Youth given a chance in Armenia
Wednesday 23 January 2008by Khachik Chakhoyan from
Yerevan

Artur Voskanyan has left Armenia for a new challenge
abroad (AFP)Ahead of the 2008 Bardzraguyn Khumb
campaign, champions FC Pyunik and runners-up FC
Banants have lost a number of influential players to
the lure of football abroad.

Impressive performances
Following Armenia’s respectable performance in their
UEFA EURO 2008′ qualifiers – including a notable 1-0
victory over Group A winners Poland – the country’s
leading players have attracted the attention of
foreign clubs. It is unlikely that the latest crop of
talent from the Pyunik and Banants academies will make
the grade immediately, meaning Armenia’s premier sides
face a tall order to repeat last season’s one-two.

Internationals lead exodus
FC Ararat Yerevan’s national-team midfielder Artur
Voskanyan was first to leave to Belarussian side FC
Vitebsk. His example set a precedent for the league’s
leading players, with international team-mate
Aleksandr Tadevosyan following from Pyunik. The
Armenian champions have since lost the services of
central defender Robert Arzumanyan earlier this month
on a one-year loan to Danish club Randers FC, and of
midfielder Levon Pachajyan following a successful
trial at Swedish side GAIS Göteborg.

Giving youth a chance
With Rafael Nazaryan, Arsen Avetisyan, Tigran
Karabagtsyan and Uruguayan Ignacio Bordat also making
an exit, Pyunik will be without some familiar faces.
Coach Armen Gyulbudaghyants said: "Of course, it’ll be
hard for us to repeat our success. However we’ve
already chosen our strategy at Pyunik – we’re betting
on youth football. Luckily, our academy is already
producing new talents. There’s an opinion in the
football world that time can iron out a player’s
flaws.

‘Trust the youngsters’
"Our young players will benefit from intense
competition for places while, by playing matches, they
will improve both their knowledge of the game and
their skills," added Gyulbudaghyants. "Last season
Artur Yedigaryan, Hamlet Mkhitaryan and Gevorg
Ghazaryan played UEFA Champions League qualifying
matches. I’m sure that this campaign they’ll do even
better, and the others will have a great example to
follow. This approach will help the Armenia national
team as well. We have to trust the youngsters."

Spine removed
Banants’ transfer policy is no different: experience
is making way for youth. The departures of Samvel
Melkonyan, Ararat Arakelyan, Ara Hakobyan and Karen
Simonyan – the spine of last season’s team – have all
moved abroad. However the blow will be cushioned
slightly with the acquisition of several seasoned
professionals from Moldova, Romania and Georgia. The
club have signed Bulgarian midfielder Marko Markov
while national-team midfielder Karen Aleksanyan has
been brought back home from Moldova.

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