5 minute read
Armenia’s football championship is now in full swing, and teams are seeking to improve their positions in the standings with every match. Pyunik, Armenia’s most decorated club, made a coaching change at the start of the season and is now coached by Dmitry Gunko, who is familiar with the Armenian Premier League.
In an interview with Armenpress, the coach spoke about his vision for the team, the club’s potential, and his plans for its development.
Armenpress: What is your main goal during your first months at Pyunik? What changes would you like to see in the team?
Dmitry Gunko: Naturally, the main goal is to get to know the team’s capabilities more closely and adapt our methods to the team’s current functional condition so that we do not harm the team and can gradually introduce the ideas we have.
Armenpress: How important do you consider the involvement of young footballers in the first team, and are there any academy players who have already caught your attention?
Dmitry Gunko: We recently watched Pyunik’s second team play against Shirak, and we already have an idea of which players from the reserve squad could join the first team in the near future. Naturally, we will devote time to young players. I believe Pyunik’s academy should train footballers, and our task is to develop them and bring them up to the first-team level.
Armenpress: What would you like to change in Pyunik’s play that fans could notice from the very first matches?
Dmitry Gunko: We want to play balanced football aimed at achieving results.
Armenpress: How much time do you need for the team to start playing the kind of football you envision?
Dmitry Gunko: We hope it will not take much time.
Armenpress: Which opponent in the Armenian championship do you single out the most, and why?
Dmitry Gunko: It is not me who singles out an opponent in this regard, but the competitions themselves and the league tables.
Armenpress: In your opinion, does Pyunik currently have the squad needed to succeed in European competitions, or are major reinforcements necessary?
Dmitry Gunko: I do not think it is right to raise this question. I work under the conditions we have at the moment and with the players who are in the team. The transfer window is closed, the squad is complete, and our main task is to make the players and the team as a whole stronger.
Armenpress: Pyunik’s squad includes players from different footballing cultures. How do you plan to build a unified team atmosphere and playing philosophy?
Dmitry Gunko: Through training, theoretical sessions, and individual conversations, we continuously work to maintain a good and competitive atmosphere within the team. When I joined Pyunik, that was exactly what I noticed, so there is not much I need to change.
Armenpress: How much of a priority is Pyunik’s progress in European competitions compared with the Armenian championship?
Dmitry Gunko: I would not distinguish between the two competitions. In both, our idea is to win every match and move forward through the quality of our play.
Armenpress: What lessons have you learned from your previous jobs during your coaching career that will be particularly useful at Pyunik?
Dmitry Gunko: Every year and every day of training are subject to analysis. We draw conclusions from that and move forward.
Armenpress: If we meet and talk again in a year, what results should Pyunik have achieved for you to say to yourself, “Yes, we achieved our goal”?
Dmitry Gunko: Pyunik and our coaching staff always set the highest goals for themselves and do everything possible to achieve them. Then the standings and the championship put everything in its proper place. That is why we strive for the highest goals. We will meet again in a year and will certainly talk.