A unique opportunity to shake the fiasco fiasco: preparation – comics, let's go against the world

Risky FIFA stages

The world indoor football championship in Lithuania is no less exotic than big football in Qatar, where the world's strongest team holds the title in 2022.

And by badessing host positions on the international stage alone, such a FIFA choice is even more difficult to believe.

The Qatari footballers of 2010, when their country was awarded the right to organize world championships in a scandalous way, rose to 55th place in the FIFA rankings compared to the 112th, this year for the first time as as Asian champion and debuting last week in the South American Championship. .

Lithuanian hall footballers have never played in the finals of major tournaments and have never approached them. At least they did not hurry at the moment of cataract rhythm.

Therefore, when FIFA announced last fall that Lithuania was the host of the planet, football fans were worried: how would the team look like a Brazilian, Argentinean company? , Spanish or Russian?

After six months, LFF was also concerned.

Last week, the first concrete step announced by the federation to ensure that it would not be shameful in 2020 was announced.

"Languages ​​for Jobs", LFF enthusiastically presented the open lobby center in Kaunas.

However, some professionals and the team did not add enthusiasm to the message – they thought the language was still linguistic.

Even the experts did not know the candidates

From the beginning of summer, about twenty footballers train four times a week in the operational center.

But when LFF announced that "the best players in the country" had gathered in Kaunas, there was a lot of resentment.

Representatives of the long-standing team have also disappeared on social networks.

"The Top 20 Players Are Funny After having gathered Lithuanian friends in the hall, we would give the Lithuanian team a 5-point win," admired Yuri Jeremayev, who was not in the crowd. 39 national team after the conflict with his coach Yevgeny Ryvkin.

"The farthest, the most beautiful. You will go far with such a selection, "said veteran Arūnas Stein.

Launched at the LFF Initiatives Center, the federation has fed the names of the athletes. Football fans will be able to settle for only the "best of twenty" of the photo of the public team.

But identifying a poster for a photographer proved to be too difficult, even for experienced professionals.

"I do not really recognize everyone. My problem may be there, but I should know the players who qualify for the team. In this photo, maybe only five or six correspond to the level of the candidates. At least, it seems to me, and if anyone thinks that the top 20 of the country is here, say, "With Ms. Raizionis, who has been practicing the national team for nearly five years, shrugged her shoulders. "

For the team – who just wants?

According to DELFI, only half of the players who started the camp in Kaunas had to wear their Lithuanian national costume at least once.

On request, the Lithuanian Football Association (LSFA) shared a much stronger list. However, with reality, it goes beyond that.

Mindaugas Labuckas, Vladimir Derendijev or Ben Spietin, who are part of the composition provided by LSFA, transpire during the training sessions of the center.

Representatives of the Antakalnis Park team, led by Edwin Alimkin, attended the exercise instead of their exercises. The latter plays in Let's Go league, bringing together amateur teams from the Kaunas region.

Thus, even the middle clbad players of the lower division of the country are preparing for the World Cup.

"It seems that all members of the team can only get out of the street, they only compromise the name of the national team, a kind of nonsense," said coach Marijus Rimas. football, by addressing DELFI.

The victory of the team's candidates for the summer has been decided by the fact that the country's football season lasts only five months of the cold season. The rest of the time, the players do not train and do not join the big football team of the lower league.

Mr Rimas said that the idea of ​​the center was good and necessary. It is natural because Radviliskis, 40, living in the capital, was one of those who had proposed it to LFF.

In March, representatives of the clubs of Vilnius and Kaunas attended a meeting with the leaders of LFF and LSFA, who decided to create three regional football clubs: Western, Central and Eastern Lithuania.

According to the initial plan, in the summer, preparatory work was to be carried out not only in Kaunas, but also in Vilnius and Gargzdai.

"We agreed with football players, we made lists, estimates. At least 90 percent The players we were about to play are in League A and there are no statistics on it.

Our idea was that if they train all summer, next season, a league will be stronger, there will be more serious games. And that will stimulate further development. Because we care not only about the world's preference, but also the residual value they will have.

But when we submitted our lists to LFF, the silence came, the month there was no answer. Then, without our knowledge, we started calling the players and proposing them to come from Vilnius, Panevėžys, to Kaunas. Many spoke of this, but there was always a shortage of people in the normal training process and he invited Antakalnis Park. No benefit of such preparation – amateurs who need to be trained in football basics. After all, you should work as hard as you can, you have to fight during workouts, "said Rimas.

Millions of people will emerge from the state and FIFA

The club coach Vilnius TurboTransfers said that he did not know why he had decided to create an LFF center only in the temporary capital and felt that football leaders might have lamented the funds.

The maintenance of three centers at the end of September would have cost 100,000 euros. EUR, including rental and transport costs, salaries of coaches and coordinators and meals for players.

The annual budget of the LSFA, headed by LFF vice president and sports equipment manufacturer Hummel in Lithuania, is managed by Vidmantas Butkevičius. EUR

In total, LFF has 9 million. budget. In addition, because of the World Championship, the federation will add additional resources to FIFA, but also to the pocket of the state.

Although Edward Eimont, who was then president of the LFF and who had made the request for preference, publicly announced in 2016 that the tournament would be held without the support of the government, it is now requested more than 4 million people . EUR

LFF expects similar amounts from FIFA.

"And they do not find a hundred thousand men ready … I can not explain what's going on here with common sense." When I received five calls, people were happy: the team was training and getting ready. Any preparation here is just an imitation. Blown opium is popular and, in reality, it is messy.

I'm afraid we have a fiasco in this ready-made championship. The hosts have the privilege – whatever their capacity, they are badigned to the first basket. Therefore, we will meet neither Spanish nor Brazilian in group competitions. But what is it? We are losing Andor, we have nothing to gain, "Rimas feared.

Illusions are not spared by K. Rudionis.

"We can manage to organize the championship, we can do it, but do not raise the level of football in our room – a fact.After all, everyone understands that it is not possible for us to enter the world championship with their own strength when we succeed.And even if we start working very hard now, we would still be outsiders.If we do not come out very successful periods, some Solomon Islands ( the Pacific Islands team participated in the previous championship in 2016 and was the worst DELFI team).

The problem is that the people in the room are surrounded by people who just imagine they understand them. And as long as they regulate the traffic, the preparation is done at the amateur level: as if it was not for the world championship, but we were going to get ready for the sports festival of the factory. I thought maybe this championship would give a boost, but now it looks like the flop will come out, "is a skeptical specialist.

Regi's personal interests

Sending to DELFI, LFF General Secretary Edgaras Stankevičius denied having decided to limit himself to a training center in Kaunas for financial reasons.

He took responsibility on Mr. Ryvkin's shoulders. Previously trained as a national team in Ukraine, Ukraine has been leading the national team of Lithuania since the autumn of 2017, when it replaced the retired K.Rudionis.

"We took into account the wishes of the head coach. The idea of ​​a center in Gargzdai was immediately lost because there were simply not enough players at the appropriate level. And there was a discussion about Vilnius and finally, the decision was made to create a joint center in Kaunas.

The list of 20-25 players has been cleaned according to the wishes of the coach. We have a high level specialist whom we trust and support. If he's interested in these people, our job is to train them. Yes, some players may not be able to participate in this camp for any reason, they have been replaced by young people. But I saw myself see the newcomer to the youth team for the first time does not seem to be worse than the old man. I just wanted to have more chances, "said Stankevičius.

Of course, Mr. Ryvkin himself does not currently work with his "chosen" candidates: his coaches Kiril Krasii and E. Alimkin are in charge of the training.

According to the plans established by the club representatives, at the Kaunas regional center, the coach was badigned to K. Rudionis, in the center of Vilnius – Mr Rimas.

"The Federation will certainly not invest in three centers if this concept is contradicted by a national team coach and if we do not have what they are working on. And what would be the logic here if different centers were formed according to different methodologies?

Some clubs may have wanted the funds and hands of the Federation to help them prepare for the upcoming season. Maybe someone hoped to absorb the federal grant for his personal needs. I really will not pay the players or their guardian just because they come from Vilnius.

If it is not interesting for a team strategist to work with some coaches he refuses, our goal is to offer him the best possible conditions. After all, he will take the lead in the championship and will be responsible for the results, "said the secretary general of the LFF.

"Gather all the best"

Explaining why most of the most competent footballers in the room could not be summoned to Kaunas camp, E. Stankevicius also mentioned the rotation of yards in the wheels.

"Some Vilnius clubs, for one reason or another, have not agreed to release their players Who The Director of the LSFA can tell you more, the names have not been named by the one of the leaders of the LFF.

Yet Remigius, mentioned by him, did not hear anything specific about DELFI.

"Maybe there was a slight boycott, but I'm happy that some of the main players are at the center, that they agree with the coaching system. Unfortunately, Lithuania is not Spain or Portugal, where footballers do not play together.It is not so easy to get some of us out of great football in the summer. .

Obviously, it is not easy and four nights a week for a tired return from Kaunas to Vilnius. This bread is not easy, nobody says. But let's not forget what we are fighting for. Will there be many other opportunities to praise your children and grandchildren that you played in the world championship?

In addition, we transport bus players from Vilnius – such conditions have not yet occurred in the football halls. Everyone can come to this camp. Here, for the sake of Lithuania, it is done, not for one or the other player. Not here glacier "There will be no defense at the meeting, no matter where you are, you will have to defend yourself and try it," said the director of the LSFA.

The results come out of the clouds

In friendly matches, J. Ryvkin's students are still hard on each other.

Last season, the Lithuanian team lost 7 of the 8 controls (overall goal ratio – 16:37). After a while, he landed in Slovakia, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia, once in Andorra. In front of the representatives of this dwarf country, the Lithuanians won their only victory (6: 3).

None of the teams above have participated in the World Cup.

Even further from the elite, there are clubs with which the Lithuanian national team participated in the Baltic Cup tournament in Radviliškis at the end of May.

The hosts lost Khmelnitsky's Sokil (8th place in the Ukrainian league) and Saint Petersburg's "Agio" (5th place in the Saint Petersburg City League), only in the finals series "Rezekne" (5th place in the Latvian championship), only win during the main time has reached the Estonian runner-up Tallinn Cosmos.

According to R. Daugėla, the closest match is scheduled for the end of the month. Outsiders from J. Ryvkino's birthplace are expected to arrive in Lithuania. In October, the Lithuanians will travel to China, where they are waiting for the most serious test: four national teams from different continents.

What I think of the unexpected historical opportunity and readiness of the country's football team, DELFI asked Mr. Labucko, captain and long-time guardian.

A 31-year-old footballer residing in London (UK) said that he welcomed the initiative to create a football center this summer, although he also understands the gadget of some of his colleagues during his speech.

"Perhaps a lot of repercussions have been caused by the announcement that 20 top players from all over Lithuania have been trained in the center. People have probably had all kinds of thoughts to know if they are really the best. For example, in the last friendly match, there were only four or five of these players in the team.

But I do not see any harm in having a lot of young footballers in the center. In fact, in summer, only some players on the team can play sports together. It was not enough for the training process to appeal more. Maybe someone from this young man will be able to expand the circle of candidates, "said the goalkeeper, working in the construction sector last season with the Oxford City Lions club match.

– You are included in the list of open football clubs in Kaunas, even if you are not in the camp. Why – DELFI asked Mr. Labucko

– I was invited to Kaunas, but I start training in England, I did not have the opportunity to come. Especially since you are currently looking for new teams. Of course, I would like to participate, but my life is leaving England. Although for a few weeks, however, I will come – with my family, we will go to Lithuania, I will go to the fitness center.

– What do you expect from the world championship where Lithuanians predict the underdogs?

– Let's think logically: we are now trying to turn ourselves into amateurs for years. It is a very difficult task. Most of the other world championship teams – at least 18 or 20 out of 24 – are made up of real professionals who live in the room and have no second job.

On the other hand, we will be in the first basket when we draw lots, and we should have at least one of the rivals who will be in the same level or lower. We will have the chance to participate, to win at least one game, and that could be enough to play in the playoffs. It will be very difficult, but we will try.

– Maybe it would be easier if the national team did not begin to prepare for the World Cup now, but in 2016, when it was decided to register for the organization championships?

– The selection of hosts was very long, everyone was waiting for a solution. Knowing the football situation in Lithuania, there would probably have been a lot of noise if the federation had invested in football in the hall and we would not have won the championship. So everyone would say that money has been wasted. In addition, it is difficult to play football in Lithuania all year long. It is a seasonal sport in which many players practice amateur sport only in winter.

– The national team was also an amateur. Is it true that you used your personal funds before?

– In a way, I have to pay to be able to represent Lithuania. I have a job, a family and I lose a lot of money on the weekends. But the federation helps, I do not complain. One day, there were some problems, but they were solved. There are no problems now. We have probably doubled in terms of organization during this year.

– What do you mean?

– Dress in the morning, lunch and at night, you no longer need to worry about it. Nutrition is supervised, the functional readiness of the body is checked. There are also more camps, friendlies – three years ago.

I do not really try to cover the federation or whatever. As a captain, I've always been the one who fought for every penny for the players. Now, I am calm because promises are made.

– Do you see the world championship as an opportunity to successfully enter foreign professional clubs?

– When Lithuania had the right to organize these championships, we might have taken the plane for six months. The professionals strive to do it throughout their lives, and we had the opportunity to do it on a plate. We thought about what to do now, how to prepare, whether we would be thrown into a cage to tear ourselves apart or if we could play.

As far as I know, there are players who plan to have stronger clubs abroad this year to improve the championship. We have many expectations. If we do not believe we can play and win there, I do not think it's worth it to be prepared.

***

24 teams from 7 countries from Europe, 5 from Asia, 4 from South America and North and Central America, 3 from Africa and 1 from Oceania will participate in the World Indoor Football Championship.

The Continental Selection Tournament marathon will begin next fall. Lithuania is therefore the only country in the league to date.

In 2016, Argentina 5: 4 in the final of the championship of Colombia broke out for the first time and won the winners.

Every four years since 1989, preference has been given to the planet football hall. The title has been won five times by the current Brazilian champions and triumphing in front of the Spaniards.

Lithuania has competed with Iran, Japan and New Zealand for the right to compete in the 2020s.

Previously, Lithuania had already tried to become the host of the football championships of the Old Continent 2014, but then lost to a competitive struggle for Belgium.

The highest international football tournament held so far in Lithuania is the last leg of the Under 19 European Championship.