Team captain Vazha Tarkhnishvili responded to the questions of “Compensated time” TV program presenters. Moreover, TV viewers also had the opportunity to ask questions during the live broadcast on “TSV” channel. That’s what they were talking about:    

    

- In what form does the team enter into the season?

- Lads burn with the desire to take the field again. We want the championship to start sooner. It’s time to go into the field and prove that we are stronger than others. 

 

-Is there anything to be proved by “Sheriff”?

- In each game we have proved that we are stronger than an opponent, that not in vain we are the champions over many years. We are not only a club, “Sheriff” has become a household name and we should always prove that not in vain we are praised and respected in Europe, Moldova and in any spot on the globe.  

 

- Now the question about the Commonwealth Cup. It interests many people because there was not enough information. After two months, how do you estimate the performance in the tournament?  

- I estimate our performance as unsatisfactory because we didn’t win the tournament. Both the coaching staff, management and players are not satisfied either. We had a real chance to win the tournament again. Take on trust. But something was lacking. I am sure the coaching staff already knows where we made mistakes. So, we are going to work and correct them so that we can be the best next year.

 

- What, in your opinion, was lacking in Saint-Petersburg?          

- As usual, we were lacking in a team-work. Many players left the team, many newcomers joined it. Much more time was required for showing better play. So, the lack of a team-work was the main reason. Everything was decided during the 15 seconds. We were winning but the outcome of the match against “Hazar” was decided in the last 15 seconds.

 

- In the match with “Hazar” everything worked well before the last 15 seconds. What happened?

- It seemed to me that we were playing in Azerbaijan. There were three thousand people on the stands and all of them were Azerbaijanis. It was like in the match against “Besiktas”. They began to sing from the beginning of the game and supported their team during the whole match. It was the significant factor. If we had had the same active support we would have stood a good chance to win. Then the strange sending-off took place. The player was given the yellow card sitting on the bench. The match was emotional enough, the substitutes of “Hazar” were excited as well, but the referee punished only one player. In my opinion, such cautions shouldn’t be made because everybody was full of emotions. Probably, if we had kicked the ball out a little farther in the last attack, we would have won the game. But this is a football. Everything may happen. It’s an unpredictable game. That’s why football is very popular all over the world.                      

 

- After that match against “Hazar” many people tried to blame someone for the defeat. In your opinion, whose fault was that?     

- Everyone was guilty including the press-attaché. All team was guilty. It is impossible to blame anyone individually. If the team wins – everybody wins, if the team is beaten – everybody is guilty. Perhaps, because of that “Sheriff” is the cohesive team. This is not chess, football is a collective game, so that was our common fault.    

 

- You have already played in many tournaments. In your opinion, how important is this tournament taking into account that champions of Russia and Ukraine are represented by their reserved lines-up?   

- First of all, it’s their problems. Everybody can see on the score-board only the name of a club without indicating whether a first or second team plays. For example, “Dinamo” Kiev, not - “Dinamo” Kiev reserved line-up. It’s their minus. For other countries it’s the good tournament where all teams try to do their best. A nerve-strain of matches is very high. Everybody recognizes the tournament gives an opportunity to make a good career. For instance, many of our players transferred to other clubs after the year 2003. Until now they keep on developing and playing on the international level. Coaches from all Europe come to the Commonwealth Cup competitions. In February, 4 more our players transferred to higher championships. In other words, all teams are in earnest about the tournament. Moreover, many teams such as “Pakhtakor”, “Hazar” and others didn’t communicate with the press in the tournament at all. They arrived in Saint-Petersburg to show football and were concentrated at achieving results. It is obvious the tournament lives and will live. By the way, the tournament in Saint-Petersburg was organized at the highest level.                         

 

- After the Commonwealth Cup the team left for Cyprus. What can you say about the training preparations and opponents of the friendly games?

- I hope you know what training preparations mean. Three trainings a day. I can only say that all this helps us to increase our skills. We arrived in Cyprus to work, not to rest. The training process was proceeding normally, without injuries and failures. I think everything passed successfully. One of our opponents was Romanian “Rapid”. This team is not in need of advertising. We played with dignity. I would say they played with dignity against us. That match generated considerable public excitement. The press put different questions to our players. But the main thing was that nobody expected such high-quality football shown by “Sheriff”. We could win the match, you know, but it happened that the game ended in the draw 1-1. The rest of the matches were played against good teams as well. Yes, we were defeated in two games. But we could see our mistakes that allowed our coaching staff to take necessary measures to correct them in time, before the beginning of the National Championship. I think we will win more.

 

- Let’s talk about “Zimbru”. You know the situation from the press. What do you think about that?                      

- I wouldn’t like to think about them. It’s their own affair. Probably, that’s a good thing to make an accent on young players from “Zimbru” school. There was a conflict in the team and many players were transferred. Of course, it was done on the basis of the situation. But I don’t know how the young players will stand this marathon in the Championship.    

 

- And now let’s talk about the changes in “Sheriff”. Four players left the first team, young players took their places. What can you say about the newcomers?   

- When a player is admitted to our team, in addition to his professional level he should be a good man as well. I have already known that Stanislav Namasco and Igor Picusciac are the professionals doing their work very well. As for Romanian players, I can say they are burning with the desire to join our ranks and develop their professional skills. They try to do their best and it’s good. As regards playing qualities, you know, bad players have never been admitted to “Sheriff”. These players, of course, have a good potential, so they play in “Sheriff”. Do you remember Cocis and Florescu from Romania? They arrived from the second Division and few people knew them at that time. But our coaching staff could make footballers from them and now they play at the top level. I think both Radu and Sanda and Enescu will become very good players. I am not a prophet and can’t say when it will happen but it’s my opinion.                 

 

- The back line has undergone a big change. How do you find playing with the new partners?  

- Everything is all right. I have played with Alexander Melenciuc for a long time. There are not problems with Stanislav Namasco. I already played with Jose Nadson in the centre of defense when Ibrahim Gnanou was ill. That is no news. Mamah plays on the right flank. He is not a stranger to me. There are Chinwo and Valter Khorguashvili on the other flank. They are very good performers. I think we will play none the worse.         

 

- Can you say that a question of the first place is solved?

- Of course, no. I am constantly asked about it by Moldavian journalists. Last year we had the difference of 15 points after defeating “Zimbru” and the question was the same – “Are you the champions?” I can say “I am the champion” only after getting a gold medal. Our team is ahead by seven points now, but it isn’t too much. We have the half of the Championship before us. Even in the last leg we will play for winning irrespective of being ahead by seven points. 

 

- Recently in the National division only two confrontations were expected: “Sheriff” - “Zimbru” and “Sheriff” – “Nistru”. Can you say all that passed into history and new brand “Sheriff” – “Dacia” comes to take their places?