Former Chelsea and Fulham midfielder Alexei Smertin is now an elected politician in Russia, read on to hear just what he is up to.
While most footballers are content with a career in a television studio once they finish football, or spending their days at the racetrack, one is busy trying to change lives.
Alexey Smertin, now 37 and a former Russian Footballer of the Year, retired back in 2008 after a varied time in the Premier League.
He was signed by Claudio Ranieri for little under £3.5 million in 2003 from Bordeaux, before being loaned to Portsmouth. He went onto feature for the Blues under Jose Mourinho before being loaned to Charlton.
The midfielder was sold back to Russia in 2006 but came back to these shores to play for Fulham, but that would be the final chapter of his footballing career.
As a footballer, players have great responsibility in the public eye, yet Smertin decided he wanted more of this.
After retiring, he chose to enter politics back home in Russia, a brave move perhaps, but one he is currently relishing in.
Now his long hair has been trimmed to a more presentable short cut, a wise move considering he spends most of his days in a suit rather than training gear.
In March 2009 he was elected as a politician in Russia’s southern Altai region, which borders Mongolia, Kazakhstan and a small tip of China.
It is a far cry from the built up wealth of West London Smertin once knew, Altai is well known for it’s mountainous terrain – pictured- and glaciers, and is one of Russia’s least populated territories.
It has no rail access and relies very much on its natural resources and expanding tourism industry to support it’s economy.
Smertin, although not a ‘head of republic’ is an influential figure as a deputy of the legislative assembly, and is working tirelessly to create better lives for the 200,000 plus people living in the region.
Even before he went into politics, Smertin had begun work with his own charity, ‘Young Hopefuls’ and he saw it as a way of expanding his ability to make a difference.
Writing on his personal blog, he said: “I want our children to have an opportunity to develop and to score success. And we create just conditions for it. I want to show all people by personal example that charity is truly a useful and important action.”
One of Smertin’s key aims is to give youngsters in the region a ‘sporting chance’ and an opportunity of a better life like he has enjoyed.
He has started making that happen by setting up his own football school- a project he begun while playing for Charlton, and organising for orphanages to be given footballs and T-shirts.
As well as overseeing the construction of new playing fields, and a new hotel, Smertin is an active campaigner against drugs, and hopes to act as a positive role model.
He is a regular at events, often asked to open and attend various happenings in the region, as a well-respected figurehead, and is a public speaker.
Football remains his passion, he is the vice president of Lokomotiv Moscow, who he played for in the 1999-2000 season, and played a part in the delegation for Russia’s successful 2018 World Cup bid.
He still posts up blog posts on his website about Lokomotiv’s season, and his perspectives on their future.
Is a move for the Russian presidency one day in the pipeline? We wouldn’t bet on it. Smertin is happy in the relatively rural part of his large country, working where he can make a difference for the disadvantaged, and the many complicated issues of international politics may be a step too far.
Still, few would have foreseen his venture into the political world in the first place, so as they say in football, who knows…
image: © our-planet
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