Armenian National Team Coach Speaks Ahead of Latvia Match
September 2, 2024 – Ahead of their upcoming friendly match against Latvia, the Armenian national team’s head coach, Bernard Shaland, addressed the media.
On expectations for the match:
“This is a good opportunity for us to hold a friendly match and check the state of the team. I’m glad to be back.”
On potential changes to the starting lineup:
“I don’t see the point of playing with the second team. We need to see how the players are, and this game is very important in that regard.”
On his assessment of the Latvian national team:
“I watched their last two games and they look like a good team. It’s not Germany, but it’s still a good test for us.”
On Robert Arzumanyan’s injury:
“Our medical staff is working on his recovery. We have no other injuries at the moment.”
On balancing defensive and attacking play:
“We need to play attacking football, regardless of who the opponent is. It’s important to show attacking football to reach the European Championship finals.”
On the team’s mentality:
“We need to play more aggressively. The players need to understand the coach’s instructions correctly.”
On potential replacements for injured players:
“I have to trust the other players to step up in the absence of key players like Mkhitaryan, Movsisyan, and Ozbilis.”
On Latvia’s strong points:
“Their team play is strong, not their individual players.”