratulate me. By the way, there are no traditions on March 8 or February 23 in the Urals. So most often such holidays are held in the regular mode - we work, we train.

Footballers greet Elena Afanasyeva exactly like this.

- What is the most memorable gift from players or co-trainers?.

- The biggest gift for the coach is a good performance of the team, excellent results and a high place in the standings. Therefore, the best gift the guys made to me this year - they got to the finals of the Cup of Russia. This historic event, which we will remember for life. I am pleased to realize that I was with them, preparing them.

- There is an opinion that the players most do not like physical training trainers, because you force them to do heavy exercises, run tedious crosses. Have you ever felt this on yourself?.

- Let's just say: physical training trainers are not that the most unloved, there are just guys who normally treat my exercises, manage, and there are those who really are hard. And, of course, many players do not like to work in the preseason, because it's a heavy, monotonous work. There are such days, I will not hide that the guys do not want to see me in training! (Smiles) - Who is the laziest football player you've worked with? As a cheerleader, it seems to me that no one is more disorganized than Toto Tamuz in "Ural" was not yet.

- On the part of people outside the team who do not know the whole situation, there may be such an opinion. But a lazy person will not become a football player, this is a sports truth. It just happens that the player got into an inappropriate club, to an unsuitable coach, did not go to the style of the team's game. The fact that Toto Tammuz did not work in the Urals does not mean that he is a bad or lazy football player. In another club, perhaps everything would be different.

- And who is the most active, diligent player?.

- All the guys are trying, working. There are, of course, those who, after training, remain engaged individually. By surnames to allocate someone I will not.

- In recent years, "Ural" has acquired the status of a talent forge. It is also often said that talent can not be uncovered without zeal. Fedor Smolov, Vyacheslav Podberezkin, Alexander Erokhin, Alexander Sapeta, Gerson Acevedo, now here's Vladimir Ilyin - zealous players?.

- Of course, after all, in the professional sport of the result can only be achieved through perseverance and effort. All the guys you called, really tried. I am very glad that they have all developed, that they play and are in demand. And now many young people have come to us. If they will work - and they will succeed.

- Fyodor Smolov is absolutely the best Russian player right now, he's already been wooed even to clubs of the level of "Borussia" Dortmund. And how did she remember you from the performances in the Urals?.

- A man with a very good sense of humor, perfectly joined our team. If we talk about him as a player - a very fast, technical and thinking forward. He had all the data and opportunities to become, as you say, the best Russian player, and he used them.

- Vladimir Ilyin a couple of months ago, almost no one knew. Now he is called a candidate for the Russian national team. Tell us about it.

- He opened the door for plowing and burst into our team! A young and very talented guy, he tries very hard and faithfully works for all 110 percent. At each training session he is laid out completely, and here his work gives the result.

- In your opinion, does he have a chance to go to the Russian team in the near future?.

- I can not say whether he will get into the national team or not, but he has all the prerequisites for this.

- Our interview can be read by girls who also want to work in football. What can you advise them?.

- I can say unequivocally: that a girl could work in football, she needs, first, herself to go through a large school of professional sports.

- Over the years in the Urals, what place in your life did football take?.

- Football is probably the most part of my life. I will say this - for seven years he became my life outside the family.

- You managed to work with many trainers in the Urals. Did they all require you to physically cook the team in different ways? Or the requirements of all about the same?.

- Each coach has his own vision of football, every coach has adjusted the training process to his own style of play. Naturally, this also involved the physical preparation of the team. It was necessary to select those exercises that fit the requirements of the head coaches.

- What happened during the winter with the Urals? The team seemed to be replaced, the guys are playing much brightly!.

- First, the composition of the team has changed, new players have appeared.

Secondly, Alexander Fedorovich came. He wants the team to play free soccer soccer. All our work is built around this idea.

- Well, the last question. To the Cup final prepare somehow in a special way?.

- For now, frankly, we are thinking about matches against Zenit and Spartak (the interview was two days before the scandalous game in St. Petersburg). These are difficult opponents, you need to play well with them, and then think of the final game of the Cup of Russia!.