The current substitute coach, Vladimir Maminov, will stay on with the team and join Semin’s staff as assistant coach.

Lokomotiv started looking for a new coach after firing Rashid Rakhimov due to a poor start to the season in April.

Yury Semin headed Loko back in 1986-2005, bringing the team two champion’s titles and five cup victories.

Gazzaev replaces Semin

Meanwhile, Dinamo Kiev have found a substitute for their departing coach. The Kiev side has signed another Russian specialist – Valery Gazzaev. According to contract, he's going to work with team till summer 2012.

Valery Gazzaev is Russia’s most successful specialist in of recent decades. He won his first Russian championship with Spartak-Alania Vladikavkaz in 1995.

He joined CSKA Moscow in 2001 and spent six years at the club, leading the Army Men to Russian Premier League titles in 2003, 2005 and 2006. He also guided the club to the UEFA Cup title in the 2004-2005, making CSKA the first Russian team to win a European tournament since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Gazzaev, jobless since leaving CSKA last autumn, has also been rumored to become the new manager of Shaktar Donetsk, Ukraine’s national team and, curiously enough, Lokomotiv Moscow.