Robert Arzumanyan: “The main philosophy is to win through good football”

The head coach of FC Urartu, Robert Arzumanyan, gave his first interview after returning to the team. In a conversation with the club’s press service, the coach shared his emotions about the return, talked about his working philosophy, evaluated the players' potential, and outlined the season's priorities.

Arzumanyan was recently appointed as the head coach. This is not his first time with Urartu — in the 2021/22 season, he already led the team and laid the foundation for future success. Now, he returns to a familiar environment with fresh goals and a renewed perspective.

Below is the full interview with the coach:

“I’m very happy to be back. The memories and the work we did together with Urartu, with the players — both young Armenian talents and foreign players — were very positive. We managed to build a team that played good, attractive football. The team won matches, and I’m glad the club achieved even greater and more lasting success afterwards.

I’ve come back with positive emotions. I feel at home because Urartu was where I made my first steps as a head coach.

Of course, I followed Urartu’s games and the performances of certain Armenian players who started with me in the Premier League. I’m very happy with their professional growth. Narek Grigoryan now plays abroad, and Ivu, one of our academy graduates, plays successfully for the Armenian national team.

I highly appreciate Dmitry Gunko’s work with these players. I now see that they are motivated and ready.

We need to work better and improve our tactical connections — it’s an ongoing process. But I’m fully satisfied with what we have now.

My main philosophy is that the team must win by playing good football.

All players — Armenian and foreign — are equal. Anyone can make it to the starting lineup. We will work individually with each of them to unlock their potential. The one who’s stronger at the moment will play.

Urartu has always had many talented Armenian players who absolutely must develop. But it must happen naturally.

Our academy graduates are our future. We must support them with smart decisions to develop football, clubs, and Armenian players.

We must always think about changes that bring positive results.

Aras Ozbiliz was a top-class player who understood the game very well. Now, as a coach, he helps us notice small details and gives the right advice. He’ll be of great help to us.

Yes, we have a strong opponent in the European competition. We respect everyone, including the Belarusian team Neman, which has quality players.

We have winners in our squad. We’re going to strengthen our game in all aspects — with and without the ball.

There are strong teams in the Armenian championship, but they change from year to year. I wish the gap between the leaders and the rest wasn’t so big. Teams and players grow through competition. I also wish we had more football pitches in the country — not only in Yerevan.

In the new season, we will fight for the top positions. The second, but equally important goal is to fill our stadium with fans.”

The team is already actively preparing for the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying match against Belarusian side Neman, scheduled for July 10.

With Arzumanyan’s return, Urartu begins a new phase — one focused on team play, developing young talent, and delivering high-quality, entertaining football.