Yeghishe Melikyan: “I don’t have a magic wand, but I believe in this Armenia national team”

Armenia national team head coach Yeghishe Melikyan held a press conference ahead of the friendly match against Kazakhstan, which will take place on June 6 in Yerevan at the Republican Stadium.

The national team coach spoke about personnel issues, the condition of the players after the end of the club season, the role of newcomers, the situation with Grant-Leon Ranos and Edgar Sevikyan, and also explained why, at this stage, not only results are important for the national team, but also understanding what condition the team will be in ahead of the autumn Nations League matches.

Melikyan emphasized that the Armenia national team is going through a process of rebuilding and generational change, which is why the team needs time. According to him, despite all the difficulties, he believes in the chosen path and is confident that, with patience, the current team will be able to achieve tangible results.

Yeghishe Melikyan’s press conference

— What should the Armenia national team pay attention to in these friendly matches in order to prepare for the official games?

— Yes, we have a vision of what we want to see in these friendly matches. First of all, there are major changes in the team, and there are injured players. There are new footballers, and this is a good opportunity to analyze everything. God willing, we will win; otherwise, it will give us information about what we still need to work on before the official matches. Constructive work is being done, and we need to perform well in these two matches.

— There are many players in the national team who have had little playing time at their clubs. Are they ready to play now?

— The main problem is that the championship in Kazakhstan is still ongoing, so they will be in better shape than us. We are coming back after a break. We also have 5–6 injured players. In any case, there are problems, but we have prepared well. Of course, the result in these matches is important, but it is not the most important thing. First of all, I want to understand what condition we will be in this autumn. The result of friendly matches should not knock us off course or away from the path we have chosen.

— What can you say about tomorrow’s opponent, and why did you choose a friendly match against Kazakhstan?

— Kazakhstan are now a stronger team than they were when we played them before, especially when I played against them. We needed an opponent similar to the teams we will face in the Nations League this autumn. They are similar to the other teams in our group. This team will create problems for us, and we have to deal with them.

— UEFA is changing the Nations League format. What can you say about that?

— To be honest, I have not gone into it deeply yet. I have had other problems within the team that require constant work. Whatever format they offer, that is how we will play.

— Artem Bandikyan is listed in the squad as a defender, but even Armen Gyulbudaghyants said that it is easier for him to play in midfield. Which position do you see him in?

— He is more of a defensive player. He can play both as a defensive midfielder and as a wing-back. Both positions are defensive in nature. We see him in both positions.

— Were there any other players you would have liked to see in the national team?

— We do not have a large pool of players. We gather the team from what we have. I do not think we missed anyone or called someone up and they did not come. Everyone who is currently in the national team is everything we have. We continue to work with them.

— What can you say about Edgar Sevikyan’s level? Is he ready to start?

— There were discussions within the national team about calling up Sevikyan. During the time I have been working with the national team, I have noticed that there are positions where we lack quality. We know very well that Sevikyan has quality and a high level. He is at an age where he can help us for many years. Yes, he is not in his best form right now, but he has great potential, and we need him for the future. He is a good footballer, and we have to help him. We are looking to the future.

— We often say that we are forced to use players out of position in the national team. Now the team has central midfielders Karlen Hovhannisyan and Aram Khamoyan. Will this help us move Spertsyan closer to the attack and free him from playing as a box-to-box midfielder?

— For now, we will try different options. We have invited the best players to the national team and will test different variants in order to find the best solution. You mentioned the names of newcomers to the national team, but it is still too early to change things so radically. We need to gradually understand how best to use them and understand who can really help us. We are talking about players who are still playing in the Armenian championship, and that is not a league where you can immediately understand what a player is capable of at national team level. Playing in the Armenian championship is not an indicator. Here, in the national team, we will be able to understand whether they can play at the required level. This takes time.

— Did you speak separately with Alashkert head coach Vahe Gevorgyan, who complained about the absence of his team’s players from the national team?

— There was nothing special with Vahe Gevorgyan; nothing happened between us. What he said in the interview is his view, and I will not stoop to that level. I have come a long way, and I know where I am and what my tasks are. I am doing my job.

— You said that your goal is to raise the level of the national team. What work is being done in this direction?

— I took over a team with problems and accepted that responsibility. I cannot promise that everything will be fine; I do not have a magic wand, and people should not expect too much from me. But I am confident that we are on the right path and moving forward while solving problems. We have a young team, so I do not want to make loud statements. But I believe in this team; a generational change is taking place. All of this takes time. I will not despair if things do not work out for us this year. Be patient, and sooner or later this team will become a good team that achieves tangible results. If you show patience, I will lead the team forward; if not, another coach will come and lead it.

— Earlier, you advised Grant-Leon Ranos to change teams. He did so and moved to Eintracht Braunschweig, but he has not found himself there either. What do you think about this team, or does he need to move to a more suitable club?

— Yes, he lacks stability, and this year he has not scored goals. I see more regression than progress in him. We are trying to help him return to the required level. Perhaps I will not be able to wait for too long; there has to be competition. I help him in every way I can, but he needs to think about his own progress and his own game.

— In the match against Belarus, Artur Serobyan came on and significantly strengthened the game. Can we expect him to start and replace Ranos?

— Yes, of course, we can. But you know, Ranos is a quality footballer, he is going through a difficult period, and we need to help him and give him playing time. We will see both Ranos and Serobyan on the pitch in these matches.

— What do you think about the Kazakhstan national team and Dastan Satpayev? He will soon move to Chelsea. Do you think Satpayev can follow the path of Armenian footballers who have already made a name for themselves in Europe?

— You have a good national team, and we have studied it well. Kazakhstan are on the rise, and you have many good results. We have also prepared well and will try to create a lot of problems too. We will see who does better. You do not only have Satpayev; Kazakhstan have a good selection of players both individually and as a team.

— When you took charge of the team nine months ago, what did you imagine you would see in the team, and what is the situation now? Does it match your vision?

— I knew that I was joining a team with major problems, and that is why I was invited. But when I arrived, I saw even more problems. I am not afraid of problems, and I take responsibility for solving them. I am inspired by the work of my players and their desire. Together, we are moving forward and can solve all the problems. These two matches will show where we are right now.