 Kanchelskis in 2001 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andrei Antanasovich Kanchelskis | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1969-01-23)23 January 1969 (age 56) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kirovohrad,Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (nowKropyvnytskyi, Ukraine) | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Winger | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | Zirka Kirovohrad | 68 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Dynamo Kyiv | 22 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 21 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 1991–1995 | Manchester United | 123 | (28) | ||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Everton | 52 | (19) | ||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Fiorentina | 26 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–2002 | Rangers | 76 | (13) | ||||||||||||||
| 2001 | →Manchester City (loan) | 10 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Southampton | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Al Hilal | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Dynamo Moscow | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Saturn Ramenskoye | 32 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Krylia Sovetov | 22 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 456 | (76) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Soviet Union U21 | 8 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Soviet Union | 17 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 1992 | CIS | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1992–1998 | Russia | 36 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Torpedo-ZIL Moscow | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Ufa | ||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Jūrmala | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Solyaris Moscow | ||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Navbahor Namangan | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Navbahor Namangan | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Muras United | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Dynamo Bryansk | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Andrei Antanasovich Kanchelskis (Russian:Андрей Антанасович Канчельскис;Ukrainian:Андрій Антанасович Канчельскіс; born 23 January 1969) is a Russian professionalfootball coach and former player who currently managesRussian Second League sideDynamo Bryansk.[1] During his playing career, he won twoPremier League titles, theFA Cup, theFootball League Cup, twoFA Charity Shields and theEuropean Super Cup withManchester United, before going on to win theScottish Premier League,Scottish Cup andScottish League Cup twice each withRangers.
Kanchelskis began his career with his hometown teamZirka Kirovohrad in 1986, before transferring toDynamo Kyiv in theSoviet Top League, and later torivalsShakhtar Donetsk. He then moved abroad, signing for English clubManchester United, where he helped the team wintheir first league championship in 26 years. He moved toEverton in 1995 where he spent 18 months, before transferring to Italian clubFiorentina for a record fee for a Soviet-born player. Following an injury-marred spell in Italy, Kanchelskis moved to Scottish clubRangers, where he won adomestic treble in his first season. After falling out of favour, his career became nomadic, playing forManchester City andSouthampton in England, and Saudi clubAl Hilal, before playing in Russia for the first time forSaturn Ramenskoye andKrylia Sovetov, where he played his last games before retiring in 2007. Kanchelskis is the only player to have scored in each of theManchester,Merseyside, andOld Firm derbies.
After his playing career had finished, Kanchelskis became the general director ofNosta Novotroitsk in 2008, before moving into club management in 2010, managingTorpedo-ZIL Moscow andUfa in Russia, and thenLatvian teamJūrmala in 2014 for three months. In 2016, Kanchelskis returned to management withSolyaris Moscow, and between 2018 and 2020, he had two spells in charge of Navbahor Namangan inUzbekistan.
Internationally, Kanchelskis represented three different teams. He first played for theSoviet Union in 1989, and scored the nations' last ever goal before thedissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. During 1992, he played for theCIS, a brief association of formerSoviet republics, who he represented atUEFA Euro 1992. Following the tournament, he elected to representRussia rather thanUkraine, the country of his birth. After boycotting the team for the1994 FIFA World Cup, he returned and played for Russia duringEuro 1996, and won his lastcap in 1998. Overall, Kanchelskis was capped 59 times, scoring seven goals. In his youth career for theSoviet Union U21 team, he won theEuropean U21 Championship in 1990.
| External videos | |
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 Two YouTube video | |
 debut goal in Federation Cup | |
| first league goal against Dynamo Moscow |
Kanchelskis was born inKirovohrad in theSoviet Union'sUkrainian Soviet Socialist Republic to a Lithuanian father, Antanas, and a Ukrainian mother.[2] Kanchelskis started his career with hometown teamZirka Kropyvnytskyi, known at the time as Zirka Kirovograd.[3] In 1988, he wascalled up to the army, and had the choice of two teams to transfer to -Dynamo Kyiv andDnipro.[3] Choosing Dynamo, he received a salary of 250rubles per month, and described his time in the army as a "good school of life".[3] At Dynamo, Kanchelskis was coached by the legendaryValeriy Lobanovskyi, who he believes is the best manager he played for.[4] Lobanovskyi favoured a4–4–2 formation, a system which focussed on getting the ball to the flanks and crossing into the penalty box,[3] which Kanchelskis describes as an "English style of play".[5] Kanchelskis had decided to become awinger having seen BrazilianJairzinho playing in his youth.[6]
His first goal for Dynamo came on 4 November 1988 at theRepublican Stadium, scoring the equalising goal againstDynamo Moscow in a 2–1 victory.[5] Kanchelskis eventually decided to leave Dynamo due to lack of game time, causing upset to his mentor Lobanovskyi, who he admired and respected greatly.[7] He then transferred toShakhtar Donetsk in 1990, where his salary was increased to 700 rubles per week.[5]
Every player was a brilliant player, it was a great team, an excellent team. We played more relaxed, because everyone was scared of Manchester United. We play away or at home, it doesn't matter, we knew if we concentrated we could win every game, it's no problem for us. That's why we won trophies.
Kanchelskis signed forManchester United in a £650,000 deal on 26 March 1991, with United managerAlex Ferguson describing it as a "justifiable risk".[9] Ferguson had discovered Kanchelskis through aVHS tape sent to him by NorwegianagentRune Hauge,[10] and had been able to personally scout him during aSoviet Union match againstScotland.[11]
He made his United debut in the penultimate league game of the1990–91 season, a match which United lost 3–0 toCrystal Palace atSelhurst Park, with Ferguson resting several first team players due to their participation in theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup Final.[9] During his time with United, he received help settling in from George Scanlan,[12] employed by the club as aninterpreter, who he became close friends with and who later helped write his first autobiography.[13] Kanchelskis came into a United squad who finished the season in 6th position, with Ferguson under increasing pressure to win the league championship.[14]
Kanchelskis won the1991 European Super Cup with United, defeatingEuropean Cup winnersRed Star Belgrade 1–0.[11] He established himself as a regular member of the United team, playing in 34 out of 42 league games in the1991–92 season,[14] as United finished second toLeeds United in a title race that they had led for most of the season, before being overhauled during the final few weeks. However, compensation for Kanchelskis and his teammates had come atWembley Stadium on 12 April 1992 when a 1–0 win overNottingham Forest gave them their first everFootball League Cup triumph. Kanchelskis scored five league goals that season, finding the net eight times in all competitions.[citation needed] His first United goal was againstSheffield United in a 2–0 league win atOld Trafford on 2 November 1991.[citation needed]
On the opening day of thenew Premiership season, Kanchelskis was one of just 11 foreign (excluding Irish) players starting in the league.[15][note 1] Though he primarily played on the right wing, such was the fluidity of United's attacking play that Kanchelskis could switch wings and be as effective, as against defending champions Leeds early in the season, with opposite wingerRyan Giggs delivering a ball from the right to Kanchelskis, drifting from the left wing to the back post, heading into the goal to score United's first in a 2–0 win.[16] Kanchelskis was a regular in the first half of the season before being replaced for the second half of the season byLee Sharpe, who returned from a bout ofviral meningitis,[9] with Giggs now the favoured choice in Sharpe's previous position on the left flank. Nevertheless, Kanchelskis was a key part of the team who won the first everPremier League title, scoring three goals in 27 league games appearances, as United's 26-year league title wait came to an end.[9][14]
The1993–94 season brought more success as United won thePremier League title and theFA Cup, and Kanchelskis was now United's first choice right-winger.[14] 1993–94 was also the first season of squad numbers in the Premier League, and Kanchelskis was issued with the number 14 shirt. Kanchelskis was sent off in the last minute of theLeague Cup final for deliberate handball;Dean Saunders scored from the resulting penalty, ensuring a 3–1 loss toAston Villa,[17] a defeat which eventually cost United a domestictreble.[18]
Kanchelskis was United's leading goalscorer in the1994–95 season with 15 goals in 32 games,[14] but missed the final few weeks of the season due to ahernia,[14] and during that time United surrendered the league title toBlackburn and theFA Cup toEverton. United were also without the suspendedEric Cantona (who was banned for eight months after he assaulted a spectator againstCrystal Palace in late January), whileAndy Cole was cup-tied for theFA Cup games. His highlight of the 1994–95 season came on 10 November 1994, when hescored a hat-trick for United in their 5–0 home win over neighbours City in theManchester derby. He had also found the net twice againstBlackburn Rovers in a crucial match atEwood Park on 24 October which United won 4–2. Kanchelskis had played 145 times for United and scored 48 goals in the space of four years, but he had fallen out with managerAlex Ferguson earlier in the season and failed to patch up his differences with the manager. He was placed on the transfer list in July 1995 and on his departure, he was eventually replaced on the right-hand side of United's midfield byDavid Beckham.[citation needed]
Bryan Robson made an approach to sign Kanchelskis forMiddlesbrough when it was announced that United would be selling him, bidding £4.5m in July 1995, while there was also interest fromArsenal.[19] Robson believed his friendship with Kanchelskis could secure the transfer in Middlesbrough's favour.[20] Kanchelskis confirmed that he would be leaving United, blaming Ferguson for his imminent departure,[21] and eventually agreed to joinEverton in August, but the transfer was cancelled due to a claim by Shakhtar Donetsk for money.[22] Kanchelskis was subsequently registered with United forEuropean competition, with the belief he could yet remain with the club,[23] but a compromise between United, Everton and Shakhtar was reached, and he signed for Everton after the beginning of the1995–96 season, in time for a fixture againstSouthampton.[24] Everton paid a club record £5m fee for Kanchelskis, signing a four-year contract worth £13,000 per week.[25]
United manager Ferguson later claimed in his autobiography that he was offered a bung of £40,000 to force through a transfer by Grigory Essaoulenko,[26] the agent of Kanchelskis, who denied the allegations.[27] In 1997, an inquiry into potential transfer irregularities in English football was unable to obtain information regarding Kanchelskis' transfers as the owner of Shakhtar,Akhat Bragin, had been murdered with an explosive device.[28][29]The Independent later uncovered that Bragin had stolen over £500k in 1991 when Kanchelskis had transferred to United, money which had been deposited into aSwiss bank account by Manchester United, a fact which was only realised by other Shakhtar officials, includingRavil Safiullin, when Kanchelskis transferred to Everton.[30] Kanchelskis, who was contracted to Scottish teamRangers by the time of Ferguson's allegations, denied any involvement, and said Essaoulenko hadn't been his agent since 1991.[31]
I remember the good times here and in that first season I scored 16 goals and was top scorer at the club. In the second season there were financial problems and we couldn't buy the players that we wanted... The directors told me that they needed the funds to buy new players. It was a good investment for the club to buy me for £5 million and sell me for £8 million. I'd have liked to stay here because this is where my family was, living in Manchester, and my kids were born here. But this is football, this is life.
Having missed theCharity Shieldcurtain raiser againstBlackburn due to the delay of the transfer,[33] he made his debut in the match against Southampton, with Everton winning 2–0, their first win of the season.[34] During his first game against Manchester United, since he joined Everton, in early September, Kanchelskis suffered a shoulder injury early into the game following a late tackle by Sharpe,[35] and was substituted off after 14 minutes in an eventual 3–2 defeat.[36] He returned to action againstBolton Wanderers a month later, missing two chances to score in a 1–1 draw.[37] He rapidly gained cult status with Everton supporters especially after his two goals againstMerseyside rivalsLiverpool at Anfield, his first for the club, ensured a 2–1 win, Everton's first triumph at the stadium since 1986.[38] A week later, he put in aMan of the Match performance in a 2–2 draw withSheffield Wednesday, scoring Everton's first three minutes into injury time in the first half, before assisting the equaliser forDaniel Amokachi.[39]
His first season with the club saw him score 16 goals, including 10 goals in the last 10 matches,[12] to cap a season of excellent performances which made him arguably the best right-winger in the country; his 16 goals was the Everton goalscoring joint-record in the Premier League, shared withTony Cottee, for 20 years untilRomelu Lukaku broke the record in 2016.[40] On 24 February 1996, Kanchelskis scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win againstNottingham Forest, which moved them into 7th place for the first time since August, increasing their chances ofUEFA Cup qualification.[41] On 16 April, he again scored against Liverpool, this time in a 1–1 draw, a result which hampered Everton's prospects of qualifying for Europe.[42] He scored his second hat-trick in English football during a 5–2 win atSheffield Wednesday on 27 April,[43] the first Everton player to score hat-trick in any competition for over two years.[44] Everton ultimately missed out on a UEFA Cup, results not going their way on the final weekend of the season.[45]
In late January 1997, Kanchelskis was subject to a bid of £6m from Italian clubFiorentina, and Fiorentina director Luciano Luna claimed personal terms had been agreed for a four-year contract.[46]
Kanchelskis signed a three-year deal with Fiorentina for a fee of 16 billionlira, signing a four-year contract.[47] The transfer fee was the most expensive for a Russian player,[48] and at the time was one ofthe most expensive transfers in world football.[49] 1,500 Fiorentina fans turned up to watch Kanchelskis' first training session,[50] and though he passed his medical, Kanchelskis' first match was delayed by an ankle injury,[51] ManagerClaudio Ranieri declared Kanchelskis "the best in the world", and club ownerVittorio Cecchi Gori said Fiorentina had beat outA.C. Milan, Spanish clubReal Madrid, and Dutch clubAjax to sign Kanchelskis.[52] New teammatesLuís Airton Oliveira,Stefan Schwarz,Pasquale Padalino, andAnselmo Robbiati all expressed their joy at the arrival of Kanchelskis, predicting the arrival to be a success for both the team and the player.[51]
Wearing the number 32 shirt, he made his debut againstHellas Verona on 16 February in a 2–1 defeat.[53] Cecchi Gori claimed Kanchelskis had been deliberately targeted by opposition player due to the cost of the transfer.[54] Kanchelskis' early performances were criticised by Italian newspaperla Repubblica, scoring no goals and managing only one shot on goal in his first five appearances.[55] A hard tackle byRoma defenderVincent Candela ended his1996–97 season prematurely,[56] at which point he had played nine games without scoring.[53] He changed his shirt number to 17 for the1997–98 season, and his form improved in the opening two matchdays of theSerie A campaign, including scoring his first goal againstBari.[53][57] During the summer, Ranieri had been replaced byAlberto Malesani, who had faith in the ability of Kanchelskis.[58] However, he suffered anankle injury after a hard tackle fromInternazionale defenderTaribo West, punished only with ayellow card.[59] Returning to action after 40 days in a1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier againstItaly inMoscow, he collided withGianluca Pagliuca and suffered a fracture in hisknee,[60] being sidelined until the end of January in aCoppa Italia match.[61]
By the end of the season, he had played 19 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals, the second of which came on the final day of the season in a 2–0 win against Milan.[53] At the conclusion of the season, Malesani was replaced byGiovanni Trapattoni, who didn't see Kanchelskis as being part of his plans.[58] Speaking in 2019, Cecchi Gori, who at the time had described the purchase of Kanchelskis as the "cherry" of the team,[51][62] said that it was "inevitable" that Kanchelskis would not have success in Italy due to being targeted by opposition players.[63]
After struggling to make an impact in Italy, he was allowed to leave, and signed forScottish Premier League teamRangers for a national record of £5.5 million,[64] part of the club's total summer spending by managerDick Advocaat of £25m.[65] His first goal came for Rangers came in the first-leg of theirUEFA Cup qualification second-round match against Greek sidePAOK.[66] On 25 April 1999, Kanchelskis scored the second Rangers goal in a 3–1 win againstAberdeen, moving them within three points of thechampionship.[67] Rangers went on to win adomestic treble of the league,Scottish Cup, andScottish League Cup, with Kanchelskis coming on as a substitute as they clinched the third trophy againstOld Firm rivalsCeltic;[68] in the first fixture of the season against Celtic, Kanchelskis had suffered a broken arm.[69] In hissecond season with the club, he was dropped from the team, but regained his place in the new year and eventually won the2000 Scottish Cup Final, amidst reports he could be sold.[70]
During the summer, he was a transfer target for Spanish clubBarcelona, who wanted a replacement forLuís Figo,[71] whileJoe Royle, manager ofManchester City, declared his interest in reuniting with Kanchelskis,[72] though he eventually opted to stay with Rangers, saying he was having a "great time" with the club.[73] His relationship with Advocaat eventually broke down,[74] and after a training ground bust-up with teammateFernando Ricksen,[75] followed by him then refusing to play in a match for theRangers under-21 team, he emerged as a target forBradford City and Manchester City in January 2001.[76] He chose to return toManchester,[77] and made his debut on 31 January, coming on as a half-time substitute forAndy Morrison in a 1–1 draw withLiverpool in the league.[78] He played 11 games for City, scoring once in a 4–2 defeat to Liverpool in theFA Cup.[79] Despite his successful time with United, Kanchelskis says the clubs' supporters regularly remind him he played 11 matches for their arch-rivals.[80]
Upon his return to Rangers, he said he was happy to be back and vowed to give his all for the team,[81] but having received little game time and falling behindRussell Latapy in the pecking order, began to consider his future.[82] After his release from Rangers upon the expiration of his contract,[83] he went on trial withSouthampton;[84] managerGordon Strachan said that Kanchelskis had personally phoned him to ask for permission to train with the club.[85] After a successful trial, Kanchelskis signed with Southampton on 30 August, with a contract lasting until the end ofthe season.[86] Strachan described Kanchelskis as "just too good a player not to have a club", and saidSaints players were "learning a lot from him".[87] He made his debut against former club Everton, coming on as a second-half substitution in an eventual 1–0 win.[88] After making only one more appearance, Southampton released him early from his contract in February 2003, and he joined Saudi Arabian teamAl Hilal,[89] signing a four-month contract,[90] after rejecting the possibility to move to Sheffield Wednesday on loan.[91] During his time with Southampton, Kanchelskis wore the number 7 shirt previously worn by club legendMatt Le Tissier, and said during a 2021 interview withThe Athletic that while he didn't have a problem wearing the number on his shirt, that it was a "bad decision" due to his lack of success at the club.[92]
His time with Al-Hilal was blighted by a hamstring injury,[93] and he said that though his teammates were skilled, they lacked enthusiasm and passion in matches and training.[94] Kanchelskis played his final game for the club in May 2003, and in July he began training back in England withBrighton & Hove Albion,[95] a club close to his home inSussex.[96] He would later reveal he decided to leave Saudi Arabia due to theRiyadh compound bombings.[97] With offers from teams in Japan and the possibility of a return to Al-Hilal, Brighton managerSteve Coppell began talks with Kanchelskis to sign for the club,[98] and after a month of training, he was offered a three-month contract by Brighton,[99] but the move was cancelled when he failed to agree personal terms.[100] Coppell had been excited at the prospect of Kanchelskis training with the club, saying: "when he is on the ball you can just see he is a good player. He's been there, done it played on the highest stage... he's just a top quality player and he seems a good lad".[101]
In December 2003, Kanchelskis spoke to Russian media outletSport Express of a contract offer fromRussian Premier League teamDynamo Moscow.[102] In January 2004, he signed a one-year contract with Dynamo after a trial period with the club.[103][104] In an interview withKomsomolskaya Pravda, Kanchelskis said he had turned down big-money offers fromQatar and Saudi Arabia in favour of signing for Dynamo.[105] His stay at Dynamo was short-lived when he was sacked for a "disciplinary offence" on the eve of the2004 season, with managerJaroslav Hřebík citing a "lack of professionalism".[106][107] Kanchleskis denied allegations he had turned up to training drunk,[108] and filed an unlawful termination suit with the dispute resolution chamber.[109] In December, the court ruled in favour of Kanchelskis;[110] though he said he had fought against the dismissal "not for money, but for prestige", he was awarded damages equating to his salary from 8 February to 15 December.[111]
Soon after his release from Dynamo, he was training with former international teammateViktor Onopko atSaturn.[112][113] At the end of May, Saturn managerBoris Ignatyev confirmed the possibility that Kanchelskis could sign for the club,[114] and in June, Kanchelskis signed a six-month contract with Saturn, with the possibility of a further year.[115] Before making his official debut, he took part in a friendly match againstRubin Kazan.[116] His debut for Saturn wouldn't come for another month, playing in the 14th round of the championship in a 1–1 draw againstAmkar Perm.[117] His first two goals for the club came in a 5–1 win againstAlania Vladikavkaz.[118] After another year with Saturn and a short spell withKrylia Sovetov, he retired in February 2007,[119] saying "you need to leave at the right time".[120] He scored one goal for Krylia Sovetov, scoring the opening goal in a 2–1 win againstTom Tomsk on 6 May 2006.[121] He played his last competitive game on 25 November.[122]
Kanchelskis was part of theSoviet Union U21 team which won the1990 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, scoring a goal in the second leg of the final againstYugoslavia U21.[123] Kanchelskis recalls having "no fear" before the first leg, saying the squad was relaxed and had played with "pleasure".[124] He made his senior debut for theSoviet Union in 1989, coming on as a substitute forGela Ketashvili in the final minute of a 1–1 draw withPoland.[125] He wascapped 23 times for theSoviet Union (including its brief successor, theCIS), scoring three goals. He scored, in November 1991 in Cyprus, the last goal in Soviet national team history.[10]
After thedissolution of the Soviet Union Kanchelskis chose to representRussia, considered the USSR's official successor team byFIFA.[126] Though eligible, he immediately dismissed the chance to play forLithuania, while he rejectedUkraine due to them not being able to qualify for a tournament untilEuro 1996.[127] Speaking in 2005 about his choice of representing Russia rather than Ukraine, Kanchelskis described the idea of waiting several years to play international football as an "impermissible luxury", and said he did not regret his choice.[128]
Having struggled in thequalification for the1994 FIFA World Cup, Russia lost toGreece, and following the match, though he had not played inAthens, Kanchelskis was one of fourteen players to sign a letter sent toShamil Tarpishchev, calling for the dismissal of managerPavel Sadyrin and the appointment ofAnatoliy Byshovets as the replacement.[129][130] Kanchelskis was one of five players who refused to be called up to Russia squad for the World Cup, as part of the ongoing player dispute with Sadyrin.[131][132]
Kanchelskis usually played as aright-winger throughout his career, where he was known for his work-rate, pace, explosive acceleration, powerful shot from range, and eye for goal; however, he was not particularly strong in the air. Moreover, he had the ability to run at defenders, put opponents under pressure, and create space for teammates whendribbling with the ball. In addition to his footballing skills, he also stood out for his professionalism, despite his aggressive playing style.[133]
Under his manager Lobanovsky at Dynamo Kyiv, Kanchelskis operated as a traditional "English style" winger in a 4–4–2 formation, looking to receive the ball out wide and cross into the box from the touch-line.[4][3][5]
Shortly after his retirement as a player in February 2007, Kanchelskis became the sporting director ofFirst Division teamFC Nosta Novotroitsk,[134] with the intended goal of improving the infrastructure of the club.[135] In August 2009, he was in discussion to become a manager for the first time, withSecond Division teamTorpedo-ZIL Moscow,[136] but in September it was announced he would remain with Nosta.[137] In November, Kanchelskis resigned from his role with Nosta and re-entered negotiations with Torpedo-ZIL.[138] Having failed to gain promotion in the2010 season, Kanchelskis blamed the club for failing to spend on players, describing the 300,000ruble expenditure as "frivolous",[139] and announced his intent to resign from his role.[140]
On 23 December 2010, he was appointed the first manager of the newly founded football club,FC Ufa,[141] and stated that promotion to the Football National League was the goal of the club.[142] The club's first ever match occurred on 20 April 2011, with Ufa playing againstSyzran-2003 in theRussian Cup,[143] and although the match ended in a 0–0 draw, Ufa lost 1–0 in the subsequent penalty shootout.[144] Competing in the Second Division, the club began their firstleague season on 24 April, with Kanchelskis guiding his team to their first ever win, a 3–1 victory againstTyumen, with striker Konstantin Ionov scoring all three goals.[145] In May 2012, it was announced that Kanchelskis had left Ufa,[146] with the club five points behind league leadersNeftekhimik Nizhnekamsk and three matches of the season remaining.[147]
In June 2012, Kanchelskis joined the coaching staff atVolga Nizhny Novgorod,[148] where he spent a year before departing in June 2013.[149] Upon his departure, he said he had had a "good experience" with Volga, and he left satisfied with the year spent with the club.[150] On 31 August 2014, Kanchelskis became the manager of theLatvian Higher League clubFC Jūrmala.[151] He was the replacement for Bulgarian manager Gosho Petkov, who had gained 8 points from 28 games, and had left them in last place in theleague table,[152] but Kanchelskis failed to avoid relegation.[153] During his spell at Jūrmala, members of the playing squad were regularly unpaid due to the poor on-pitch results.[154] Kanchelskis confirmed his departure in January 2015.[155] In January 2016, Kanchelskis was appointed the new manager of third-tier teamSolyaris Moscow following the death of the previous coachSergey Shustikov.[156] He was sacked on 26 April with the team in second place inthe league.[157]
On 9 October 2018, Kanchelskis was appointed manager of theUzbekistan Super League teamNavbahor Namangan, replacingIlkhom Muminjonov in the role.[158] He signed a contract until the end of the2018 season, and hired the experienced Russian coachAleksei Belenkov as his assistant.[159] He won his first game in charge, with midfielderAzizbek Turgunboev scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win againstBuxoro.[160] Navbahor finished third in the league as a result of a 1–0 win against rivalsBunyodkor on 21 November.[161] In June 2019, Kanchelskis resigned from his role, citing the unsatisfactory results which had left the team situated in 4th place in theleague, having earned 18 points from 12 games.[162] However, in August, he was re-appointed manager of Navbahor, replacingDejan Đurđević and signing a three-year contract.[163][164] In August 2020, Kanchelskis confirmed he had tested positive forCOVID-19;[165] Navbahor and Kanchelskis requested for the football authorities to postpone the league due to members of the squad also contracting the virus, but were refused.[166] He was released from hospital on 21 September,[167] and the following week, he said he was still recovering slowly.[168] In October 2020, with the team in 7th place in theleague after 18 matches,[169] Kanchelskis left Navbahor for a second time, on this occasion due to being unpaid for four months,[170] and submitted an application toFIFA.[171] In August 2021, FIFA ruled in favour of Kanchelskis, ordering Navbahor to pay $1.6 million plusinterest.[172] In November, four masked man approached Kanchelskis in acafé and threatened tocripple him if he did not take a payment of $80,000.[173] Navbahor released a statement saying that the charges levelled against them were "fictitious, provocative and offensive".[174]
In July 2023, Kanchelskis was appointed as general director of the Kazakh clubTobol.[175] In November 2023, he left his position due to a conflict with the club owner.[176]
On 25 December 2023, Kanchelskis was appointed as Head Coach ofKyrgyz Premier League clubMuras United on a one-year contract.[177]
Kanchelskis has a son, also named Andrei, who is a supporter of Everton,[178] due to the fondness with which Everton fans remembered his father's short spell with the club.[179] In 1993, Kanchelskis' wife Inna suffered amiscarriage during their first pregnancy.[180]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental[c] | Other[d] | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Zirka Kropyvnytskyi | 1986 | Soviet Second League | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| 1987 | Soviet Second League | 51 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 51 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 68 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 68 | 5 | |||||
| Dynamo Kyiv | 1988 | Soviet Top League | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 3 | |
| 1989 | Soviet Top League | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Total | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 3 | |||
| Shakhtar Donetsk | 1990 | Soviet Top League | 16 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 3 | ||
| 1991 | Soviet Top League | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| Total | 21 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 4 | ||||
| Manchester United | 1990–91 | First Division | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 1991–92 | First Division | 34 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 8 | |
| 1992–93 | Premier League | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 3 | ||
| 1993–94 | Premier League | 31 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 10 | |
| 1994–95 | Premier League | 30 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 15 | |
| Total | 123 | 28 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 161 | 36 | ||
| Everton | 1995–96 | Premier League | 32 | 15[183] | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 36 | 15 | |
| 1996–97 | Premier League | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 6 | |||
| Total | 52 | 19 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 62 | 21 | |||
| Fiorentina | 1996–97 | Serie A | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | Serie A | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 19 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 28 | 2 | ||||
| Rangers | 1998–99 | Scottish Premier League | 31 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 45 | 9 | |
| 1999–2000 | Scottish Premier League | 28 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 40 | 5 | ||
| 2000–01 | Scottish Premier League | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | — | 14 | 3 | ||
| 2001–02 | Scottish Premier League | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | ||
| Total | 76 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 3 | — | 113 | 19 | |||
| Manchester City (loan) | 2000–01 | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| Southampton | 2002–03 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Al Hilal | 2002–03 | Saudi Premier League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | ||
| Dynamo Moscow | 2004 | Russian Premier League | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| Saturn Ramenskoye | 2004 | Russian Premier League | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 14 | 3 | |||
| 2005 | Russian Premier League | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 32 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 3 | — | 39 | 4 | |||
| Krylia Sovetov | 2006 | Russian Premier League | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 456 | 75 | 52 | 11 | 33 | 7 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 575 | 97 | ||
| Team | Year | Competitive | Friendly | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Soviet Union | 1989 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | 2[a] | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1991 | 6[a] | 2 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |
| Total | 8 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
| CIS | 1992 | 3[b] | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Russia | 1993 | 5[c] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 1994 | 2[d] | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 4[d] | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 5[e] | 1 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 3 | |
| 1997 | 3[f] | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 1[g] | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 36 | 4 | |
| Career total | 31 | 5 | 28 | 2 | 59 | 7 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union goals | ||||||
| 1 | 12 September 1990 | Central Lenin Stadium,Moscow, Soviet Union |  Norway | 1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying |
| 2 | 25 September 1991 | Central Lenin Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union |  Hungary | 1–0 | 2–2 | UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying |
| 3 | 13 November 1991 | Tsirio Stadium,Larnaca, Cyprus |  Cyprus | 3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying |
| Russia goals | ||||||
| 4 | 28 April 1993 | Luzhniki Stadium,Moscow, Russia | Hungary | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 9 February 1996 | National Stadium,Ta' Qali, Malta |  Iceland | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1996 Malta International Football Tournament |
| 6 | 25 May 1996 | Khalifa International Stadium,Doha, Qatar |  Qatar | 2–0 | 5–2 | Friendly |
| 7 | 10 November 1996 | Stade Josy Barthel,Luxembourg City, Luxembourg |  Luxembourg | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Manchester United
Rangers
Soviet Union U21
Individual
International tournaments | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
