04.10.2020

Arshak Koryan: “Returning to the RPL with Khimki is my highest achievement”

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Arshak Koryan is the top scorer for FC Khimki this season with three goals, and one of them - a long-range shot on matchday eight against Krasnodar - was recognised by the RPL as the best in September. Khimki started the season with eight-game winless streak, until they picked up first victory after returning from the FNL, but without the participation of Koryan.

“Goals like the one against Krasnodar are both luck and training”

Your first goal against Krasnodar was officially the most beautiful in the RPL in September. How did you manage to pull it off? After all, you were closely marked by Kaio on the way into the penalty area.
– We generally tried to play against Krasnodar with fast attacks. I tried to run through, saw that the opponent was in the way, and decided to play at a different rhythm. I had a very small gap to hit with Cabella already next to me. Then I looked at the replay: he was literally half a second short of covering me. So I decided to break through. I knew that the near corner was being closed, so I hit the far corner. And then everyone saw what happened.

While you were running to the penalty area, did you already understand that it would be better to shoot yourself?
– It was all instinctive, there was no plan. A quick attack does not imply a combination game: I carried the ball, looked up, and made my own decision. So I acted on my instincts.

Have you studied long-range shots by other players?
– I think individual work is more important here: how to put your support leg comfortably, how to approach the ball, what angles to hit from different positions. You need to work more yourself, but it's hard to learn from videos. I wouldn’t say that I followed an example from someone. I did not watch a video so that later I could score like a particular player.

How many long-range shots do you get in training?
– Like that? Not often. Part of it is luck and training. This is why we work to make such shots fly.

Do you train with someone else?
– Many guys stay after training, including me, and the goalkeepers also work with us. We take a number of shots on goal, and see who will score more.

Do you play for a bet?
– Of course. On somersaults, for example.

Do you often win?
– I can't say for sure. We compete in groups, it's not just up to me. But we had to do plenty of somersaults, we have good goalkeepers.

Do you remember the most unusual punishment for losers?
– I don't remember at Khimki, but at Lokomotiv we once had to sprint from penalty area to penalty area.

“The winless run was tough, but the guys overcame it”

Former Khimki coach Dmitry Gunko said that the team caused all opponents problems during his time. Why couldn't you get more points?
– A lot of factors: bad luck, concentration, lack of experience at finishing off games - such as against Akhmat and Arsenal when we went ahead. I would not say that any game with us was a walk in the park. I think we caused problems for all our opponents.

How did the team try to overcome the winless streak?
– We communicated with each other, tried to encourage each other, and paid attention to some mistakes in order to avoid them in the upcoming games. We even tried to play more closely with each other in training, so that conditions were similar to games. We tried to get some extra strength out of each player, something better. Any team goes through such moments. Every player was looking for something so that his teammates would become better, and not make mistakes. I think this gave us the result against Dynamo.

Did the tension grow with each unplayed match?
– It affected us psychologically. It seemed that we were trying to do everything correctly and give our all. There wasn’t anyone who didn’t run or give everything completely, but something was missing, and it was pressing on us. The guys overcame this spell. The match against Dynamo will give us confidence and strength for the next games.

Is this confidence already felt?
– I wouldn't say it directly. In the RPL, there are no easy matches at all, so you can't feel too confident or give in to the euphoria that came after the Dynamo victory. We have already forgotten about the last matchday, we need to think about the next opponents, analyze their game, understand how to counteract it, and score goals ourselves.

“I had a normal working relationship with Cherevchenko at Lokomotiv”

You are now working with Igor Cherevchenko. How did he try to reboot players in the three days between his appointment and the first game?
– I think in terms of the game it was impossible to do anything seriously; any coach would hardly have been able to. Perhaps his staff introduced some small details, but more in emotional terms. The change of coach, as sad as it sounds, gives the team emotions, and I think we passed the first cycle of them. I'm sure it will be better from now on.

You mention emotions. Did Cherevchenko have a good conversation with the team?
– I can't tell you everything, but it seems to me that the very change of situation affects the players. You understand that you are responsible for the coach who was removed. We need to prove that we can win no matter what, and show the new coach that the team will not let him down.

You know Cherevchenko from Lokomotiv when he worked with the main staff and you played for the youth team. Did you cross paths often?
– We knew each other. I trained under him, and went to a Russian Cup game with him. But we didn't communicate so often, although I know that he came to some reserve matches. Igor Gennadievich just knew me as a player, we had a normal working relationship.

Cherevchenko was the first to include you in a Lokomotiv matchday squad for the 2014 RPL game against CSKA. How do you remember him from that period?
– It's very hard to say, because I don't remember the training process with him. I even went to that game against CSKA right after the match for the youth team. Then I didn't train with the main team at all; I didn't take any part in its life.

Have you noticed something special about Cherevchenko's work this week?
– All coaches have their own nuances and vision of how the team should play. Igor Gennadievich requires us to give our best, and the rest will be seen on the field.

Khimki's goal is to stay in the league at least. What factors inspire confidence that the team will solve it?
– I don't see any obstacles to this. The guys have an exorbitant desire, while the previous matches have given us some experience. We have a young team, but a few have played in the RPL before. We will regather and improve with each game and move towards our goal.

You already had a little experience in the RPL; you made three appearances for Lokomotiv during the championship season. What was it like to return to this level after two seasons in the FNL?
– Much better, because it felt like I had a hand in this return. It's a different feeling when you've done something for the team's success. The emotions were the most positive, I consider this moment to be my highest achievement in my career at the moment.

“It was necessary to show leadership qualities to get into the RPL”

Your highest achievement was the Lokomotiv championship win. What will you always be grateful to this club for?
– For giving me such a football education, for the fact that I lived there, and that my parents worked. I don't have any negative emotions. I will always say that I am grateful to this club.

What was the most memorable moment for you?
– When the fans chose me as player of the month when I was still in the youth team. And of course, the championship. These emotions were worth experiencing.

You played in the youth team with the Miranchuk brothers, and Aleksey made his way to the main team at the age of 17. Was his example inspiring then?
– Yes, very much. When a young player is picked and given a chance, you also dream about it and always want to follow his path.

Did you communicate closely then?
– Then yes; I always asked him what it was like to play at such a serious level, and congratulated him with other guys. We always went to matches and tried to support him. We haven't been in close contact since I left Lokomotiv.

You left the club for both Vitesse and Khimki for one reason – you need playing time. How did you know it was better to leave than to sit and wait for a chance?
– Let's just say that the first departure was more related to ambition, and the second time I already understood that at my age I need to play. No matter where, you have to show leadership skills to get into the Premier Liga. The situations were slightly different.

You recalled a conversation with Yury Semin before the loan to Khimki when he said that you need to play. Did you have a conversation then about your future at Lokomotiv?
– When the loan ended, no one said anything to me, I did not communicate with anyone. I just came and picked up the documents.

You explained your return from Vitesse to Lokomotiv: “This is probably the only club in Russia that was worth coming back for.” Why were you ready to come back again?
– For the sake of playing football and having fun, and in the end I wanted to play where I started. These were the most basic emotions.

“I understand Armenian, but not as a literary language”

Another memorable event in September was your debut for the Armenian national team. How did you decide to play for this team?
– I always wanted to play for Armenia, I just couldn't due to the rules of the limit on foreign players. If I had left earlier and played, I would have automatically become a foreigner. I didn't have any good reasons to come to the club and tell them to use up a foreigner’s slot for me with an Armenian passport. At that point I didn’t have grounds to prove to them that reached a high level. This was probably the only obstacle.

I wouldn't say that I was waiting for a change in the rules for foreign players, but as soon as the decision was made, there was no doubt that I would accept an invitation to the Armenian national team. Internally, I wanted this before, but I couldn't advertise it, because I still played for the Russian national youth team and for the club’s youth team. That would just be wrong. I didn't want to deceive anyone.

Did you ever see yourself in the main Russian team?
– It wasn't up to me. As soon as the call came from the Armenian national team, I didn't even doubt whether to go there or not, and I didn't expect an invitation from the Russian national team.

You know some of the players of the Armenian national team from Russian clubs. How quickly did you find a common language with the others?
– Quickly. All the guys are positive, helpful and prompt. I think they accepted me very well, it was easy to adapt.

How did the communication go: in Armenian or Russian?
– I also understand Armenian, but not as a literary language. I'm trying to study it now. I can hold my own in several languages: Armenian, Russian, and English.

Were you very worried before your debut at national team level?
– I wouldn’t say that. I already understand that the more worried you are, the worse you will look on the pitch. I tried not to think about it, to convince myself that this was a normal game and I needed to play, as I always do, at 150 percent: win back balls, give passes, and score goals.

Were you happy with your debut?
– I'm always looking for something that can be improved, I can't be one hundred percent satisfied with myself. There were mistakes and shortcomings that need to be corrected and added.

Now the national team has a good chance or promotion to league B in the Nations League. Are you ready to aim for the 2022 World Cup?
– I'm an optimist in my life, and that's what you need to go out on the pitch to strive upwards. The World Cup is a different stage, and now we need to win all the other matches in the group and continue to build on this. Everyone has a desire to go to the World Cup in their head, but for now our current goal is the Nations League matches.

Photos: Kristina Korovnikova/FC Khimki; Ural Ekaterinburg; Lokomotiv Moscow


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