Yuri Semin

Yuri Semin is a former professional striker and coach born on 11 May 1947 in Orenburg, the Soviet Union.

Yuri began his professional career with FC Oryol in 1964 and then spent two seasons with prominent Spartak Moscow. However, his career really picked up steam in 1968 when Semin joined Dynamo Moscow. He won the 1970 Soviet Cup together with the club, remaining his only player’s award. All in all, Semin amassed 19 goals in 95 matches during a three year stint. In between 1972 and 1980, Semin played for such clubs as Kairat, Chkalovets Novosibirsk, Lokomotiv Moscow and Kuban. He retired as a player in 1980.

In fact, it was coaching where Yuri Semin rose to eminence. He began his managerial career at Pomir Dushanbe helping them to escape relegation from the Soviet second league. But Semin recorded the majority of his titles with Lokomotiv Moscow. He was at the helm of the club for a total of 19 years leading them from the lower-to-mid positions to the summits of Russian football. He welcomed two Russian Premier League titles, four Russian Cups, two Russian Super Cups together with Lokomotiv. Semin also led them to the Cup Winners’ Cup semifinals twice.

Yuri Semin also had four seasons as a coach of Dynamo Kyiv. He claimed the Ukrainian Premier League title together with the club in the 2008/09 season and led them to the UEFA Cup semifinals in the same campaign. Semin quit the Ukrainian club in 2012 and was appointed the manager of Gabala FC from Azerbaijan. In 2014 Semin became the manager of a Russian Premier league side Mordovia Saransk.