Manucharyan makes instant impact
UEFA.com
Monday, 11 July 2005
By Khachik Chakhoyan
Armenia will make their debut in an international finals at the UEFA
European Under-19 Championship, and much of their hopes will rest
squarely on the shoulders of Edgar Manucharyan, whose eight goals in
qualification played a huge part in helping his team to Northern Ireland.
Precocious talent
The 18-year-old has long been considered a prodigy, having been involved
in qualifying for the UEFA European U17 Championship as long ago as 2002
and having also played in the U21 side by the end of that season. He
left Armenian Premier League club FC Pyunik on 1 July after agreeing to
join AFC Ajax.
Rapid rise
Manucharyan took his first professional steps under coach Mikael
Zakaryan, and almost immediately made rapid strides. He moved swiftly
through Pyunik’s youth teams, and in 2002 top-scored for the club’s
reserves, earning promotion to the senior squad the following year.
Making his mark
Manucharyan soon found his feet at the higher level, managing 12
top-flight strikes in 2003, and also scoring four times in Armenia’s
European U17 Championship qualifier against Belarus, before really
making his mark the following year. Twenty-one league goals helped
Pyunik to a fourth successive league championship, and made Manucharyan
the Armenian Premier League’s joint-top scorer.
Media interest
At the start of 2004/05 Manucharyan made his bow in the UEFA Champions
League, finding the net twice at FK Pobeda of F.Y.R. Macedonia in the
first qualifying round first leg. His exploits did not go unnoticed by
the media, with Suren Bagdasaryan, chief editor of weekly newspaper
Football Plus, saying: “Edgar is an event in Armenian football. Players
of his talent are not born often. He has everything a striker needs.”
Four-goal flourish
Manucharyan then made a crucial contribution to the national cause in
the European U19 Championship, scoring in each of Armenia’s qualifying
round games. Although he was initially quiet in the next stage, he more
than made up for it in the final round of fixtures in Elite round Group
4, scoring four times in a 5-1 win against Hungary to help clinch a
finals berth.
‘Unparalleled achievement’
“The Armenian U19 team achieved an unparalleled result in our history,”
said an article in Football Plus following the unexpected success. “Our
country will be represented at European Championship, while Manucharyan
has proved once more that he is talented and that Armenia can put faith
in him.”
‘No effort spared’
“I am very glad for our team, which no one expected to win the [Elite
round] group,” Manucharyan responded. “But this is not the end. We have
to give our best to do well in Northern Ireland. I will spare no effort
to help Armenia achieve good results.”
Huge potential
Manucharyan is already a regular in the U21 side and recently made the
jump up to the senior team, scoring his first goal in a FIFA World Cup
qualifier against F.Y.R. Macedonia on 4 June. Meanwhile, after a broken
bone in his foot brought a premature end to his trial with Ajax last
December, he signed a three-year contract with the Dutch club in April.
“He can mature into a top-class player if he keeps his professional
attitude,” said Bagdasaryan. “Leaving Pyunik for Ajax should help, as he
will be playing with much better footballers.”
‘First steps’
In spite of his rise, however, the Armenian forward is keeping his feet
firmly on the ground. “I am taking my first steps in senior football,”
he said. “And I am thankful to all those who have helped me or are
helping me on my way.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Armenia striker Edgar Manucharyan has a bright future
(©Hakber)