Lithuanian defensive midfielder Deividas Semberas said Tuesday the reason he left CSKA Moscow after ten seasons was that he felt he had lost the trust of coach Leonid Slutsky.
Semberas, 33, joined newly promoted Alania Vladikavkaz on Friday on a two-year deal after losing his place to new arrival Pontus Wernbloom of Sweden toward the end of last season.
"For the first time I heard [that I can move to another team] earlier this year when I felt that the coach did not trust me, and did not see me in the main squad," Semberas was quoted as saying by the Lithuanian website lrytas.lt.
Semberas said he accepted the Alania offer only because it came from club president and former CSKA coach Valery Gazzaev, under whose command the Lithuanian played a total of six years and won three Russia titles, as well as the 2005 UEFA Cup.
"Valery Gazzaev wanted to see me at Alania. If he hadn't given his word, I would have rejected the offer," Semberas said.
He will finish his playing career after his contract expires in 2014, he added.
"This is my last professional contract. I made a final decision to quit football in two years."
Semberas made 344 appearances for and scored one goal for CSKA. A Lithuanian international since 1996, Semberas has 76 caps.
