Melkonyan savouring national serviceWednesday 28 October 2009
by Khachik Chakhoyan

Samvel Melkonyan thinks his decision to return to former club FC
Banants at the beginning of the season has been justified by his
recall to the Armenia squad after a year-long absence.
Difficult time Melkonyan joined FC Metalurh Donetsk from the
Yerevan-based outfit in 2008 but failed to settle in Ukraine, making
just 16 Premier League appearances for the club, nine of which came as
a substitute. His failure to earn a regular place in the Metalurh team
cost Melkonyan his place in the Armenia setup and only served to
compound what the midfielder described as a "hard period for me".
Feeling at home
"For sure I really wanted to play and do my best," he told
uefa.com. "I received a call-up to the national team for the last two
World Cup qualifying games against Spain and Turkey. As far as I know,
the coaching staff were satisfied with my performances. Hopefully I
made the right decision when I moved back to Armenia. Banants are my
native club and I feel like a fish in water here."
‘Good shape’
Armen Gyulbudaghyants was appointed Banants coach at the end of the
2008 season and the trust he immediately placed in Melkonyan has been
rewarded with some stirring performances. In 21 appearances in the
Bardzraguyn khumb this term, the 25-year-old has struck a career best
eleven goals, including five in his last four matches. "It is mainly
[down to] Gyulbudaghyants why I am getting regular playing time and
feel in good shape," said Melkonyan. "I understood that he trusted me
and it gave me confidence."
‘World-class player’
The respect is mutual, with Gyulbudaghyants adding: "Melkonyan can be
useful for any team. I’m sure that he can be an example for young
players. He has everything that a world-class player should have. He
just needs to be more confident."
Injury problems
Confidence was clearly not something which affected Banants in the
early stages of the campaign, however. The capital club won six of
their opening seven matches and reached the Armenian Cup final =88′
losing 1-0 to FC Pyunik =88′ yet with two games of the season
remaining they find themselves fourth in the eight-team championship,
16 points off the pace. "I don’t know what has happened," added
Melkonyan of the side’s mid-season slump.
"Every club has ups and downs. Maybe we had too many injuries. We’ve
never played with our best squad."
No distractions
For now, though, Melkonyan is simply delighted to be back in the
international fold and is focusing on ending the season on a high. "I
was glad to get an international call-up even though I have played for
the national team before; I wanted to prove that I am good enough to
perform for Armenia," he added. "At the moment I’m concentrating on
the league. We have two more games where we have to take six
points. If I have some offers I will be ready to discuss them."

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