BREAKAWAY

Temuri Ketsbaia is a well-known footballing personality in the CIS. Many will remember him when he played for Dinamo Tbilisi, AEK Athens, Anorthosis (Cyprus), Newcastle United (England) and Dundee United (Scotland), as well as the goals he scored for Georgia. Ketsbaia ended his playing career at Anorthosis, where he straightaway became chief coach. It was when he was in charge that Anorthosis reached the group stage of the Champions League in 2008-09 for the first time in the country's history. Ketsbaia then had a short spell coaching Olimpiakos (Greece) and now he is in charge of the Georgian national side.

An R+ correspondent managed to catch up with Temuri Ketsbaia in Antalya where Azerbaijani clubs were at a training camp.

- Are you checking out the training to look for potential players for the national squad?

- Yes, that's right. Georgian clubs have training camps at Antalya, and so do yours, and there are quite a few Georgian players in your clubs. That's why I am watching matches involving Inter and Qarabag who have Georgian internationals in them.

- So what do you think?

- Vachana Chkhavadze, who plays for Inter, is way below his best, but I think he'll soon bounce back. I was quite impressed with Nicholas Gelashvili, who is with Qarabag. Unfortunately, I didn't see Dzhaba Dvali, who recently moved to Qarabaq, on the pitch, and it looks like he has not quite recovered from injury.

- What can you say about the standard of the Azerbaijani championship and its clubs?

- Football is developing in Azerbaijan, a lot of money is being put into it and your clubs have wealthy sponsors. There are only a few well-known players in our championship. Compared with Georgia you are way ahead. I have to admit there is not the same attention paid to our football. You are ahead of us when it comes to finance and the playing side. Money plays an important part in football.

- But the results definitely aren't coming. In the last qualifying round for the World Cup Azerbaijan got only 9 points. And at club level last year Neftci were the only ones to reach the group stage of the Europa League…

- There have been a lot of new faces in the Azerbaijani team, but so far the results haven't come. I don't know what your aims are in the next preliminary stage. Georgia's aim is to reach the final stage of the European Championship. As far as the clubs are concerned, you should be doing well. With finances like that you need to be fighting for a place in the group stage of the Champions League. With the new rules, it is easier to reach the group stage of the Champions League; it's even easier than in the Europa League. If your clubs have the right strategy they can soon be fighting for European cups. But you have to make a choice - either the national team, or the clubs. It is very difficult to develop both the national team and the clubs at the same time.

- Can you compare the way Azerbaijan and Georgia play?

- This would not be the right time to talk about that. One has to go and watch games. I haven't seen your team's recent matches. A few years ago we planned to have a friendly match but there were problems at the last moment. It is very important that we have a match between Azerbaijan and Georgia in the next few years as it would provide a lot of interest.

- You have become well known after the work you did at Anorthosis: it was good publicity for you.

- I admit that. Anorthosis did well in the European cups. Then I was with Olimpiakos. Although everything suits me at the moment, I would like to work at club level. So I think I might take a break from my work with the national team. Georgia is our homeland and we are ready to help it, but my contact doesn't expire until May 2016. After that I'll be working at club level.

- Is it harder to get results with the national team?

- More mature coaches can work in the national team. Training camps happen once every two-three months, we play a couple of games and then the team breaks up. But I'm young and I am keen to work. I have plenty of energy and I could be very useful working with a club. With the clubs you are in contact with the players every day you are in training. I can't give fully of my best with the national team. That's why when my contract with Georgia is up I'll move to a club.

- What was the secret of Anorthosis' success?

- For the first time in Cyprus' history we reached the group stage of the Champions League. We did our work properly and the management, coaching staff and the players had a single objective. If a team is playing well, the results will come. That year was the best of my coaching career.

- Would you be able to repeat that with Azerbaijani clubs?

- (laughs) That's a leading question. I'm currently coach of the Georgian national side and all my thoughts are with my own team. I am preparing it for the final stages of the European Championship.

- If you received an offer from Azerbaijan would you accept it?

- Not now, because I have a contract with Georgia.

- As I understand it, two-three years ago one of our leading clubs made you an offer…

- I've had a lot of offers in my career. When I left Olimpiakos, I had an offer from Azerbaijan, but this question arose after I signed a contract with Georgia. So I didn't have any negotiations. If I have a contract I must fulfil it. My agreement with the Georgian Football Federation ends in 2016. Until then I have promised not to negotiate with anyone. I can't say anything about an offer. We have not even had negotiations with these people, so I ask you not to divulge the name of the club. When my contract with the federation is finished I hope to continue my club career. Where exactly, I can't say - let's wait and see.

- Thanks for an interesting interview.

- Thank you, too. Give my best regards to everyone.