"Returned for memories"
- You have a career as a model lucky: you stamp goals everywhere you play. It seemed to many that in Alkmaar you won’t succeed - they say that the club is too modest for great achievements.
- It used to be humble. I came to AZ a year and a half ago, because Van Gal was there. I wanted to work with him and learn from him. The first season was very interesting. In the new team, we have seriously updated - eight new players have come. But we play very beautiful football, everyone notes this. There was only one goal left - the Champions League. With our sophisticated playoff system, getting there is not so easy. But I'm sure: with me or without me, the club will soon get there.
- Without you? Do not exclude that AZ will be the last team in your career?
- I do not exclude it. Two weeks ago I turned 34.
- And where are you planning to settle down, when will football be finished?
- Most likely in Tbilisi.
- Where is your house today?
- In Amsterdam. The road to Alkmaar takes half an hour - Holland is not only beautiful, but also a compact country. Although he did not return here for beauty and convenience. The years that he spent at Ajax left great memories. Here he returned. I’ve been to Georgia infrequently - only at official matches of the national team. I’m not coming to friendlies. And just like that, without football, you can’t look in there - the season takes too much time.
"I hate the smell of smoke"
- “Ajax” is far from the only property of Amsterdam. Admit it: have you ever been to a coffee shop?
- I confess: no. I don’t even smoke cigarettes, not to mention something more serious. I hate the smell of smoke. Nobody even smokes in my car - I forbid it. So I’ll die healthy.
- It was always curious: taking into account the legalization of light drugs in the Dutch championship, do doping control?
- Of course! From what is allowed here, the rules of football do not change. Not every week, but sometimes doping tests are taken. But after the match with “Ajax” we took two guys.
- In that match, by the way, you had an unusual appearance - with a musketeer mustache. How is it?
- Just in February in Holland there was an action against cancer, and I was asked not to shave my mustache. I kept my word and all February did not touch them with a razor. Now he doesn’t look like a musketeer anymore.
"Georgia is too small to interfere with Russia"
- When the persecution of Georgians began in Moscow, were you worried about someone close?
- It hurted me. I have friends in Moscow, but it seems that none of them had to leave. All this is very stupid, and in Russia they know it.
- As they say in Russia, there were reasons for this: we are no longer friends with Georgia.
- Strange. So I have Russian friends, and the Dutch, and the Armenians. I chose them myself. You can’t choose parents or brothers, you choose a friend yourself. Russia and Georgia long ago became friends, but here they decided to break up. Russia is big and strong, everything can do, it is leading world politics. What can a small country like Georgia do to her?
“For example, let NATO deploy bases on its territory.”
- So what? Who does it bother? Even if NATO comes, will something happen? Will they start a war? The one who starts the war against Russia, I will call the greatest fool in the world. And Georgia is close to Russia both geographically and in spirit. She will never make her a villainy.
- Yes, we, ordinary people, in general, do not argue ...
- I will say this. I really love Russia, its culture, language, its great sons. My son was born in Amsterdam, lived for four years in Britain, and is now back in the Netherlands. So, he learns Russian - a teacher specially comes to us. Not because he needs language, but because he is Georgian and must love Russian culture. But even though I am familiar with so many in Russia, if I suddenly ask for your country's passport now, they will not give it to me. But in Abkhazia they give passports. And sometimes they don’t even give me a visa to Russia without an invitation. And if I just want to come to Moscow or Peter and my wife and look at your beauties? It's just a visa, and someone puts a passport in their mouths. People, including politicians, see this and begin to curse. Smart people are few. Conflicts do happen.
"Look like a Barca"
- Mikheil Saakashvili is friends with leading Georgian football players. Are you no exception?
- Before he became president, he was twice with my wife at my house, in Amsterdam. His wife is Dutch. Therefore, during visits to her homeland, he did not refuse to drop in on me. Now he, of course, is not my friend. He is my president, and I respect him very much. Everyone makes mistakes. But he does a lot for Georgia to become the way we want to see it. You would understand everything if you would see how much has changed in these three years.
- What do your brothers do, who also played in the Georgian national team at one time?
- Revaz - vice president of the Georgian Football Federation. Archil is the director of the 35th football school in Tbilisi, where Kipiani, Gutsaev, Chivadze and many others grew up. Well and still small businesses.
- They say AZ is now showing the most romantic football in Europe. Do you agree?
- I agree with pleasure.
- Which of the grandees do you think the club looks like?
- I dream that we were reminiscent of Barcelona. True, van Gal is not trying to make us a second Barca. Because he does not have Rivaldo, Figo or Ronaldinho. He has only Arveladze and a few more guys.
- Having worked with Van Gal for a year and a half, did you understand why he is called a great coach?
- Got it. For the way he reads an opponent. As he explains to each footballer, what is the strongest in his game, and how to use it. As convinces that team play is above all. In addition, he is simply a fan of attacking football. It is always a pleasure.
"The game must make sense"
- Newcastle 2007 is ...
- A difficult opponent in the 1/8 finals of the UEFA Cup. I can’t say anything else - I don’t know. Unless he has a great stadium and very loyal fans.
- Never wanted to play in England?
“Not that I wanted to, but there was an opportunity.” At one time they were called Blackburn and Fulham. But I did not dare to go to teams that can play a good season at first, and then fly out.
- It turns out that it is better to be in a not-so-strong championship, but in a club that is constantly fighting for medals?
- You need to see the meaning in the game! Going on the field, working out, getting money and driving home is not for me. I want victories. In all the countries where I played: in Georgia, Turkey, Holland and Scotland - with victories, fortunately, everything was in order.
- Is it true that the only club from Russia that has ever been interested in you are Samara Wings?
- Yes. Then I played in the Rangers. He refused, because this is not the team that I wanted for myself.
- And call the leading clubs in Russia, would you also refuse?
- I do not know. After all, they didn’t invite me anywhere else. Probably the fact is that I played in teams, from where they had not yet been called to Russia. In fact, it was hard to imagine that any of the Russian clubs would decide to lure me out of themselves from Ajax.
- But one of the leaders of the current Georgian national team, Malkhaz Asatiani, plays in Russia and feels great. Explain: why in the national team he played a striker, but in the “Locomotive” went on the defensive?
- Semina must be asked! Made of our best forward libero.
- Are you unhappy?
- Georgia is unhappy! We need raiders, not pilots! (Laughs.) In general, I wish that our countries had the same relations as athletes - friendly. We are close peoples. And I believe: the time will come when we will sit together, cuddle, sing and drink. Georgian wine and Russian vodka.
Yuri DUD, "PROsport" - specifically for "Sport Today "