Returning Zurab has no time for sentiment
ZURAB Khizanishvili calls Scotland his second home. Yet t he hospitality extended during his six years with Dundee, then Rangers, will not be repaid this evening.
Georgia are in a grim place. Without a win in six competitive home games, their last victory here was against Belarus three years ago. During that six-game winless streak, their only goal came against the Republic of Ireland. They also collapse late in games with alarming regularity.
Temuri Ketsbaia — a Dens Park team-mate of Khizanishvili’s — quit as manager after their poor start to qualifying, while his replacement Kakhaber Tskhadadze is best known to Scots for deflecting a Brian McClair shot into the net during a 3-0 win over the CIS (formerly USSR) in the 1992 Euro Finals.
Although now shaven headed, Khizanishvili’s face remains familiar enough from spells at Dundee and Ibrox. Now 33, the central defender returns to the Georgia squad after a two-year absence for what could be his 91st cap this evening.
‘It’s a big pleasure for me to come back and play for the national team,’ he said. ‘ A big thanks to the coach for showing me respect and placing his trust in me.
‘Playing Scotland is big in my life because I spent a lot of time there and it is my second home. We had a really good game against them in 2007 when we won 2-0.’
Since then Georgia have won just four competitive games in eight years. Few regard this former Soviet outpost in the same category as Gibraltar or the Faroe Islands, but their recent record merits that kind of status.
‘ History means nothing,’ countered Khizanishvili (below). ‘It’s a new team, a new coach and a whole new approach. All the players know what is expected of them and things will be a lot different now.’
Georgia shattered Scots aspirations once before and, asked if they can do so again, the former Rangers defender smiled.
‘What do you think? We always try our best, t hat’ s what everyone does. It will be a really good game I’m sure.
‘Of course, Scotland are in a good place and have a great chance to qualify. But I will answer your question better after 90 minutes.’
It’s telling when a coach begins to speak of the ‘next campaign’. Tskhadadze once played with Georgi Kinkladze, a magician at Manchester City. But he has no magic dust of his own to sprinkle over the current national team.
Their double header with Scotland is followed by a trip to Dublin to face the Irish and the Georgia coach admitted: ‘They are two very difficult games.
‘ Scotland and Ireland are fighting for qualification for second and third places, so both will be highly motivated.
‘ The Scots now play very modern football. They have shattered the old stereotypes about the British game. They now play passing football based on ball control and play a very attractive brand of football.
‘I have studied Scotland’s past games and they employ a very similar style in all of them. It is going to be vital for Georgia to show we can compete with teams at that level in the future.
‘Our motivation comes from the fact the team has not done itself justice so far or won any points from the home games. We would like to rectify that — that will be our motivation.
‘I expect the national team to improve and to aim for the third spot in the World Cup qualifying group and these games can be used by the players to prove they can compete at this level.’
Georgia played better in Warsaw, despite a 4-0 defeat to the Poles in their last qualifier in June. Three goals in the final minutes put a flattering gloss on the scoreline, but also illustrated the visitors’ Achilles heel. At the end of games, they have a tendency to collapse.
‘ That has been the case,’ acknowledged t he coach, ‘ especially against Poland. These late goals show how important it is for players to be playing regularly for their clubs and staying matchfit. But we have been working very hard to try to make sure these mistakes do not happen in the future.’