Kazakhstan national football team coach Stanislav Cherchesov took questions from journalists at a press conference after the UEFA Nations League match Kazakhstan vs Norway:
– We've embarked on a new journey—the Nations League. This is a different level, and every match will be crucial. Our mission is to prepare thoroughly for each game, confront our opponents, and pinpoint their vulnerabilities. I've praised the team for their start. They deserve top marks for their dedication. However, our attacking play definitely needs some work! Experience has taught us it is wiser not to say too much at this point. We'll review the match footage. We must enhance our performance during transition phases and effectively complete our attacks. These are our focus areas. We're aiming to improve with each match.
– Have you watched Norway’s recent matches? It looks like set-pieces were particularly emphasized.
– Absolutely, we always study and analyze our opponents. Unfortunately, we didn’t get many set-pieces today. Had we had more, we might have been able to exploit them better. Defensively, the team executed our plan perfectly. It’s challenging to contain a team like that, so they did really well in that respect. Moving forward, we need to create more opportunities in attack.
– It was a demanding match. You have another game in Slovenia in only three days. Will there be squad rotation?
– Yes, if regulations permit. We'll follow the medical staff's guidance. Bakhtiyar had a muscle issue. It's too early to make any decisions, as sometimes injuries only become apparent the next day. My philosophy is straightforward: I don't believe in rotating players just for the sake of it. These are professional footballers; they can handle playing every three days.
– There was a lot of focus on Haaland. Do you think you managed to neutralize him today?
– I mentioned before the match that our players would be the key to handling him. Marochkin, Kasym, and Alip performed excellently. They executed our plan perfectly—they didn't give him any space. The visiting side didn’t have many chances to feed him the ball. If you allow him space, he's bound to create something. Admittedly, we was left unattended once, and he hit the post. Luck tends to side with the persistent. We’ll take a careful look at our approach. We hope this performance will boost each player’s confidence.
– You made two early substitutions in the second half. Were these tactical changes or related to physical conditions?
– Each player has a specific role to fulfill on the field. Orazov had a minor injury; and he showed a nice performance for his 60 minutes. Chesnokov also did well, particularly as he was already booked. The players who came on as substitutes also made a significant impact and performed quite well.
– Were all of your instructions followed?
– I won’t express any dissatisfaction. This is a topic for a professional discussion. We're up against opponents who restrict our ability to execute all our plans. If the team were at a lower level than us, there might be room for criticism. However, the opponent was physically imposing. Let's consider this result the start of a new chapter and move forward.
– Were all of your instructions followed?
– I have no complaints to express. This is a professional setting. We're up against opponents who restrict our ability to execute all our plans. If we were facing a lesser team, there might be room for criticism. However, the opponent was physically imposing. Let's consider this result the start of a new chapter and move forward.
