Temur Ketsbaia met the journalists in the press conference hall of the GFF technical center “Basa”. Guram Kashia, captain of “Vitesse” Arnhem, also attended the press conference. Ketsbaia did not talk only about the upcoming match against Luxembourg – he summed up the qualifying group.

Ketsbaia: - The day after tomorrow we will play the first friendly match of the year and of course, it will be important. It is good that young players will also participate in this match. It often happens when all called up players cannot come. As for the qualifying group, Germany is clear favorite. Four teams will fight for making through to the final stage. Hopefully, we will be among them.

- Lichtenstein is a weak team and you will face much stronger teams in the qualifying round. How productive will this friendly match be?

- We want to play good teams here but they must want it too. Many think whoever you invite, everybody will come. Everybody wants to play on their own field or on neutral one. World Cup is coming up and we will manage to play one friendly match it starts.

- Which team?

- The negotiations are under way and it is not decided yet. We will hold at least one match before Mundial.

- Who will captain the team in the qualifying round?

- You will find it out at the match.

- You had problems with the football players but you mentioned the Georgian national team does not have a player to lose. So, will all those football players come back to the national team?

- I did not have problem with anyone. They had problems with me. If a player does not want to play in the national team, you cannot make him do it. I have always tried to give chance to the players.

- You prefer defensive football but you will have to play offensive football in the qualifying home matches. Is the national team ready for that? Does the national team have potential of changing the tactic?

- The tactic does not win the match. It is important that we have formed the team which does its best on the field. It is good that Georgia is not a team of 2-3 players. All football players play key roles here. We called up the young players. We must play a clever game. Playing with 5 forwards brought us catastrophic results.

- You stated you are satisfied with the calendar but after playing Scotland away in October, we will face Gibraltar in three days. Will 3-day interval and travelling from one end of Europe to other make some difficulties?  

- To tell the truth, I could not even wish for a better calendar. We start with the home match against Ireland. It is good to hold the first match home. As for October’s matches, Gibraltar is in the same situation as we.

- We have Ireland and Scotland in the group. Did you want to play teams with the British style or the teams with the same level but with different style?

- You do not only have to play the British teams but also to beat them in the battles. When I came to the national team, the team had not won for the last 2 years. The situation has changed. The team has become efficient.

- The national team lost to Spain 0:1 but had good press. It was the same after 0:0 with France. However, we gained only 4 points in the matches against Belarus and Finland. So, we cannot play well against the rivals. Is not it a psychological thing?

- Our rivals also play carefully against us. Unfortunately, there are also other factors. Today there is no resource for the development of the Georgian football. Some football players have not even played at the national championship and they are tested in Europe. I wanted the Georgian clubs to have two u-21 players on the field but they did not do that. As for your question, if not some bad mistakes, we had guaranteed the third place in the previous qualifying round. If somebody thinks Finland and Belarus are bad teams, it is a great mistake. Some people even said it did not matter we took the fourth or the fifth place. I am satisfied with the result. We have not taken the fourth place for the last 12 years. My work must be evaluated when I will leave the national team.

Guram Kashia: - As for the group, we will hold very interesting matches, especially home ones. Germany is clear favorite and will take the first place. We must fight for the second or the third place.

- You are one of the veteran players of the national team and perhaps, you will be an example for the young players.

- Of course, I will share my experience with the young players. Hopefully, fans will support and help the national team.

At the end of the press conference Ketsbaia and Kashia presented new shirts of the national team – adidas. Ketsbaia joked he started playing for the national team with adidas and will finish coaching with it.

ლიხტენშტაინთან სათამაშოდ გამოძახებულ ფეხბურთელთა სია ასე გამოიყურება: 

The called up football players for the match against Liechtenstein.

Goalkeepers: Giorgi Loria („Dinamo“ Tbilisi), Nukri Revishvili („Valetta“ Malta), Roin Kvaskhvadze („Torpedo“ Kutaisi).

Defenders:  Guram Kashia („Vitesse“, Netherlands), Ucha Lobzhanidze („Dnipro“, Ukraine), Gia Grigalava („Anzhi“,Russia), Lasha Salukvadze („Inter“, Azerbaijan)  Davit Kvirkvelia, Giorgi Khidesheli (both „Dinamo“, Tbilisi), Solomon Kvirkvelia („Rubin“, Russia ), Akaki Khubutia („Mordovia“ Russia), Levan Kakubava ("Spartak", Tskhinvali, Georgia).

Midfielders: Murtaz Daushvili („Karpaty“ Lviv, Ukraine), Aleksandre Kobakhidze, Jaba Kankava (both „Dnipro“, Ukraine),Tornike Okriashvili („Chornomorets“ Odesa, Ukraine),  Jano Ananidze („Rostov“, Russia), Irakli Dzaria („Dinamo“, Tbilisi)Valeri Kazaishvili („Vitesse“, Netherlands), Avtandil Ebralidze  („Gil Vicente“, Portugal)

Forwards: Vladimer Dvalishvili ("Legia", Warsaw, Poland), Bachana Tskhadadze („Inter“, Azerbaijan), Giorgi Chanturia(„Cluj“, Romania).

The match will be held on “Mikheil Meskhi” at 18:00 on March 5. 

Ilia Nanobashvili