Temur Ketsbaia, head coach of Georgian national football team, was in Moscow while the ballot of World Cup 2014 qualifying round. He attended the match of “Spartak” and “Kuban” Krasnodar. Jano Ananidze, member of “Crusaders”, played for an hour. “World Sport” contacted Ketsbaia when he returned from Russia to Cyprus.

- Mr. Temur, what can you say about that qualifying group where Georgia will play?

- Everyone knows what teams Georgia will play against. To tell the truth, we expected better. When two teams like Spain and France are in the group with you, it is difficult to make comment.

- What could you wish?

- Best teams from all baskets are in our group. Spain, France, Belarus and Finland – they were the best in their baskets.

- Is it important for you that Georgia got in a 5-team group?

- It is not good too. If we had got in a 6-team group, we would not have had to find sparring opponents. Now, we have to hold two friendly matches. We have to find opponents in Africa, Asia or among other confederacy teams.

- Do you think that the third place should be considered as positive result for Georgia?

- I do not want to say that it is difficult to go through the next round. I think that Spain is a favorite of the first place, France – of the second one. Our team will do its best.

- We know that the federation is going to sign contract with you for a new qualifying round. You will head Georgian national team for playing in Brazil…

- My contract is till the end of European Championship qualifying round. It is too early to talk about future.

- Perhaps, a lot of things will be depended on the team’s result of this qualifying round. Our team is not without chance like it often happened before.

- It is good that Georgian team still has chance of taking the second place in the group. It never happened before that after 7 rounds our team still had chance of playing at the final stage – I think it is a great progress. The team has to hold three matches. Considering last difficult matches (against Israel and Croatia), Georgia has more chance of collecting more points.

- You arrived in Moscow to watch playing of Jano Ananidze. What is your impression about his playing?

- He did not show excellent playing but it is good that coach lets him play in the main staff. It helps him to be more self-confident which is very important for player of the national team.
 

Phridon Kervalishvili