All change already in Russia

By Eduard Nisenboim

FC Zenit St. Petersburg and FC Torpedo Moskva may be leading the way in the Russian Premier-Liga, but it is the coaches who are making headlines after five matches.

National service
Reigning champions FC Lokomotiv Moskva coach Yuri Semin was appointed the new national coach to succeed Georgi Yartsev, after 18 years with the club he helped to their first post-Soviet Union title in 2002. Semin is replaced by his assistant of 12 years Vladimir Eshtrekov.

Zenit zoom
Lokomotiv are the only unbeaten side in the league this season with two wins and three draws and have yet to concede a goal. They currently lie sixth, three points adrift of leaders Zenit and Torpedo. Zenit made an explosive start, defeating FC Dinamo Moskva 4-1 on their way to another three wins, though they did suffer a surprise defeat by FC Tom Tomsk, their only win of the season.

Derby rout
Vlastimil Petrzela's side are joined at the summit on 12 points by Torpedo who have also achieved four wins and one defeat, after losing 2-1 at Dinamo, who are level with Lokomotiv on nine points. Dinamo's capital rivals FC Spartak Moskva, are a point ahead of them in third place having won the derby between the two sides 5-1 - one of the biggest losses in Dinamo coach and former Spartak player Oleg Romantsev's illustrious career.

Cavenaghi shines
Eastern European football's most expensive footballer Fernando Cavenaghi, signed in the close season for in excess of €10m, scored twice in the match, adding to his other two strikes which make him the league's current leading scorer along with Aleksandr Panov of Torpedo and Zenit's Andrei Arshavin.

Record-breakers stutter
Despite becoming only the second Russian club ever to reach the UEFA Cup semi-finals, PFC CSKA Moskva have made an indifferent start to the league season. Valeri Gazzaev's team have accumulated just eight points from five games, after losing 1-0 to Zenit and drawing with Dinamo and Tom.

Basement reshuffle
FC Alania Vladikavkaz and FC Rostov have also been forced into coaching changes. Eduard Gess was appointed the new coach at Alania following Bakhva Tedeev's resignation, while Paul Ashworth becomes the first English coach in Russia after illness forced Rostov's Gennadi Stepushkin to temporarily step down. The new coaches have much work to do, with Alania and Rostov currently propping up the table with just one point each.