Vahe Gevorgyan ahead of Alashkert vs Elimai: “There is no pressure, all players are ready”

Alashkert head coach Vahe Gevorgyan took part in a press conference ahead of the first leg of the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round tie against Kazakhstan’s Elimai.

The Alashkert vs Elimai match will take place on July 9 in Yerevan and will kick off at 20:00 local time.

During the press conference, the Armenian club’s head coach answered questions from Kazakh and Armenian journalists. Gevorgyan spoke about the team’s readiness, the condition of the players, recruitment, new signings, possible transfers and expectations from the tie against Elimai.

Vahe Gevorgyan’s press conference ahead of Alashkert vs Elimai

— Kazakh and Armenian teams have already met several times in European competitions, and the Kazakh team has always advanced. Does this put pressure on you?

— Armenian teams advanced in the last two cases, so naturally there is no pressure.

— Are there any players in the team who are not ready to play tomorrow?

— Fortunately, all the players are ready for the match, there are no injured players.

— What do you know about Elimai?

— We know that this is a new club, and we have studied their game. The championship in Kazakhstan is currently ongoing, so perhaps they will be in better match rhythm because of that. But at the same time, we have the opportunity to study them well.

— Will the fact that you are playing the second leg away give the Kazakh club an advantage?

— I think the conditions are the same for both teams. Elimai are a team that play very well at home, but I do not think there will be a noticeable advantage.

— Will the fact that the Kazakh championship is in full swing be an advantage for Elimai?

— Yes, of course, that is a plus for Elimai. But it also gives us more information for analysis.

— There is information that Alashkert are interested in a striker from Astana. What can you say about that?

— I read that too, nothing more.

— There were many players from Nigeria in Alashkert’s squad. What was the reason for that?

— Our team has no nationality. It was simply that at that moment, players from Nigeria suited certain positions.

Gevorgyan on recruitment, new signings and Alashkert’s goals

— How would you assess the recruitment of players and the transfers?

— I think recruitment for the new season is going quite positively. We have not finished with transfers yet, but we already have new players, and they will strengthen our bench. There are even players who are already ready to play in the starting lineup. Competition in the team has increased. The training camp in Serbia went very well, and I thank the club management. We played friendly matches against strong teams.

— How have the new players adapted to the team?

— More time is still needed. Of course, it is not easy to do this immediately, but we are working on it without taking risks.

— Will the team leaders from last season stay at the club?

— Our project involves developing players and then selling them. So I cannot give a definite answer to this question. Many players have received offers from other clubs, including Karen Nalbandyan and Momo Toure. There are also other offers for other players. I cannot say with certainty that they will stay.

— What are the goals for the upcoming season?

— We must do everything to make each following season better than the previous one. We will do everything for that.

The first match between Alashkert and Elimai will take place on July 9 in Yerevan. The return leg will be held in Kazakhstan on July 16.