A man on a mission

Marseille's new striker Dimitri Sychev (L) shoots after avoiding Creteil's defender Guillaume Norbert 18 January 2003 at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille during their First League match. Marseille won 4-0.

Ambitious Lokomotiv Moscow president Valery Filatov was delighted to have signed highly promising Russian striker Dmitri Sychev in January 2004 after the then 20-year-old had spent a year at French giant Marseille.

Lokomotiv were unable to field him in the Champions League last 16 games against another French club Monaco in February and March.

Sychev, who had featured in the competition with Marseille, should be available to play for the new force in Russian football next season, while the public will see him out at Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Before moving to France he had enjoyed a stint at Spartak Moscow but ambition led him to seek a move abroad so fiercely that he was banned for four months.

In the end, he signed with Dynamo Kiev before finally concluding a deal to play in the French top flight in December, 2002.

Four days after his debut, he scored his first goal in France in the 4-0 drubbing of Creteil in League Cup action and then opened his account in league play firing home in the 2-0 win over Nice.

Off the pitch made great strides to learn French and whilst on it he settled well into his rhythm.

Ambitious

Belgian midfielder Yves Vanderhaeghe (R) shoots past Russian forward Dmitri Sychev (L) during the Group H first round last match Belgium/Russia of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan, 14 June 2002 at Shizuoka Stadium. AFP PHOTO PHILIPPE HUGUEN

He plays a direct game, is spontaneous and shows nerves of steel that belie his youth in front of goal. On top of that he often attempts spectacular moves that delight the crowds.

Whether playing for Russia or at club level, he seems like a man on a mission and will give a great boost to the ambitions of Lokomotiv and his national side.

Russian forward Vladimir Beschastnykh (L) is congratulated by teammate forward Dmitri Sychev after he scored during the Group H first round last match Belgium/Russia of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan, 14 June 2002 at Shizuoka Stadium. AFP PHOTO ODD ANDERSEN

He made his international debut in March 2002, and two months later scored his first goal for his country against Yugoslavia.

The 2002 World Cup was a disappointment for both the player and country as they failed to get past the first round losing the final key group match to Belgium.

Sychev also scored in the crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against Georgia when a 3-1 win propelled Russia into the play-offs where they squeaked past Wales 1-0 on aggregate.

He will probably have a few more cracks at major international competitions beginning with the much anticipated Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal where they are drawn in the first round with Spain, Greece and the host nation.