Uzbekistan national football team head coach Fabio Cannavaro held his first press conference since the World Cup on August 5. The Italian specialist addressed criticism over the team's results, denied false information, and discussed preparations for the upcoming Asian Cup.
Cannavaro began by refuting rumors that he abandoned the team immediately after the World Cup and flew to Italy. 'We had agreed with the federation to say goodbye to everyone in New York; nobody ran away. I stayed there until the last staff member and player left the hotel. I have nowhere to run — I am proud of my team and my players,' he said.
The coach expressed satisfaction with the organization of the team's participation in the World Cup, noting that players faced no issues with flights, accommodation, or travel between the US and Canada. He thanked the Uzbekistan Football Association and the entire team staff for their support.
Cannavaro reminded that he had warned players about the high intensity of matches long before the tournament. 'I knew the World Cup would be tough and ruthless. This is my first experience as a head coach at a World Cup, but remember: I have four tournaments as a player behind me, and I won one of them,' he stated.
Addressing criticism, the coach noted that much false information had emerged around the team regarding the squad, medical staff, nutrition, salaries, and internal rules. 'I don't know, maybe there are some 'rats' in the team. But as a coach, I must protect my players. You can criticize me — no problem. But not my players, because they gave their all,' he emphasized.
Regarding squad selection, Cannavaro explained why Aziz Turgunboev and Khojimat Erkinov were not included. 'I have no personal grudge against them. Their level of play in the Super League and their body language on the field at that time did not meet the national team's requirements. Yes, they contributed greatly to the qualifying stage and scored important goals, but sometimes that's not enough to make the squad for the tournament itself,' he said.
Cannavaro paid special attention to Jaloliddin Masharipov. The coach stated that the player had not appeared in official or friendly matches for nearly eight months, and he had never seen him play under his leadership. Nevertheless, the coaching staff tried to prepare him for the major tournament, considering his level and contribution to the team's qualification. 'Perhaps I am the only fool coach who could call up Masharipov. But I considered him a good player and did everything possible to help him go to the World Cup,' he said.
Cannavaro revealed that Masharipov's main issue was not a knee problem but back pain. The player was diagnosed with a disc herniation, and at times he even struggled to walk. 'It was a difficult decision. He is a good player and did a great job in the qualifying stage. He deserved to participate in the World Cup. But someone had to make this decision,' the coach explained.
When asked about the team's playing style, Cannavaro said it would be wrong to expect the team to play like Barcelona immediately after a foreign coach arrives. He cited the match against Colombia as a positive example, where Uzbekistan played more actively in the second half and scored a goal. 'At the World Cup, you cannot make mistakes: opponents of this level punish every error,' he added.
Cannavaro admitted his own mistakes: 'Perhaps changing the goalkeeper was not the right decision. But in training, Nematov looked better. As a coach, I have to make decisions.' He also expressed regret that some experienced players did not get even 5-10 minutes of playing time at the World Cup.
Looking ahead to the Asian Cup, Cannavaro confirmed that the squad will change. 'There were many players in the list who participated in the qualifiers. I gave some a kind of bonus for their past achievements. Now this bonus is over. We need to replace some players,' he stated. The coach plans to gradually introduce young players who will be 22-24 years old in four years.
Cannavaro highlighted the difference between the World Cup and the Asian Cup: 'We are not going to the Asian Cup just for fun. This is a completely different tournament. We have enough potential to go as far as possible. We should not fear Asian teams.' He also revealed that he asked the association to arrange friendlies with strong opponents, including South Korea and Iran.
The coach shared his tactical preferences: 'My main formation has always been 4-3-3. The idea is to play with four defenders.' He believes the team should exit defense faster through short passes, control the midfield, and find players between the lines.
Cannavaro called the transfer of Uzbek players to European championships one of the key conditions for the team's growth. 'Modern football is perhaps 90 percent physical fitness. Without it, you cannot achieve results. We have a great foundation in the youth teams U-17, U-19, U-23. But for the next step, we must send players to Europe, not to Dubai or Saudi Arabia,' he said.
Cannavaro denied claims that many injuries were the result of overly intense training sessions. According to him, only Odil Khamrobekov was injured directly during preparation, while the rest arrived with pre-existing problems. He noted that Khamrobekov did not report discomfort in his muscles in time because he wanted to continue training.
Source: www.gazeta.uz