We are pleased to announce that experienced Scottish specialist Chris Docherty is our new Sporting Director. A qualified coach, Chris has experience working in football roles in numerous countries including Croatia, China, and his native Scotland. Most recently, he was the Head of Tactical Performance at Scottish top-flight club Dundee United. He has also served the Scottish FA as an analyst and youth level coach in the past.

At FC Akron, Chris will be responsible for guiding our football operations – development and implementation of the club’s football philosophy, methodology, recruitment strategy & academy strategy. Speaking to our press service about his appointment, Docherty talked about the club’s plans, and expressed his desire to get stuck in from day one. “One of the key things for me was the vision of the club. Everybody here wants to do things here in a modern correct way, there is a stable plan, and this was important for me. It’s a new club, so we can guide the strategy from the very beginning, and do things in a structured manner.”

Speaking about Chris’ appointment, our CEO Alexey Vlasov had this to say – “We are pleased to welcome Chris to Akron. It is important for us that he shares the values of the club, has worked with strong academies in Europe and has worked closely with coaches and scouts in European leagues. I am sure that Chris’ successful international experience and his deep understanding of the processes within the team will allow him to achieve his goals in Togliatti.”

We warmly welcome Chris to Russia, and hope that his appointment ushers in a successful era for the club.