Nukri Revishvili is neither elder in Georgian team nor that person whose place is guaranteed in the starting lineup. But I have heard and also saw, that the only player who can raise voice, tell the truthful word and not to close his eyes is Revishvili. His interview to “World Sport” is the evidence…

Georgia – Finland _ 0:1. Another failure of Georgian football. Disappointments – we began our conversation with the goalkeeper of “Dila” Gori and Georgian national team about these topics.

- In my opinion, there should not be the expectation that the team of such formation will hold several games defensively and goes somewhere. We must get rid of this euphoria. Nothing special happened against Finland: we lost another match, which everyone expected to be won. This does not happen for the first time. I am disappointed, but I look at the reality.

- Did the team have any excuse for euphoria?

- We do not have euphoria. We stayed in 1981 and we believe that we are strong. But we should start everything from the beginning!

- Please tell us more concretely.

- Today, the Georgian team is not distinctive. If we meet very weak team, I understand that something can be done to fight, but for now neither the foundation is not laid and nor the country is ready. Think about it, why should we go somewhere and why should not Finland leave? In one or two games you can do something but in marathon, when you face the stronger team than you, you cannot won over them. If there are players like Arveladze, Kinkladze, Kobiashvili and Kaladze you can do this, but for now the resources are not visible. The resources can be for future, when new generation reaches the age of adult. For that it is necessary to develop the Georgian Championship, even in such level that anybody know about it in Europe. Otherwise, we will lose these young generation. If you do not contribute, how it will develop?

- It is a long time that the team depends on legionaries. But it can be also said that these legionaries do not play in top-clubs. For example, Moisander, captain of Finland, plays for “Ajaxs”, Puki played for “Schalke” last season…

- How long the country should be in the hopes of legionaries? And how can it be? If you go to the good team of foreign country, Georgian Championship should be interested for the foreigners. I spent 9 years in Russia and I know how they look at Georgian Championship. I hope, they will pay attention to this, the money will be invested and the system will be created. I doubt, that Kakha Kaladze leaves this without attention. He thinks about the National Championship and about the situation in the Georgian football.

- U17 and U19 teams showed excellent results in the European Championship, but none of them went in a more or less strong European clubs. Many of them play in the first League, some of them are without teams. Why nobody interest in them? I understand, that when you are not a member of EU this prevents in some countries, but the same is not everywhere. 

- Again because of Georgian Championship. Georgians? In the Georgian Club? They look through the Championship and the interest is lost.

- We know that you are going to Russia again.

- I have 3 options. Let’s see, we still have time. I am friends with Giorgi Devdariani and Levan Silagadze. I liked the prospect of “Dila” to compete in Euro tournaments and that’s why I came here. We had a home match against “Rapid” on August 30 and I did not have a time to go to Russia. The transfer window is closed or I had some options. It is difficult to go from Georgia even to Russia today. I am known because I played there for so long time, but other Georgians? There is not such interest as it was before. With it, there is a limit and Russian clubs prefer to add Brazilian or Argentines. This is not surprising.

-Clear. Will you go to the Club of the Premier League?

-Yes. Simply, I do not want to name the teams.

- You should not join the Championship of Russia and Ukraine and if you have a chance, it is better, to join the weaker Championship and agree with less salary – do you agree with this?

-No. if I remember correctly, it said Giorgi Makaridze in the interview to your website. It depends on the person. If he does this he thinks that it is necessary. I agree, that you can close your eyes to the higher salary and to go to Europe rather than to Russia, but when the difference in the amount is 2-3 times bigger and the club is also stronger, you will not refuse it.

- I know from several players, that demands of the Georgian players is less from Romania and Poland, than from Russia and Ukraine. They say that they are not known.

-It is indeed so. And this time it is difficult to blame the player, when he chooses the Russian team.

- Once again about the team: it’s a matter of course that football is not just roll the ball across the field. There should be unanimous. What is the atmosphere in the team? As far as you are friendly with each other?

- The atmosphere is the same, as it was 3-4 years ago. The fact that it is not perfect and you can see it for yourself, but it is impossible, that player goes to the field and did not fully do his best. This is not a club, we are defending the honor of our country. There is not an unbearable situation in the national team, but it goes without saying that when we lose it acts badly on us.

-What can you say about the misunderstandings between Temur Ketsbaia and some players?

- Ketsbaia is a habitual person, but they must understand him. Maybe I do not like even tactic, but we should understand that Georgian team is not only Ketsbaia, Nukri Revishvili or someone else’s. ketsbaia is a coach and he sees so and when he works, we should support him. Conflicts will not give us anything good, only embroils the situation.

-We know that when something bad happens in the national team, you are one of the first who starts talking about it within the team. I wonder whether you, Aleko Amisulashvili, Zurab Khizanishvili and other relatively experienced players have attempt to resolve the misunderstanding between Ketsbaia and some players? The fact is that absence of Levan Kobiashvili, Aleksandre Iashvili, Gogita Gogua, Davit Siradze and Levan Kenia is lack for the team.

- The truth cannot be hide. I like to talk openly. I and Khizanishvili tried to do something but then Khizanishvili had a conflict. It would be better if Khizanishvili would talk about it. There were other attempts to resolve misunderstandings but Ketsbaia chose this way. The absence of those players, who I named before, were a big lack for Georgian team. He is a coach and thinks that so is necessary. As regards about the unanimity, with this we achieved something in “Dila” and went through the 2 stages.

- Let’s talk about “Dila” more concretely: what was the reason of defeating against “Zestafoni”?

- They were clearly stronger in this particular match and they deserved this victory. Happened so, that none of us played on a high level.

- In winter, you will leave the team and it is unknown what “Dila” would be like from new season. Will the team be able to compete for the Championship?

- I think, yes. Everybody knows that the financial situation is not very good in the club and if there is some help why not? The situation is unclear yet. But the refereeing should not be in that way which was in the match against “Dinamo” Tbilisi. Imagine, two best teams play and judges act against the hosts in this way. Recently, we talked about the development of the Championship and it will be impossible when you see such refereeing. And in this regard should be done a lot of work. Even in Russia is not such refereeing. And what I saw in the match of “Dila” – “Dinamo”, it no longer occurs in Russia.

Ilia Nanobashvili