Armenia’s head coach, John van’t Schip, answered journalists' questions at the post-match press conference following the team’s defeat against Georgia.
In the first match of the UEFA Nations League playoffs, Armenia lost to Georgia with a score of 0-3.
The Dutch specialist highlighted the strong performances of Tigran Barseghyan and Edgar Sevikyan and also commented on the possibility of calling up Finn Geragusian to the national team.
— What do you think about the match result?
— The result reflected the game, but we made unnecessary defensive mistakes in all three conceded goals. However, this is the current state of the Armenian national team.
— Which Armenian players stood out to you?
— All the players worked well with the ball. I don’t want to single anyone out in particular, but it’s important that Armenian players continue working and striving to reach the level of the Georgian national team.
— What was the game plan, and were you able to implement it, or did mistakes prevent that?
— There were positive moments in the match, but when you make such mistakes against a strong opponent like Georgia, it’s difficult to expect a different outcome. We need to work on reducing the number of errors.
— Considering the first-leg result, what objectives will be set for the return match? Will we see lineup experiments in Tbilisi?
— It’s too early to talk about changes; we need to analyze everything first. But possibly, new players will appear in the return game. We will think about it in the coming days.
— Today, two key players were absent. Did you see anyone who could take on a leadership role?
— As I said, there were positive aspects. First of all, I want to highlight Tigran Barseghyan—I’m glad he returned to the Armenian national team after a long break. He showed quality play and great desire. I thanked him for his commitment after the match. Edgar Sevikyan also performed well—he gave his all on the pitch and demonstrated excellent technique. I don’t want to name too many players, but these two really stood out. That being said, we made three individual mistakes that led to three conceded goals.
— Why was Artur Serobyan not included in the final squad?
— We had five players in his position, and we had to make a choice. Perhaps he will get a chance in the next match.
— What message do you have for the fans who had been eagerly waiting for this match?
— I’d say that this team still has to grow, develop, and reach the necessary level to compete with an experienced and skillful team like Georgia. Fans and players must continue to believe that this level can be achieved.
— What weaknesses did you notice, and what will you focus on in the future?
— First of all, we need to reduce the number of ball losses—they were too frequent. It’s also important to carefully select the right players to work with moving forward.
— What do you think about the team’s newcomer, Nicholas Kaloukian?
— He is a physically strong player. We have been monitoring him in the league and wanted to see how he performs in the national team. He had the chance to experience the level of international football. He has potential for development. Additionally, we don’t have many options in his position, so he will have more opportunities to prove himself.
— Have you considered calling up Finn Geragusian to the Armenian national team? He plays as a striker, a problematic position, and scores many goals for Sunderland’s youth team.
— Yes, we are aware of him and are monitoring him. But there are other candidates as well. We will continue to observe and make the best decision among the available options.