‘World Sport” has talked with Zurab Khizanishvili about the upcoming match of Georgian national team, generation changes, being beyond Aeksandre Iashvili and Levan Kobiashvili, interesting stories about Giorgi Kinkladze in “Kaiseryspor”, about summarising the previous season, expected transfer of Giorgi Loria.
“Khizana” has never been a tiring speaker. He always used to talk about hesitating topics. There is no any standard answer in his answers.
-You are supposed to be dissatisfied after the previous season.
- I would call it negatively. We could not manage to enter to top 8. The club plans to strengthen the staff and I hope these plans will be realized. Without these changes the club will have problems. This club has the young staff and a lot of player lack of experience. But some of the experiences players played baldy. Before ending the season our club has transferred Goqhan Unal from “Fenerbakhche”, he was expected to lead the club but he looks terribly… we did not have a good striker last season.
- You lost most away matches -0:1.
- It is very difficult for me too. I used to have a good goalkeeper as well as good defenders in England. When you defend, do your best in winning the ball, assist and then you are assisted back, which is very common in “Kaiseryspor” is very difficult. That’s why I used to scream and punish sometimes- leave us alone and keep the ball forward.
- Does “Kaiseryspor” have financial possibilities of strengthening the staff?
- LLIGTV the main sponsor of Turkish Super League annually pays serious money for football federation, the clubs receive serious grants from it. Federation pays about 30 0000 EUR for each victory.
- 30 0000 EUR for winning the match in Super League? It is solid.
- Yes. Everyone looks forward for this match. Your profit is relevant to your success. In England when “Blackbern” was in the tenth place, we were very determined to be in the ninth or in the eighth place. For each place there was a huge fight.
- What about transferring of Giorgi Loria in “Kaiseryspor”?
- There is an interest, even a very serious interest. To my mind, this transfer can be done. I do not know details, but Loria wants to join “Kaiseryspor” and he does his best for it. As far as I know they talked about finance sides. Loria’s transfer also will be good for me. In the one hand I want to have a good goalkeeper and on the other hand playing in Turkish championship will be good for his development. In the past it is often used to be said that Georgian football has problem in goalkeeping but now we do not.
- Is the club interested in any other Georgian player?
- No, it is not. Shota would tell it to me.
- Do you feel warmth from the fans of “Kaiseryspor”, are they satisfied with your playing?
- In January, I was named as the player of the first circle of Super League and I even was awarded. This prize even hand Georgian inscription.
- Supposedly, ”Kaiseryspor” as well as other Turkish clubs have very emotional and noisy fans
- The fans of “Kaiseryspor” are not noisy and a lot, whilst the stadium and brilliant. I have played for a lot of clubs, but the stadium of “Kaiseryspor” is one of the best. It is like a little “Newcastle” arena.
- Which club has the most loyal and noisy fans?
- “Galatasaray”. By the way, “Istanbulspor” lacks fans very much, in spite of resisting in such a huge city. Once we played there and the stadium was empty. I thought they had disqualification, but they did not.. “Istanbulspor” is City Hall club and that’s why it has a quite big budget.
- How do you think, who is distinguished striker in Turkish league?
- It is very difficult to say. For example, Johan Elmander used to play in England better than for “Galatasaray”. As a forward, Burak Ilmaz of “Trabzonspor” is the best. As a soccer player, Brazilian Alex of “Fenerbache” is the most distinguished.
- Alex is quite old. Does he again play well?
- He plays in Turkey for a long time and he knows almost everything by heart. He is well-adapted to Turkish style. For example in “Totenham” he will not do so well as in Turkey. Once we played against “Fenerbache” without Alex and it was another club- neither us nor they had player who could keep the ball.
- Now let’s talk a little about Georgian national team: when you are to join the team for the match against Turkey?
- On May 14 I am to arrive in Georgia, on May 15 national team leaves for Austria for meeting and I will be with the team from the first day of the meeting. On May 24 we play against Turkey in Saltsburg , so we will have 10-day meeting.
- Is playing against Turkey special for you? As a player of Turkish Super League..
- It is really special. The same was against Scotland. I was playing for “Glasgow Rangers” and playing against Scotland was special for me, especially when we managed to beat it. I hope the same will happen against Turkey. The match against Scotland was official and this one is just a sparring match, but all matches are important for national team. This match is special, because before qualifying match supposedly we will not have any match and we have to create team. First of all I want no one to miss the match due to trauma. Only me, Amisulashvili and Kvirkvelia are elders than others, new generation comes and sometimes they discuss such topics we cannot involve in conversation. We have already passed it. We will do our best and support guys. I am very happy that Levan Kenia is again with us. He was serious power for the team. He used to play always very determined. I know his character and professionalism and that’s why I am sure that he will be in good physical condition. I believe in him. Do you want, what do I want? To perform such role for young players, as experienced played did for me and my generation in the past. Even one training with Kinkladze is unforgettable. If you gather all my generation players, we will not be able to overweight Kinkladze’s talent. He had much more potential than he played, he has to be in top 5 players of the world. He was extremely talented player.
- Kinkladze was a favorite player for our generation. What else can you remind about him?
- When I joined “Blackbern”, I hired apartment and something was damaged in the kitchen. I called a plumber. He came and when he saw trainers and t-shirt at home, he asked me who I was. I told who I was and he nearly went crazy. He was fan of “City” and personally of Gio. “Are you Georgia”, from “Kinki”s homeland?.. soon he opened a coat and he was wearing Kinkladze’s t-shirt. He did everything well at my place. At the end of the season I scored a goal against “City”. This plumber met me and said me that if something damaged in my place he would not help me any more. He just joked. I did not damage anything at home. Stopping in the street and talking is very common in Turkey. They may tire you. Of course English people also know the players but they do not stop and talk with them very rare. As for Turkish people, they do not know who is Shota.
- ???
- I just joked. Of course they know who is Shota Arveladze. They love him very much. For 15 years Shota and Achi were played in Turkey, but even 10-year-old children know about them. It is amazing. Supposedly they are told about twins at home.
- You won last two matches in national team. Will beating Moldova and Albania increase level of self-confidence ?
- Of course it will. Once Kinkladze and Shota were talking about psychology, Gio told “it is very easy for you, you win all the matches in “Rangers” and it is very difficult for me, I got used to lose and psychologically it matters. Supposedly Kinkladze was in “Derby” at that time.
- What about Kobiashvili and Iashvili. They were not called up for the previous matches. You are captain and what can you say about it?
- “Kobi” and “Iashka” are my friends. I have frequent contact with them and we used to talk about this topic, but lately we have not talked about it. I can say only one thing: Ketsbaia is head coach and he will call up or not them. We have to respect his choice. If there is any question, do Kobiashvili and Iashvili deserve playing for national team, I will answer- of course they deserve. They are professionals. They did not make any agiotage due to it. And I am sure if Ketsbaia will call them up, they will arrive. I think soon or later they will be called up.
- So, it will happen, will not it?
- I think so. Imagine how professionals they are. Kobiashvili is 34-year-old and I do not remember him to had any conflict with anyone in the team. He set record in national team and do the same in Bundesliga, in spite of this he keeps silence that he was not called up for the team. It is a perfect example for players, who scolds head coach. I say again, it is Ketsbaia’s opinion and I do not have right to involve in his decision. I am a captain, but my duty is to be mediator between head coach and players on the field. If I were head coach it is another, but I am a captain.
Ilia Nanobashvili
