Thoughts after the Uzbek titles

We accomplished our mission in 2008. Two rounds before the end, Bunyodkor became the Uzbek national champion. It was a first time trophy for the club that put an end to a perfect season with the Uzbek Cup title also. So we are the Uzbek super champions this year. ZNR Connection will describe this very important conquest.

I believe that stopping Paxtakor´s titles sequence was a very important achievement. Our biggest rival in Tashkent was not being troubled by anyone. Our will to win guaranteed the title and this year, Paxtakor didn´t beat Buny. As good as it gets.

In the press conference after the title even Brazilian journalists send me e-mails asking if I was considering myself a champion, after all I´m not managing the team since the beginning of the season. It´s a strange way to think, at least for me. As a player I knew that I couldn´t win a match without the help of the entire squad. We needed to be a team! As a coach, I kept this idea. The manager or just one player didn´t win the Uzbek title, Bunyodkor was the champion.

In an interview, I made a comparison between Mirjalol Kasymov, an Uzbek idol that was managing Bunyodkor before me, and myself, considering our positions in the field. Kasymov, the Uzbek national team coach, was a midfielder as a player and I was a striker. So we did a one-two move. Kasymov started the movement in the midfield and delivered an excellent pass to me. In my specialty, I received the ball in the penalty area and scored. That´s the way we did it. Winning trophies is a group effort with players, coaches and support team working together.

The club president also deserved the honors. He is turning Bunyodkor into a great club with qualified squad and staff. Rivaldo´s arrival was a good example, a World Cup champion for Brazil playing in Uzbekistan. The president is also committed to the youth players and to social works with orphan kids. He is helping the Uzbek society and forming Bunyodkor fans.

All of this is changing the Uzbek football scenario. I deeply wish to improve the sport, to increase the players´ exchange and to become a sponsor. That´s the way to strengthen the football here. We have a long road ahead. Uzbekistan needs to fight for a better position in Asia because the investments increased the responsibility. Next season, we will have to double the work to achieve our goals. The good thing about accepting challenges is that we can keep ourselves motivated. Overcoming an obstacle always can be a valuable victory.

See you next week!


08/11/19.

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