AMSTERDAM – While on loan at Russian Premier League side Tom Tomsk this season, Zenit St. Petersburg forward prospect Eugene Starikov needed several months to properly crack the rotation.
Once he finally did, he never left it.
The 21-year old Odessa, Ukraine, native with US citizenship made his pro first-team debut in a late August win over Dynamo Moscow, but he only saw sporadic minutes until bagging his first goal to put Tomsk ahead in an Oct. 23 game they'd eventually lose at Spartak Nalchik.
From there, Starikov started five straight to close the season as his Siberia-based loan employers finished eighth and his parent club won the championship.
For Starikov, generally known as "Evgeny" or "Yevgeni" in Russian-language media zones, that leaping header from a long free kick moments after coming off the bench in Nalchik rocket-boosted his development.
"It's my job to score goals, but of course I was excited and happy," Starikov told MLSsoccer.com of his bittersweet, but personally important, account-opener. "It was nice to score, but it wasn't the best feeling because we didn't win the match. It was a good ball into the box. I've always been told to go up after the ball and that's what I did."
[inline_node:324228]Thanks to the sudden starter status near season's end, Starikov knows he will return to Zenit a much better player than when he left Stetson University during his sophomore season to sign with the then-reigning UEFA Cup champs in 2008.
"I've gained a lot of experience playing in Tomsk," he said. "There are a lot of veteran players here who help me out."
In addition to school and club tutors, Starikov always has his father Lou – himself a former pro in Russia – to show him the ropes.
"He has taught me almost everything, and still continues to discuss with me the way I am playing, both my positives and negatives,” said the youngster working in dad's footsteps.
Nevertheless, Starikov says he didn't choose to sign in Russia simply to be like dad; it was more a seized opportunity.
"It's important for me to play at the highest level possible," he said.
As a budding player on a big club, the striker may some day soon be forced to decide his international status. Though he's yet to be summoned by any of them, Starikov could eventually opt to play for the United States, Russia or Ukraine.
US boss Bob Bradley does not like to discuss his selection or scouting processes, but team spokesman Michael Kammarman admits Starikov is at least a blip on the coach's radar.
"[Bradley] is aware of what he's doing in Russia," Kammarman told MLSsoccer.com. "They are following him."
Though he's previously admitted some interest in playing for the USMNT, Starikov is deftly sidestepping the topic for now.
"My most important concern is to strengthen my [club] status in Russia," he said. "When something comes up, I will have to decide then."
These days, Starikov is more concerned with learning where he will play next season. Zenit technical director Igor Korneev – who knows a thing or two about scoring goals from his days with CSKA Moscow, Espanyol and Feyenoord – is still undecided on whether to bring the youngster back into the fold or send him out on another loan.
Much of the decision probably hinges on any potential losses during the winter transfer window. Barring a hurtful set of departures, Korneyev's subtle message is that the second option is currently Option A.
"As told to me in the sports department, they're closely watching Starikov," Zenit press officer Evgeny Gusev told MLSsoccer.com this week. "This is his first season in the main team of Tomsk. He still needs time to adapt to the Premiership. Soon, at Zenit, we'll be decided on the future career of Evgeny."
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