"Our goal in Palanga was to become champion and I cannot be satisfied with the 3rd place, especially when you see that your team is better than others. Maybe it is too late to talk about this but losing 0:3 with Ukraine is the fault of Georgian mentality. We did not play carefully and were punished. Because of the first goal, boys had to hurry and they made mistakes. Ukrainians were busy with parrying balls and it was obvious that they would have agreed the draw", - stated Koba Zhorzhikashvili, head coach of Georgian U-17 team, in interview with "World Sport".
The interview was about "Palanga Cup" which was finished in Lithuania several days ago. Team of Zhorzhikashvili beat Moldova 6:0, Latvia 3:1 and Belarus 5:1 but losing 0:3 with Ukrainian U-16 team (according to Ukrainian Football Federation, they represented U-16 team at the tournament) left Georgian players beyond the final and they took the 3rd place.
- After such convincing victories, losing 0:3 with Ukraine is very strange. Why did it happen?
- On the first day we defeated Moldova with big score, Ukraine hardly beat Latvia. Boys watched this match. In the match against Ukraine we had many moments to score a goal. Maybe so many lost chances made the team nervous. It is worth mentioning that the first goal was non-existent: our goalkeeper stopped the ball at the goal line but referee thought it was a goal. I do not like talking about such reasons but mistake of the referee was so obvious that... We could have won 9 from 10 matches over Ukraine but on that day everything was against us. What can we do, it is football and such things happen.
- Other matches results show that you did not have problem. Was it so?
- No, it was not. For example, Belarus had good midfielder in the middle and on wings. Generally, it was a productive tournament and I am satisfied, except with the match against Ukraine. We have a newly assembled team and players need to get on well with each other. Somehow, we managed to do it well.
- What is the minus of this team?
- Generally, playing in duel is Achilles Knee of Georgian football. It is just concentration and responsibility. Some players come from the clubs so that they do not know much and it takes time to teach them. And we do not have so much time.
- Can you say that main staff for qualifying round of European Championship is already formed?
- Yes, it is. Only two positions are to be strengthened. Qualifying matches will start in October. Before that we have other matches and we do not stop selection. Representative of England U-17 team recorded our matches. England is our opponent in the qualifying round.
- Cannot you observe your opponents?
- I hope I will manage to do it till the end of September. It depends on Georgian Football Federation: I want to leave for Serbia where our another opponent Sweden is playing two
friendly matches against the host team. Matches will be held on September 28 and 30.
- In my opinion, U-17 team of Giorgi Devdariani was stronger. Yet, it does not mean much and no one knows who will play well after 3-4 years but...
- I cannot say that better players were in the team of Devdariani. Our boys are also good players but no one is so talented as Giorgi Chanturia. Being strong at this age is not a guarantee that one will also be stronger in the future. Maybe a player cannot play well now but he can train much and become the best player. It is a fact.
Poland, England and Sweden will be opponents of Georgian U-17 team in the qualifying round of Euro-2011. Group matches will be held in Tbilisi on October 18-23. First and second place winners of the group will play in elite-round. Matches of the elite-round will take place in next spring. Schedule and referees are already known:


18. 10. "Mikheil Meskhi". England - Sweden
Referee: Renee Aisner (Austria).
18. 10. "National". Georgia - Poland
Referee: Goran Spirkovsky (Macedonia).
20. 10. "Mikheil Meskhi". Poland - Sweden
Referee: Nerjus Dunauskasi (Lithuania).
20. 10. "National". Georgia - England
Referee: Rene Aisner (Austria).
23. 10. "Mikheil Meskhi". England - Poland
Referee: Darjus Dunauskasi (Lithuania).
23. 10. "National". Georgia - Sweden
Referee: Goran Spirkovsky (Macedonia).

Ilia Nanobashvili