Stanislav Cherchesov, the head coach of the Kazakhstan national football team, responded to questions from the media at a press conference in Astana on June 26th.

 

- I am very pleased to be in Kazakhstan. I have always enjoyed my visits here. After meeting with Adlet Barmenkulov, the President of the Kazakhstan Football Federation, I am convinced that we are on the right track. Over the past few years, the Kazakhstan national team managed by Magomed Adiev has achieved notable success and advanced to Division B of the Nations League. It is crucial to recognize that League B represents a significantly higher level of competition. Every athlete understands that after reaching a certain peak, a slight decline is often inevitable, whether you like it or not. I met with the team after our match against Azerbaijan, and it is evident that this issue still lingers. We must assess ourselves objectively, avoiding both undue praise and unnecessary criticism. Currently, we are positioned in Division B. There is much discussion about the need for rejuvenation, but it won't be done just for the sake of it. There are seasoned players who have rightfully earned their spots on the national team. I myself played until I was 40 and never considered age a factor. Why should I scrutinize the ages of other footballers? The national team is not like a club offering three-to-four-year contracts; you need to be ready here and now. If a player is ready, he will be invited to the national whatever his age is. 

I'll say it again: League B is a completely different level. We see how teams like Austria and Slovenia perform at Euro 2024. The Norwegian national team, featuring Haaland, is also very good. We have some tough matches ahead. We need to set our aims high whenever we compete in a tournament. Currently, it is hard to pinpoint exactly where the Kazakhstan national team stands. The Austria and Slovenia teams are at their peak right now. They might experience a slight dip by the Nations League, which we will need to capitalize on. Our main objective is to leverage the Nations League to prepare for the World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

 

- Can you maintain the standard that Magomed Adiev set?

- Adiev should uphold my standard at Terek, and I should uphold his in Kazakhstan (laughs). I have called him after every game, celebrating both his and the Kazakhstan national team's successes. He set a high standard indeed. We need to make sure that these results are not just random but a regular occurrence.

 

- Are you planning to change the five-defender formation?

- We need to develop a specific system and prioritize our young players. It is crucial to actively involve young footballers. And when it comes to formation, as the head coach, I must adapt to my players. Nearly all clubs in Kazakhstan use a five-defender lineup. It is challenging to change that overnight. We can adjust some details, which we will discuss with the players. Ultimately, the players are the ones on the field, and it is the coaching staff's responsibility to prepare them and provide all the necessary conditions for their success.

 

- Are you planning to attend all the Premier League matches and travel around Kazakhstan? Will players from lesser-known KPL teams also have opportunities?

- Players from smaller clubs indeed bring a different mentality and face a unique adaptation process. Typically, I call up 22 players who are preparing for the games, plus two players for trials. We need to decide how we are going to approach this in Kazakhstan. For instance, when I was coaching the Russian national team, Georgi Dzhikiya, who wasn't from a top team—he then played for Amkar—sat in the stands for our matches four times. He later went on to become the captain of Spartak and the national team.

 

- You mentioned in a recent interview that you would like to meet with Bakhtiyor Zaynutdinov. How is he doing? There have  been talks about his potential return to the Russian Premier League. Do you think he should go back?

- I have spoken with him several times already. I also have contacts at Besiktas who have provided updates about his playing time in Turkey and whether he has the chance to be a regular starter. From what I understand, Besiktas's new head coach has had discussions with Zaynutdinov. They need time to determine if they can effectively work together. Zenit St. Petersburg is interested in him as well. It would certainly be easier for me to keep an eye on his progress if he were in the Russian league, especially since I regularly communicate with Sergei Semak, their head coach. Bakhtiyor is a high-quality player. He maintains his performance level in any position, which makes such versatile players extremely valuable to any team.

 

- What are your thoughts on naturalizing players for the national team?

- I am generally not very fond of it. However, if a player already holds citizenship, I do not see an issue. But I believe it is inappropriate to ask someone to acquire citizenship solely to play for the national team. Doing so creates a sense of obligation toward them, which I prefer to avoid. However, if a player legally qualifies to play for the national team without any prompting from us, then I would be happy to consider such players.

 

- Has the coaching staff for the Kazakhstan national team been confirmed?

- We are yet to see which specialists are available and could bring value to the team. Many followed Magomed Adiev to Akhmat. I have my own coaching staff consisting of experienced professionals like Gintaras Stauche, Vladimir Panikov, and Paulino Granero, who have all been champions in various countries. We are currently finalizing some details with a few specialists, but no definitive decisions have been made yet.

 

- How would you assess the competitiveness of Kazakhstani football and the Kazakhstan national team?

- A few years back, when I was coaching Ferencvaros, we played against Tobol. That was my first exposure to the current level of football in Kazakhstan. I am planning to attend the upcoming match between Astana and Kairat on June 29th in Almaty. It is not feasible to attend all matches personally, so we might have representatives in each city to cover the games. Regarding the national team, they were quite competitive in League C and advanced to a higher quality level. The next step is to establish our competitiveness in League B.