Melikyan ahead of Belarus match: Armenia national team ready for experiments

Armenia national team head coach Yegishe Melikyan held a press conference in Yerevan on March 28 ahead of the upcoming friendly match against Belarus. The game will take place on March 29 in the Armenian capital and will be the team’s only test match during this training camp. The coach spoke about player fitness, squad changes, newcomers’ potential, and the team’s objectives amid limited preparation time.

Yegishe Melikyan press conference before Armenia vs Belarus

— What can you say about the newcomers?

— We have many newcomers, I won’t go into each individually. There have been many changes in the squad. For some players it was time to leave, for others to join. We need patience and must work with them. If they were called up, they deserve it. They must fight for a place in the lineup, and the upcoming matches will show that.

— You previously said it was important to have two friendlies, but now there’s only one. Can you get maximum benefit from a single match?

— Of course not. One match is not enough to get everything we wanted. There’s a reason two games were planned. But it is what it is. We are ready to experiment tomorrow. The period without matches was used productively—we worked on other aspects, so the days were not wasted.

It should be noted that a match against the UAE in Abu Dhabi on March 26 was canceled due to the military situation in the Middle East.

— Belarus is known for strong defensive organization. Is it easier to play against such a team or one that dominates possession?

— These are different styles, each with its own characteristics. If used effectively, both are dangerous. We will try to neutralize all the opponent’s strengths. Tomorrow we’ll see if we succeed.

— Will Spertsyan play, and how serious is his injury?

— We still have one day to assess the situation. We are working with him and preparing him for the match. We’ll see tomorrow.

— Did you have an internal match?

— Yes, and it went very well. The players understood there is competition and tried to show their best qualities. There were some issues due to many new players and lack of chemistry. Our team has principles that take time to understand. We have time until September and will keep improving.

— Any agreement on substitutions?

— As far as I know, there will be 8 substitutions. We’ll try to use all of them.

— What about Karlen Hovhannisyan?

— I believe in him. I’ve followed him for a long time—he has a bright future. He will help us and may play tomorrow.

— What about the attack after losing Zelarayán and Barseghyan?

— Their contribution was significant. It will be hard to replace them quickly—it’s a loss. But over time we will find solutions. For now, it’s a problem we are working on.

— Did you personally choose the friendly opponents?

— Yes, I chose them in the summer to match the style of our Nations League opponents. If we picked a stronger team, we would play defensively, which is not what we want.

— Have you coordinated with youth team coaches?

— We must work together in one direction. Joint training camps are needed. U19 and U21 have already played, we will play tomorrow, and then we will analyze everything.

— Message to fans?

— I’d like to see a full stadium. If fans don’t come, it’s our fault. We need to win to bring them back.

— Did you watch the U19 match?

— Yes, I did. I even called the coach. For now, none are ready for the senior team, but we have high hopes for them.

— What did you focus on in training?

— We worked a lot: tactics, team play, set pieces.

— Do you see yourself more as a manager or a coach?

— We have a large staff and work as a team, but I make the final decisions.

— Thoughts on Jose Bueno?

— I always liked him as a player. We’ll see him tomorrow—he will definitely play.

— Karen Vardanyan?

— Good player, fits our level, but chose Belarus.

— When will Ugochukwu Iwu return?

— This is a big loss. His return could take up to six months.