2024-04-18 03:19:02
The owner of “Pyunik” football club, Artur Soghomoyan, in a conversation with the club’s press service, responded to the statements of the Football Federation of Armenia after his interview, and also indicated what his actions would be if the representative of “Pyunik” is not elected to the FFA executive committee.
– Mr. Soghomonyan, the Football Federation of Armenia responded to your statement published on the official website of “Pyunik” football club. How do you rate it?
– I know from life experience that when you deal with specialists, the dialogue is built on specific facts or logical arguments and, ultimately, can lead to a solution. If you are dealing with dilettantes, you should be prepared that they will try to move the dialogue to an emotional level, using insults and threats, such disputes, as a rule, do not end in anything.
Unfortunately, we never received any serious arguments that would refute any of the issues raised about the work of the FFA management. Instead, we heard a lot of insults and threats.
– FFA has announced that it will initiate a criminal case against you, and will also force you to apologize through the court.
– If they really have arguments that confirm that I am wrong, I will gladly apologize, because I am more interested in the development of Armenian football than they are and I invest my money in it, that is why there is no need for a court.
As for the threats to open a criminal case, I treat it as another empty statement by the FFA leadership, with the aim of personally intimidating me. Such a reaction only once again confirms our rightness.
– The Football Federation of Armenia also posted two videos on social platforms regarding this situation. Did you get to watch them?
– Yes of course: I was hoping to hear some constructive comments, maybe we are really wrong or don’t know something. However, apart from emotional expressions and insults towards our club, I have not heard anything, moreover, the identity of these employees causes confusion, why are they responding to our words in such a strange way?
– The two speakers addressed you personally, do you know them?
– I am not familiar with Mr. Melikbekyan’s advisor Ruben Nazaretyan. As for his words, I can say that it was more like an uncivilized street fight, filled with obvious lies and insults. I certainly wouldn’t stoop so low to hang out with that person.
I think that after such a video, it became clear to many people what low-level people manage FFA. The most important thing I realized after watching it all is that the problems in the Federation are much deeper than we realize.
– And what do you say about the statements of the BCMA and the head coach of the Armenian youth team, Rafael Nazaryan?
– I have always treated this coach with respect, but after watching that video, I was very disappointed. It was not pleasant to hear the deception that Mr. Melikbekyan never interferes in the affairs of the CSMA, I want to remind Mr. Nazaryan of our last conversation, in which he claimed the opposite.
In my opinion, it is not correct for him to evaluate the working style chosen by the “Pyunik” coaching staff with his own players, it is beyond the scope of basic coaching ethics.
But I want to dwell on one of his statements. After Mr. Nazaryan very emotionally said that he is always guided by sports principles. He repeated twice that he will appeal to Mr. Melikbekyan, asking him not to invite the players of “Pyunik FC” to the BCMA.
With this expression, Rafael Nazaryan not only contradicts himself, but also specifically threatens our club, as well as destroys sports principles in the entire Armenian football. It is surprising to hear such threats from the coach of the youth team of Armenia.
I want to remind you that BCMA is not Mr. Melikbekyan’s private business. “Pyunik” football club has the same rights as others, regardless of whether Mr. Nazaryan likes our complaints about the work of the FFA or not.
– But, Mr. Soghomonyan, why does the FFA president have the authority to make such decisions?
– As far as I know, no, we need the approval of the executive committee of the federation. According to my information, the main goal of today’s FFA leadership is to elect an FFA executive committee that is completely loyal to them and fully controlled by them on December 28. If this happens, all the power will be in the hands of Melikbekyan and Nikoghosyan, they will adopt laws, they will control their implementation. In other words, they will ask themselves, there will be no disagreement. In such a situation, they can adopt any law, even such an absurd one as, for example, depriving an individual club of certain rights. A similar situation has already occurred in the history of Armenian football, it did not lead to anything good.
Having a great idea about the professional level of these people and knowing their attitude to work, I am sure that in the coming years, we should forget about the development of football in Armenia.
– There are only a few days left for the Executive Committee elections. In your previous interview, you mentioned that there is a high probability that our representative will not be selected due to the position of the club. What will be your steps if, as a result, our club does not have a representative in the FFA Executive Committee?
– It is obvious that the purpose of these elections is not to strengthen the structure of football development and management in the country, but to create a completely loyal and comfortable structure for the leadership of the FFA executive committee, including to prepare for the election of Mr. Melikbekyan for the FFA president elections to be held next year. We are well aware that Mr. Nikoghosyan is actively working so that the representative of “Pyunik” does not appear in the FFA executive committee.
It is difficult for me to predict what position the voting members of the FFA will take in the upcoming elections, because many do not want to argue with the current leadership or depend on them for some reason. I just want to remind you that Mr. Melikbekyan does not manage his own funds, but the funds that rightfully belong to all members of the Football Federation of Armenia.
But if the current leadership of the FFA succeeds in blocking the election of Pyunik’s representative in the FFA executive committee, we will continue the struggle to establish purity in Armenian football as active members of the FFA. In addition, we will work to convey our position to the public in the public field, one of the points of which is that Messrs. Melikbekyan and Nikoghosyan are not suitable for their positions and should resign immediately.
– Mr. Soghomonyan, would you like to add something?
– I hope that the leadership of FFA will be more correct towards “Pyunik” football club from now on. I personally appeal to them with a persuasive request not to embarrass themselves and the entire Armenian football with low-quality, commissioned videos. If there are specific arguments or facts that prove our claims to be wrong, we are ready to hear them or receive written comments, but conducting a dialogue in the way that FFA has chosen is not constructive. Honor is gained not by position, but only by deeds. please tell them what they have done and what achievements they have had during these 3 years.