Zviad Sichinava has been working as the president of Georgian Football Federation for a year. “World Sport” talked to him about fulfilled and future plans. Interview lasted for a long time. As far as you know there was spread information about possible match against Argentine National Team in Tbilisi on February 9, 2011. Sichinava started interview about this breaking news.
- Visit of Argentine National Team is big challenge.
- Their visit with the following terms which were demanded by the representatives of Argentine Football Federation is excluded. First of all they demand 200 000 EUR, business class plane tickets for 45 members of delegation, 18 bill boards at the stadium where the match will be held and if any TV channel will broadcast this match they have to pay for Argentine side.
- It will be difficult to find sponsor for this project.
- Business class ticket costs 8 000 EUR for a man from Argentine. We even cannot offer sponsor advertising during match. This project is not profitable for us. 40 bill boards can be set on National Stadium but they demand eye-catching places.
- Maybe they change terms of the project. Do not you have negotiations?
- We have started negotiations, but they increase honorary. In our opinion it does not worth to talk about sponsorship such project in Georgia. Such offers are very common from Brazil, Germany, Spain, Argentine They earn big money in such way. If we were guaranteed that one ticket would sell in 40 EUR, in such way there is more chance to fulfill this project. But it is excluded to sell 50 000 tickets in 100 GEL is excluded.

- It is excluded some charity man to sponsor this project while Georgian football federation and National Team do not have sponsor.

We had negotiations with some big companies about sponsorship of federation, but they did not show any interest. Yesterday I had meeting with “Socar”, today we informed them about all our terms.

Unfortunately it is reality. No one wishes to help Georgian National Team today. They have such terms that it is not profitable for us. They want to profit millions with 30 GEL.
- So, there is hopeless situation.
- It is temporary problem. We will wait and I hope soon will solve this problem. The only company which helps Georgian football is “Kartu”. It does its best and builds training base for Georgian clubs. To my mind our national team will have European class base and we are all grateful for this. Thus company does not seek any profit from us, they helps “Chikhura” Sachkhere. But unfortunately such company is only one. I hope others will appear soon.

- Once again want to ask about Argentine project, have you informed government of Georgia about it?
- We do not want to offer government commercial project. I think to fulfill such project is possible when federation does not have debt and has its own money. This project is unprofitable and I do not advice to carry it on the next president of the federation.
- If the government finances this project, will you refuse?
- No, I will not. But it will never be my initiative.
- When you were appointed in this post Georgian Football Federation owed 18 millions. How much does it owe now and how is possible to decrease it?
- We decrease it with help of UEFA, FIFA, held matches and some other opportunities. This debt is due to away matches. Team did not have money and they were borrowing money.
I can do the same now, I can borrow money from any of the banks, but is it right management to borrow money from the banks and finance this project?
My principle is such type- if I do not have money for petrol tomorrow I will not borrow money. I advice everyone to work in such way, if after playing with football starts my federation destroys then our football fans will ask me- if you did not have money, why you borrowed it?

- When does your authority expire?  
- From January to December in 2011..
- So, it depends when election will be settled.
- You are right
- Do not you know when federation is to settle committee?
- I think till May.
- Do not you think that December would be better for it, you would summarize qualifying round.  
- Why I have to put off it for December, when I can do everything in spring.
- You seemed that do not want to be appointed in this post again.
- I hear from your web-site forum as if I have not done anything during this time.
- Do not take consideration only dissatisfied people’s opinion while making a decision. Which positive event can you remember since your appointing in this post?
- Such events are a lot of. First of all federation does not have 70 % of its debt and in 2011 it will not owe any debts. Now federations owns perfect training base, in one week will be finished building of “Wit Georgia” stadium in Mtskheta. “Olimpi” Rustavi stadium has already given two stars from UEAFA. Central football arena was completely reconstructed in Kutaisi. “Vissol” became sponsor of “Torpedo” Kutaisi. We start process of giving licenses to football schools and in the future parents will have choice of schools and referees for their children. There were settled coach and juridical committees. There was carried out refurbishment works in federation facility. Now federation has its own transport and stadium.

- Have all juridical procedures realized related to National Stadium named after Boris Paichadze?
- Only formal procedure is left. UEFA will do everything in this stadium. On December 15 we wait vice-president and members of executive committee of UEFA. They will finance this project next year.  
- It is problem to find sponsors for Georgian clubs. Since today your name associates to “Baia”, which is among those three clubs in Supreme League which still does not have sponsor.
- I own football school “Baia Zugdidi” and LTD football club “Mglebi”. The club which competes in Georgian championship is LTD football club “Mglebi” but it competes as “Baia”.  They have this name because they use football school’s all property and base which has the same name.
- So, club pays some money to school for it.
- Yes, they do. Now I want them not to pay money for using school’s property and base, transportation and using other property will be some investment from my side.
- So, in fact you are owner of this club.
- When we agree with terms, I will own some shares of this club.
- You have such close relations to this club, why could not you find any sponsor for it?
- Maybe before my appointing there was difference between “Baia” and some other Georgian clubs but now my position does not let me to care only about “Baia”.
- Your estimation of National Team’s qualifying round is quite interesting.
- I am satisfied with Temur Ketsbaia, whose team has not loose any match and I hope that they will continue such competing till the end of the year. I am very satisfied with Otar Gabelia, whose U-12 gained 15 points in qualifying round first time in Georgian football history. U-19 team had quite well start in Portugal, but Vova Gutsavei’s team finished this tournament very badly.  As for adults, Giorgi Devdariani’s U-17 went through elite-round last year. We carried out all the demands of this coach, there were 8-week, 2-week, 3-week meetings, friendly matches, but unfortunately they did not have desirable result. Now Koba Zhorzholiani trains this team and his team went through elite-round again.   
Nodar Akobia’s U-13 team played quite well. Glea Shekiladze’s team also had quite well result. His team played in America and Ibiza. Vasiko Maisuradze’s U-16 team had a bit bad result.

- The agreements of U-19 and U-21 expire soon, will federation continue agreement with them or not?
- We work about carrying out new project and it will relate to coaches also. I always was saying and still say that I do not know football and do not involve in it. I can do management.
We are going to meet all the coaches. A head coach of national team will tell the programme of training all age categories to other coaches. Soso Chedia an assistant of Ketsbia will control carrying out all of thee. Mamuka Abuseridze will look after goalkeepers’ coaches.  
We negotiated with Teur and decided to settle Coach System for National Team. Temur Ketsbaia will decide who will leave positions and who will be appointed.
- By the way, Kakha Kacharava left coach post of “Dinamo” Tbilisi. He is considered as a head coach of one of the teams.
- Me and Ketsbaia met Kacharava. Temur offered him to think about being a head coach or an assistant of one of the teams. We gave time for making a decision.
- Finally, I want to ask you about federation staff. After appointing you showed some dissatisfaction of them. Are you satisfied with them this year?
- There is some problems in GFF also, but we try do solve all these by cooperation with Gia Pirtskhalava. We do our best to settle such system which will make easier competing in Supreme League, First League and Cadet League clubs.
- So, since New Year there is planned some changes.
- Yes, there is. A lot of things will be changed in national championship. I promise that the number of competing clubs will not be changed in championship. We will do our best to find sponsors for clubs.
- Is it possible clubs which do not have sponsors to leave championship due to their depts.?
- I hope and I will do my best those clubs which started competing in National Championship to continue competition in spite of their problems.
 

Phridon Kervalishvili