From Russian with love...Spurs star says life in London is better

A Tottenham star and former Russian MP has paid a glowing tribute to London, suggesting that his native country could learn a lot from the capital.

Roman Pavlyuchenko bluntly told his compatriots that they should emulate Londoners who have found the secret to "the right way to live."

The compliment will delight mayor Boris Johnson, but will receive a cooler reception from Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin, in whose party he used to serve.

The 29-year-old striker, who lives in the capital with his wife Larisa, also 29, and daughter, Kristina, five, told a Moscow based newspaper: "It would be silly of me to hide that I find life in London much better."

"People here live the right way unlike us, back in Russia."

Asked to explain the difference, he said: "Here you feel calm about your family and children. You do not have to worry about them. There is no fear that something may happen to them. In Russia, people are murdered every day, or there is an explosion, or drunk drivers hit pedestrians, or planes crash and it turns out it was because a pilot was also drinking."

"I understand that I paint too black a picture, but that is our reality."

Pavlyuchenko admitted that his time spent in London had also changed his character. He said: "We Russians are too aggressive. But after you look at English people, after living among them for some time, you become as polite as they are. They can teach us a lot in this sense."

He has previously praised London's parks where families can walk safely, and its kindergartens.

Pavlyuchenko suggested that he may be forced to move back to his motherland or elsewhere in Britain or Europe in order to be considered for Russia's Euro 2012 camapaign. But he said that he was proud of his career in the UK. "I think any footballer would want to play in the English Premier League and have a chance to face Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal," he said.

"I have learned much here and achieved quite a lot too whatever they write or say about me."

Pavlyuchenko's comments will be all the more controversial at home, considering he became a local MP in 2008 in his native city, Stavropol, for Mr Putin's party, United Russia, shortly after joining Spurs.