Georgia hosting U21 European Championship a “celebration” for country - national team coach

Georgia’s national football team will face Portugal in the opening match of the UEFA 2023 Under 21 European Championship, with capital Tbilisi, the western city of Kutaisi and the Black Sea city of Batumi hosting games of the tournament in Georgia as the country co-hosts the competition with Romania through July 8.

For hosting the Championship, sports venues across Georgia have been renovated over the past year, with ₾115 million ($44 mln) spent on their rehabilitation.  

Photo: Government press office.

Agenda spoke to Ramaz Svanadze, the head coach of the U21 national team, about events surrounding the squad, selection process of players of the squad, and the significance for the country of co-hosting an event like this. 

We are looking forward to the European Championship. This tournament is important for two main reasons. First, due to its significance for our young players and our country as a whole, which implies unprecedented infrastructural development that will forever benefit the [domestic] football industry. Secondly, hosting such a significant football tournament is a celebration for the whole country, and Georgia with its rich football traditions [should] be no different”, he told us.

Svanadze  also noted the “very difficult” group the national team had ended up in with the draw, with Group A including last year’s finalists Portugal alongside Belgium and the Netherlands. But the head coach said he believed the high quality and experience of  opponents should not become an “insurmountable obstacle” for the Georgian team.

Photo: GFF.

We have a very tough group, but this was to be expected. Especially since we are making our debut in this competition. Our opponents are traditionally very strong in this age group, and their squads are filled with players who are playing for Europe’s leading clubs”, he said.

“Nevertheless, in football there is always a chance. It depends on how well-prepared we will be at the specific point in June when the tournament kicks off”, Svanadze added, noting it was important for the team to put on a “respectable” performance. 

We must be a force to be reckoned with for any of our opponents. Of course we have our goals and dreams, but the starting point will be to represent our country in a [dignified] manner at the European Championship”, he told us. 

Svanadze said the Georgian Football Federation understood that unlike “many other participants” of the tournament, the Georgian squad lacked the experience of regularly appearing in the final stage of this competition, but said this should not prevent them from achieving their objectives.

He also highlighted that for the first time in recent history, UEFA fixtures for senior national teams clashed with the Championship. GFF officials and national team coaches have said the interests of both teams will be considered in the selection of players. 

Of course, this factor prevented us from following our initial plans. We did everything we could to avoid this scenario. UEFA were willing to help us by moving fixtures, but we ended up in a five-team group with Nations League finalists Spain, which meant that we could not get any matches postponed. We are now trying to adapt to the reality and continue our preparations at the usual pace”, he noted.

Photo: GFF.

The 42-year-old has been working as the head coach in Georgia’s youth teams since 2018, starting at the U18 level before moving on to U19s. He qualified for the elite round with  the U19, but had his plans thwarted by the pandemic in 2020. Svanadze recalled the early years of his coaching career and shared views about his job with us. He has been working with young players for almost 20 years, so he said he had formed his own clear views about the profile of budding Georgian professional players.

A coach must have a diverse education, be mentally strong and possess managerial skills. There are issues that can be improved through knowledge and theory. Other issues are inherent. If you add on-field experience to the mix, you have the ideal conditions to be successful”, he said. 

“I would tell a young player that talent is not enough. It is vital to set a goal and work towards it without deviating from the course. Georgians are talented footballers, but the game is about more than just talent, ball control or dribbling. Without the correct lifestyle and hard work, nothing will work in today’s game”, the head coach told the interview.

Photo: GFF

In further comments about the upcoming tournament, Svanadze said using the Georgian team’s home advantage would be “vital” for the squad to deal with their opponents in the difficult group, and with the new experience of the competition itself. Support from the stands can become a “crucial factor”, he said. 

“We hope that our fans will fill the stands to support us, because this is our first appearance at this level, so we have less experience playing under such pressure. On our part, we will do everything to do ourselves and our country justice on the pitch”, Svanadze concluded.