Farhod Nishonov: "I am not afraid of leaving the job, we lost due to bad luck"

You are aware that the Uzbekistan U-20 national team recently returned from participating in the U-20 Asian Championship held in China.
Our representatives reached the quarter-finals of the competition and lost to South Korea (3:3, pen, 1:3) in the quarter-final for a spot in the World Cup, missing out on the World Cup qualification.

Today, a press conference was held in the OFA conference hall with the participation of the national team head coach Farhod Nishonov, assistants Pavel Zakhrov, Ruslan Matniyozov, Ayder Kurbayev, and Rauf Inileyev. The media received answers to their questions of interest.

“Some people, so-called journalists, are exaggerating our work with various statements and making dubious claims. We have not engaged in any dubious activities so far. We clearly knew what our goal was. We have served our homeland.

The coach is responsible for the result. This is a normal situation. We do not fall into despair. You saw the games; we just lacked a bit of luck. Even players who are usually reliable in penalty shootouts could not score. I think this is not about pressure or mental state, but simply related to luck,” he said.

- Did our team hold more training camps than necessary before the Asian Championship?
- We learned about the possibility of facing Korea or Japan after the draw. They also played around 20 games like us. They have unofficial matches as well.

Clubs are entering the training camp from January 15. The domestic championship ends in November, and the Asian Championship starts in February. Would you take the boys to the continental championship on January 20? There is preparation and recovery for the competition, so we started the camp earlier.

If we had won the penalty shootout, you would be asking us different questions now.

In the previous conference, there was a question about whether the physical condition of the players dropped into the red zone during the game against Saudi Arabia. This does not mean that the players' condition was bad. Moreover, players who leaked this information from inside the team were expelled. There was no issue with physical condition.

The problem was the players' injuries. This troubled us a lot. O‘rinboyev, Haydarov, Khayrullayev, Rizaqulov, Fayzullayev, Ibragimov, and Muratboyev were injured right before the games. Some came with old injuries from their clubs.

- Was O‘rinboyev unable to undergo surgery due to important games?
- X-ray results can vary because they are young. When we checked at FIFA's top clinic, they said no surgery was needed, and individual work was necessary. Then we did just that. He worked with a separate doctor, went to Turkey for treatment, and joined the general group in our last games.

- Which statements or information from journalists angered you?
- I can confidently say that we did not mix any corruption into the team. There was no pressure from above. The management supported us. During this period, players' forms can vary. Some grow early, some late. We had players who could not show themselves. They did not have enough time, and for some, injuries were the reason.

Some were dissatisfied with the team's training camps. If young players do not play in the national team, how will they grow? The difference between the Super League and the Pro League, as well as the youth league, is very significant. Super League clubs are not to blame for not playing them. They also have their own tasks. In time, young players will also play for the main team.

During FIFA days, if Argentina or France calls you, will you not go, will you not play? They are calling us because they see us as worthy opponents. Korea and Japan claim they have not played a single game. However, we have played against both Koreans and Japanese. They also prepared for the competition. There is no team gathering for the start of the Asian Cup, after all.

Players need to be understood correctly. International friendly matches are providing great experience for our youth. They should not be blocked by believing in certain statements. They are still young and will play in their clubs when the time comes. The youth national team prepares them for their clubs.

- Did Laziz Mirzayev and Amirbek Saidov lose in competition?
- They should have been in their clubs. But they did not come in the form we expected and simply lost in competition.

- Did you form the coaching staff yourself?
- When I came to this team, the current staff was already there. I came and worked with them. Everyone knows their job well, and most importantly, they are clean individuals in their work. That’s why I stayed with this staff and trust them until the end.

- This national team is preparing for the 2028 Olympics. Will you continue to lead the team?
- We could not fulfill the task set for us. Our goal was to be champions, and we could not qualify for the World Cup either. Our coach and we understand everything correctly. If we are dismissed, we have our main club, and we will work there. Most likely, they will give it to other coaches. The management will decide this.