According to Vasil Maisuradze, head coach of Georgian U-17 football team, the first match against Germany will be the most important at the final stage of European Championship 2012 and they will make accent on it.

Maisuradze stated about it at the press conference which was held at technical center “Basa” on Friday.

Vasil Maisuradze: “You all know how important the first match is. So, we will make accent on the match against Germany. We watched three videos of Germanys’ matches. Several days ago, Germany played against Austria and we watched video. We have time to learn more about our rival. We do not think about France and Iceland yet”.

Head coach of U-17 team talked about preparation of the national team at the press conference:

“We started meeting on April 18. We will leave for Austria on April 22. We will stay in Saint-Veit which is not far from the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. On April 25 and 28, we will hold two friendly matches in Austria – against local U-19 and U-18 teams. We will arrive in Slovenia on May 2”.

The team of Maisuradze has some staff problems.

“Aleksandre Gureshidze will lack those 18 football players who played in elite round in Tbilisi. His waist hurts. Forward Roman Chanturia will join us in Austria. He was born in 1996. We took him to Moldova but we did not call up him anymore because he was without club. He has been training in Italian “Empoli” since April 1 and held 6-7 friendly matches. 20 football players, including Chanturia, will be in Austria but only 18 will leave for Slovenia. 2 will come back” – stated Maisuradze.

According to the coach, the team will play with the same tactic in Slovenia as it played in elite round:

“We are not going to change playing system. We will play with the same tactic. We made through the final stage with such playing. We must work on the first line. A lot depends on individualism in offence”.

Maisuradze did not hide that he is unsatisfied with playing form of his players:

“Current form of the football players is not satisfactory. Holidays and Easter played their roles”.

Maisuradze added that the team does not have fitness coach.

European U-17 Championship will take place in Slovenia on May 4-16. Georgian team will play against Germany, France and Iceland in Group A.

Group A:
May 4, I round

Ljubljana. Georgia – Germany;

Domzale. France – Iceland;

May 7, II round

Ljubljana. Germany – Iceland;

Domzale. France – Georgia;

May 10, III round

Ljubljana. France – Germany;

Domzale. Georgia – Iceland;

Group B

May 4, I round

Maribor. Slovenia – Holland;

Lendava. Belgium – Poland;

May 7, II round

Lendava. Poland – Slovenia;

Maribor. Holland – Belgium;

May 10, III round

Maribor. Slovenia – Belgium;

Lendava. Holland – Poland.

May 13, semifinals

Ljubljana. Winner of Group A – second-placed of Group B;

Ljubljana. Winner of Group B – second-placed of Group A;

Final will be held in Ljubljana on May 16.

Lasha Tabagari