Armenian national team’s matches were nothing to feel proud about. Mediamax Sport tried to understand the reason for that in a series of articles.
We are presenting the team’s matches in the first part.
Everyone has their options for failures of Armenian national football team. We decided to go back to the beginning. It was obvious that the team was kind of falling apart in 2014 May and June friendly matches. Everyone was playing for himself in the pitch, and the team play was neglected. Only one victory in one year and half with 4:3 score against UAE. In terms of antirecords no one can beat Armenia.
Photo: PAN Photo
To start the qualifier matches in the 36 place and to finish in 91th is something we surely can do. Bernard Challandes started to prepare Armenian team for Euro-2016. He had big ambitions and filled Armenian hearts with hope “We don’t have anything to lose. Armenian team is not the absolute favorite in the group. It will play like a hero and use all the potential that it has without fears and complexes”, said the coach.
The whole qualifier stage was like a bad dream, although the worst was yet to come. 8 matches, 2 draws, 5 scored points and 14 received, if we don’t count the 7 points received in 2 friendly matches.
Photo: PAN Photo
Even the best scenario and a huge budget is nothing if there is no good staff and brilliant actors.
“There is no need to wait for a miracle from Armenian team. We don’t have 50 mln population to form a good national team. There are only 2.5 mln people living in Armenia, and 8 mln in the whole world. It is unrealistic to wait for something big from 10 mln population”, Henrikh Mkhitaryan said it after the match with Denmark in Yerevan.
Photo: PAN Photo
But the people who create the victory are not the millions. Albania with 3 mln population proved that. It’s because of the miracle that the fans go to the stadium and it’s because of the miracle that the footballers should play. And there is no chance to go farther and develop with the state of mind that Henrikh Mkhitaryan has. It’s not possible and it’s not how its done.
It is concerning that after the match with Albania the coach can say “The match is not for pride. It’s just a sport. If the sportsman loses it doesn’t mean that someone is playing with his honor”.
Photo: Photolure
Only Marcos Pizzelli commented correctly. The Brazilian footballer has become Armenian long ago and commented as Armenian after the qualifier stage. “We have to take all the responsibility. We were playing good football 2-3 years ago, because we had huge dedication. The fans are right not support us”.
Armenian national team played against Albania when the fans were shouting “shame on you”. It was the time for the fans to express their concern.
Photo: PAN Photo
We are weaker than a mediocre team. Although we have players that play for European top football clubs that doesn’t make us stronger. We must leave everything in the past and start from the beginning for World Cup-2018 qualifier matches not to hear false promises again.
Hasmik Babayan
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