What will Temur Kapadze change in the national team? (interview)

The Uzbekistan national team will participate in two World Cup qualifiers in March. After Katanec terminated his contract by mutual consent due to health problems, Temur Kapadze was appointed in his place. “Darya” interviewed the head coach of the Uzbekistan national team before the important matches. Below is the interview.

About the trip to Antalya

Almost all of our teams are currently holding training camps in Antalya. I also went to Turkey to see the matches our clubs are holding and to see for myself what the players are doing. Our teams play almost every day, and I tried to attend every match as much as possible. Since it is the winter break, many players are not in optimal shape, so I cannot give a clear opinion based on the teams' training camps. During the meetings, I talked with the club coaches about the current state of the players who are eligible for the national team. During the trip, I watched the game of some players separately and I can say that I got the necessary conclusions for myself. The most important thing is that the teams are preparing well for the new season, all the players are healthy.

About the first training camp with the national team

You know, this training camp took place in January. Many of our players were just training and were not in optimal shape. Also, based on this friendly match, candidates for the national team in the domestic championship were invited. The main goal was to get acquainted with the current situation in the national team. The reason is that during the training camp in March, we will have very little time and we wanted to find answers to the questions of what can be changed in the national team by then. There were a lot of new players at this training camp with the national team, and I came to a clear conclusion about their condition.

The reason I gave the first-time players so little time was not because I didn't trust them, but because I wanted to see all the players in the squad. I tried to get the entire squad to play at their maximum level. Even though some players didn't play at their level, we can't blame them. Because this is a national team. It's natural for everyone to be excited when they put on their jersey.

^{Photo: UFA}
Another main reason is the winter training camp, the Super League season has ended, and many are now returning to training from vacation, and of course this seriously affects the game. Also, the national team and Super League matches are on a completely different level. It takes more time to be worthy of it.

About the legionnaires

I am in touch with each of our legionnaires. I try to get information about their current condition almost every day. All of them are in good physical condition. However, the injuries of two of our players in the Iranian championship may be a little worrying.

I recently spoke with Jaloliddin Masharipov. I asked him about his current condition, when he will return to the lineup and how long it will take for him to recover. As far as I know, his current form is good, he is doing individual training. I hope that if the doctors allow it, he will be on the field in the next match.

The same can be said about Oston Urunov. It is true that his condition is more serious than Masharipov's, but when I spoke to him, he said that he is much better than before. As far as I know, he will also return to general training in the near future. The sooner he recovers, the better for us, but I don't think it is worth taking risks. Therefore, we need to consult a doctor and then take the next step.

I rejected the offer of “Aktobe”

It is true that I had offers from many clubs. If I were to name the name, representatives of “Aktobe” contacted me. You know, I played for this club in Kazakhstan. That is why they expressed confidence in me. But at that time I was with the Olympic team. That is why I rejected their offer.

“I do not want to change many things”

I signed a contract with the Uzbekistan national team until the end of the year, or rather until November. But I must say that no deal played a role for me. Because this is a national team. In fact, everything happened very quickly. When Srechko Katanec realized that he would not be able to come to the team, he was forced to ask the leadership to resign. Therefore, I did not pay much attention to how long or what the contract period was.

I think there should always be balance in the national team. The national team played a little defensively under Katanec, and I, as you said, prefer a more offensive game. But each coach has his own plans for victory. That's why our views may differ. Given the limited time, I can't say that I will change much in the team. We will analyze the previous matches, and if we need to add something, we will try to achieve our main goal. Our players have a lot of skill and potential. I am confident that they will be able to fulfill the tasks assigned to them. Considering that we will meet shortly before the match, we will make the best option for everything, consulting with the coaching staff and the players.

About Katanec's assistants

It was my decision to keep Srečko Katanec's assistant coaches in the squad. The reason is that they have been working with the national team for three and a half years and know the internal situation better than me. When the federation leaders asked for their opinion on this matter, I said that I would announce my decision after the training camp in Qatar. Later, I talked to them, asked questions, and trained with them. I understood that everything is at a professional level with them. If it is necessary to add new coaches to the squad, there is no problem with this. We will do everything in agreement with the leadership.

^{Photo: UFA}
About the candidates for the national team

For me, every player is a candidate for the national team. If a player has high potential, whether he plays abroad or in our Super League, he will always be among the candidates for the MTJ for me. Based on the current situation, we are forced to analyze which player is a candidate for this position and make a decision. We can use the services of 23 or 24 players in official matches. Therefore, we will try to call the most worthy ones.

“Throwing new players into the fire is a big risk”

During the three and a half years he worked, Katanets also invited Azizjon Ganiev or Ikromjon Aliboev to the national team training camp. I think that some aspects were not right, so he did not involve them in another team. Of course, this was his decision and others should have respected him. As for me, I am following the games of each of the players who are candidates for the national team. I must say that at the moment we have very little time. We have to gather 3 days before official matches and play a quick match. Bringing new players and throwing them into the fire without testing them is a big risk.

However, candidates who have played before or have played in the championship in recent years will be in the expanded squad. We will invite them to the training camp as soon as possible. We may see new players in the squad for the matches against the Kyrgyz Republic and Iran. But it would be wrong to consider them new, in fact. The reason is that many of them made their debut in the MTC during the training camp in Qatar, while the rest have previously played for the national team. We will still consult with the coaching staff and announce the final decision.

^{Photo: UFA}
What position does Abbasbek Fayzullaev play in?

Abbas Fayzullaev plays in different positions for CSKA and the national team. And I try to use the player's strengths to the maximum. The fact that Abbas can play in different positions is an achievement for him and the national team. We will make a decision based on the tactics chosen for the team's game. Because now CSKA is also trying different tactics. We are not talking about that right now, but rather hoping that the players will come to the training camp in good shape and health. If we encounter difficulties in selecting the starting lineup for the game, then of course it will be our and the MTJ's success.

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