Interview with Rustam Umarov

by Konstantin Serikov

Uzbekistan futsal team returned from Thailand, where the team participated at the third international four-nation tournament.

Sergio Sapo's side played three matches within the tournament, winning one of them with the score 5:2. That victory over Argentine ensured that Uzbekistan claimed the second place in the tournament.

Uzbekistan squad in Thailand tournament was almost in ideal conditions, only few injured players could not support the team. The only "foreign" player of Uzbekistan, the goalkeeper Rustam Umarov (playing with CSKA Moscow in the russian superlague) shared his impressions with futsalplanet.com.


How do you evaluate the Uzbek performance in the recent tournament in Thailand?
Getting a second place with teams like Thailand, Argentina and Iran is definitely not a bad result

How was the fitness state of the Uzbek squad?
We're obviously not ready at the 100% of our chances, besides we missed three key players in this tournament. But I am sure the team will improve and be ready for the Asian championship. There are issues to be fixed, we should work on them.

The national team was represented by players coming from just three clubs. A bad or good signal?
It is bad for the league. Ardus, Bunyodkor and Pakhtakor have stable financing and good players want to play there.

At the end of the tournament which is your evaluation on AFC opponents Iran and Thailand?
We played them on the same level. Iran only now is starting to change its team, while Thailand began a generational change one year ago about. I feel that new players improved their skills.

Should Uzbekistan follow Iran and present a younger national team today or wait until 2012?
Our squad was already made younger and we hope that this team will be ready to World Cup qualifications in 2012.

You currently play for CSKA Moscow, how were you welcomed in your club after tournament?
Next day after my arrival in Moscow, we had training and I told to my team mates about our great victory in the match against Argentine. Now I believe they've changed their mind about the power of the Uzbek squad.









Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com