Armenian sides make more changes
Monday 25 June 2007
by Khachik Chakhoyan
from Yerevan
With just eleven rounds played of the new Armenian
season, five of the eight league clubs have already
changed coach with three of those appointments coming
this month.
Coaching changes
Rock-bottom FC Kilikia have dismissed Sergej Agababyan
and Ashot Barsegyan, appointing Rafael Galstyan and
Alexan Sarafyan in their place, while there has also
been a regime change at FC MIKA, with coach Armen
Adamyan being demoted to assistant and former
international star Arkadij Andreasyan taking command.
FC Gandzasar Kapan, meanwhile, have hired Samvel
Petrosyan.
Petrosyan problems
Petrosyan had stepped down as coach of champions FC
Pyunik in May, and is now looking to fashion mid-table
Gandzasar into a competitive outfit. "We need
reinforcements in every department," admitted the
coach. Gandzasar recently signed Gurgen Melisketyan
from Russian side FC Nika Moskva and are looking to
take Pyunik’s Valery Aleksanyan, Armen Tigranyan and
Rafael Safaryan on loan.
MIKA evolving
At MIKA, Andreasyan has been making sweeping tactical
changes but the five-time Armenian Cup winners are
playing some mixed football at the moment. They have
not won in three games since struggling to a 2-1
victory against Kilikia on 9 June, and after conceding
a soft goal in a shock 1-0 defeat at FC Shirak,
goalkeeper Alexander Lapin found himself summarily
dismissed from the first team.
Pyunik ease
Pyunik, meanwhile, are progressing towards a seventh
successive title in comfort with defenders Agvan
Lazarian and Alexander Tadevosyan as well as keeper
Gevorg Kasparov returning from Iran to help them as
they prepare for the UEFA Champions League first
qualifying round. Hamlet Mkhitaryan, who scored
Armenia’s recent UEFA EURO 2008′ qualifying winner
against Poland, has also joined.
Banants coup
FC Banants, meanwhile, are preparing for the UEFA Cup.
Last season’s runners up are third but have managed to
lure Armenian international striker Ara Hakobyan back
from Ukrainian side FC Illychivets Mariupil. Hakobyan
scored to help Banants earn a 1-1 draw against MIKA on
Sunday, and the club are likely to make a trio of
foreign signings in the coming days.
Ulis battle
Finally, FC Ulis Yerevan have off-loaded some of their
foreign players as they look to restore some fight.
With eight defeats in eleven games to date, they are
struggling, but have been showing increased hunger in
recent matches. Gegam Kocharyan, Tigran Petrosyants,
Arkadi Epremyan and Shota Chomakhidze have all signed
one-year contracts, and spirits are lifting.
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