Famous football player and experienced coach Andrei Kanchelskis, in an interview with asnews.kz, thoroughly analyzed the current situation of football in Kazakhstan and openly compared it to the situation in neighboring Uzbekistan. According to the expert, the gap between the two countries' football development becomes increasingly evident year by year.
Kanchelskis emphasized that compared to Kazakhstan, Uzbek football has made significant strides in recent years.
— Uzbekistan has covered a great distance on the path to development. Most importantly, Uzbekistan was the first to qualify for the World Cup. Additionally, players like Abdukodir Khusanov have started to make a name for themselves in the English Premier League. Yes, Kazakhstan has talented players too, but there are many systemic issues that hinder progress there, — he said.
Infrastructure — the key difference
According to the expert, the main strength of Uzbek football lies in its infrastructure
— In Uzbekistan, infrastructure is perhaps the best in the post-Soviet space. Most importantly, people who truly understand football have come to the forefront. They started investing in fields, academies, and youth football. I worked in Uzbekistan with great pleasure. Everyone there is genuinely interested in the development of football, — said Kanchelskis.
According to him, in Kazakhstan, proposed reforms are often met with skepticism.
— When we suggest certain initiatives, people act as if we are trying to take that infrastructure for ourselves. Questions like “Why do we need this?” are very common, — commented the coach.
Field quality issues
Kanchelskis also offered a harsh critique of the quality of football fields in Kazakhstan.
— It’s difficult to play properly there. With artificial turf fields, you are not developing football; you are killing it. For instance, in Kostanay, there are two fields: one natural and the other an artificial field in a sports hall. This situation seriously impacts the quality of play, — he said.
The expert did not deny plans for building new stadiums in the country, but he stressed the importance of ensuring that these plans do not remain on paper.
— One stadium has already been completed. But what’s next? You can draft as many plans as you want on paper, but practical implementation is a different matter, — he added.
Growing interest, but challenges remain
At the same time, Kanchelskis acknowledged that interest in football is growing in Kazakhstan.
— Against the backdrop of some successes by the national team and “Kairat,” the number of fans has increased. This is a positive development, but systematic approaches are essential for sustainable progress, — he remarked.
An experienced figure
As a reminder, Andrei Kanchelskis played for renowned teams such as Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton, Southampton, Rangers, Fiorentina, and Al-Hilal during his football career. He was a two-time champion of England and Scotland and won several prestigious titles with Manchester United.
As a coach, he managed Uzbekistan's “Navbahor” twice and served as General Director of Kazakhstan’s “Tobol” club. Currently, he works as the head coach of Russia's “Dynamo Bryansk.”
In summary, Kanchelskis’ insights clearly demonstrate one thing: success in modern football is not achieved by chance but through infrastructure, trust, and proper strategy. Uzbekistan has already taken that path, while Kazakhstan still faces significant decisions ahead.
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