Abraham Khashmanyan: "Armenian football requires change and investment"

The former head coach of the Armenian national team and the director of Yerevan's Alashkert club, Abraham Khashmanyan, shared his vision of changes in Armenian football in an interview with Sport.news.am, discussing issues and achievements while also expressing his opinion about certain clubs and coaching approaches.

The Professionalism of Noah Club
One of the bright examples of progress in Armenian football, according to Khashmanyan, is the Noah club, which, in his words, has become a true phenomenon in recent years. He highlighted the high level of involvement and significant investments in the club, which allow for the creation of good conditions for players and the development of youth teams.

"I've been to the Noah base several times and was very impressed. They have excellent projects that are working and being implemented. The key is to have at least 3-4 such clubs in Armenia, or maybe the owner of Noah should be given the opportunity to manage three teams in the league," Khashmanyan emphasized.

He expressed the opinion that other clubs in Armenia are lagging behind this level, and only a few teams can be considered professional.

Problems in Armenian Football
Discussing the current state of Armenian football, Khashmanyan emphasized the importance of criticism and objective evaluation. In his opinion, there is too much of an inclination to please everyone and praise one another, which does not contribute to the development of football. "We just praise each other and say nice things. This doesn't help at all," said Khashmanyan, adding that constructive criticism is essential for growth.

A Shortage of Players, but the Problem is Not the Federation
Khashmanyan noted that one of the main problems of Armenian football is the lack of quality players, which is reflected in the results of the youth and junior national teams. However, he pointed out that clubs rely on private investments and that state support could play an important role in improving the situation. "If the state supports the clubs a little, it will be beneficial. This practice exists in many countries," he said.

In response to the criticisms of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA), Khashmanyan disagreed with the criticism of the organization. "I do not agree with the accusations against the FFA. The problem is not with the organization, but with the insufficient number of players," he explained, noting that successful results require a large number of strong players.

The "Golden Generation" and its Composition
The interview also touched upon the topic of Armenia's "Golden Generation," which, according to Khashmanyan, did not achieve significant successes on the international stage. He reminded that many of the team’s leaders were from the Armenian diaspora, which significantly influenced their level and experience.

"To say that the backbone of that team was from Armenia is simply laughable. All the leaders were, to some extent, from the Diaspora," said Khashmanyan, adding that despite their successes, the team did not achieve major results.

Personal Story with His Son and Path to Coaching
Khashmanyan also discussed his personal life, mentioning his son, who once played for Ararat. According to Abraham, he advised him to consider a career in coaching, as the level of competition among legionnaires was too high. "I told him we need to think about his future. This is professional football, and if he’s not ready, it’s better to start learning to be a coach," he shared. Today, his son works as a coach at Pyunik, and Khashmanyan confessed that he is grateful to him for not wasting time.

Problems in Player Development
Khashmanyan also addressed the issue of youth player development. He shared how Tigran Barseghyan, one of the best in youth national teams, almost missed his career opportunity. However, thanks to efforts from Gandzasar club, Barseghyan managed to continue training despite his military service, which played a key role in his future success.