Cannavaro: "We will raise the preparation for the World Cup to a new level together"

A press conference was held at the National Football Center of the Uzbekistan Football Association with the participation of the new head coach Fabio Cannavaro, assistant coach Timur Kapadze, and UFA Vice President Ravshan Ermatov. In his opening remarks, the new mentor expressed gratitude for the trust and noted that his plan is not to start building the road anew, but to develop the existing system and take it to a new level.

- Thank you for coming. Such an opportunity is a great honor for me. Over the past two years, the association has trained many young players - this factor was important in choosing Uzbekistan. I have no intention of radically changing everything, I want to continue and strengthen the existing path. My motivation is high, and I want to bring the players onto the pitch as soon as possible. "I'll be in Uzbekistan for a long time - I've even brought my bicycle," Kannavaro said.

Kapadze emphasized that the interests of the national team are above all else:

- I express my gratitude to the UFA leadership. We achieved good results in four years. We will help as much as we can. The highest value, regardless of who works on the national team. We have the World Cup ahead - we all support the national team," he said.

Kapadze stated that he will be assisting the staff during training camp for now, after which a decision will be made based on the situation: he will remain with the team until Cannavaro fully understands local football.

Speaking about the upcoming friendly match against Uruguay, Cannavaro stated that it is necessary to focus on raising the overall level, not on European clubs and national teams:

- Now football is not only in Europe. I have worked in Asia for a long time, I am well aware of the growth of this region. Asian federations are making serious investments, especially in youth football. "If we play against Italy, we will be able to offer a decent resistance," he said.

According to Cannavaro, the national team is already competitive, but there are areas to improve:

- The most important aspect is intensity. That's the difference between Asia and Europe. It is necessary to maintain a high tempo throughout the entire game - only then will the chances of victory increase. We carefully monitor physical fitness. We will meet with all physical training coaches and get complete information. Those who haven't been to the World Cup should know that the pace there is simply terrible," the specialist warned.

At the end of the press conference, it was announced that Cannavaro is open to questions, and Kapadze will provide direct support to the team in the coming months. Now all the scores are on the field - the goal is clear: Brave preparation for the World Cup and worthy participation.