The Pyunik press service spoke with Dimitry Selyuk, the newly appointed advisor on sports matters to the club's general director.

During the interview, we talked about his new role at Pyunik, the club's development and upcoming plans, as well as his connection with Armenian football and his decision to work at Pyunik.

— Mr. Selyuk, first of all, welcome to Pyunik Football Club. What was the main factor that convinced you to accept Pyunik’s offer? What did you see in this club?

— I generally like taking on different challenges. You know, I have already done this several times. As for Pyunik, there are many things that connect me to this club. At one point, Henrikh Mkhitaryan was at Pyunik, and I worked with him for a certain period of time and represented his interests. In the end, I was the one who arranged his move to FC Shakhtar and signed the contract with him.

There was also Erik Vardanyan. I helped him in every way I could. Unfortunately, the injury he suffered did not allow him to build a full career. He was a very talented and exceptional footballer, and I believe he could have reached great heights. It was not without reason that he was at FC Barcelona.

But unfortunately, Erik now works on the side of our competitors. Nevertheless, he remains a very close person to me. Why? Because we are friends and keep in touch. He called me and congratulated me on joining Pyunik.

For me, this is an interesting challenge. I worked for a long time at FC Metalurh Donetsk with Oleg Artushevich Mkrtchyan, and I have many connections with Armenia.

Therefore, when I received an offer to do something at Pyunik and develop the club’s strategy, especially in the sporting direction, naturally, I said that I was ready to do it.

When I heard about this project, where many things need to be changed and done in such a way that the club is financially healthy and its sporting results are at a high level, I expressed my willingness to take on this work. Although it is not easy to do, it would be much more comfortable for me, for example, to live in Barcelona or Monaco, go to football matches and watch Barcelona play. But I am taking on the responsibility that I need to fulfill at Pyunik.

Look, I believe that Pyunik should consistently compete in European competitions in the future. In general, the level of football in Armenia is growing at the moment. This is also thanks to competition. Ararat-Armenia, Noah, Pyunik, Urartu, Alashkert and the other teams. A fairly strong top five has already been formed.

For example, Ararat-Armenia has done work that deserves respect. They qualified for the Europa League and, if I understand correctly, will earn around 12 million. I think that is quite pleasing for them.

In my view, Pyunik should play in European competitions. It does not matter whether they start in the Conference League or the Europa League, but ultimately, we should try to reach the Champions League.

I know how to do it. I have worked as a crisis manager at more than one club, but I would not say that Pyunik is currently in a crisis situation.

Nevertheless, I believe that both the fans and the management expect more from Pyunik. Especially on the international stage and, in particular, in terms of improving the club’s financial health.

I believe that the club needs to be put on the right track not only from a sporting perspective, but also financially, so that we can attract young, talented footballers who can later be sold and generate revenue for the club.

— You have already worked with Armenian footballers. In your opinion, what is the main strength and weakness of Armenian football?

— I have worked with Armenian footballers who are not typical for Armenia. For example, Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Henrikh practically lived at the training base, trained constantly and was always distinguished by his hard work. That is why, look at how old he is, yet he continues to play to this day.

This issue concerns Caucasian teams. Not only Armenia, but Georgia as well. Armenian footballers, so to speak, are sometimes a little lazy, a little unprofessional, they sometimes like to eat well, and they also do not like running very much. Modern football is athletic. Therefore, these are precisely the issues that we need to address. But now, I think, the younger generation is already a little different, with a different mindset.

And I believe that, for example, with young players who, hopefully, want to work, we need to pay great attention to physical preparation, proper nutrition and so on.

Sometimes, even at first glance, you can see that a footballer runs with too much difficulty. Therefore, as they say, we will also approach this issue very seriously and properly.

At one point, for example, in the case of Yaya Toure and other footballers, when I was working at Monaco, special attention was paid to proper nutrition for two months. They were explained and shown how important it is to eat properly. You understand, we will also try to introduce and implement many things. Everything, step by step.

You know, at one point, when Manchester City were bought by President Khaldoon and Sheikh Mansour, I could say that I was also at the origins of that process. It was at that time that we discussed many such issues, because Yaya was one of the first high-level footballers to join the team, and then the others came. Silva was sitting there next to him and watching. He saw Yaya leave, then he left as well, then Agüero, and so on. But what am I talking about now? You know, this was also a project. At first, no one believed in that project because they were there, but they did not even think about the Champions League.

— As you mentioned, Pyunik is a club with a great history. What needs to be done so that this history is not only a source of pride, but also a foundation for the future?

— I do not want to make grand statements now. We need to work, we need to build the right system. And once the system is created, it will work on its own, and later it will simply need to be developed through small changes or additions. The most important thing is to create a system.

For example, I think it is bad when the academy graduates of the club itself are not fully utilized. I would like Pyunik Academy to develop more young footballers and give them the opportunity to move to the main team. There is a footballer at Sardarapat who is on loan from Pyunik and has scored the most goals for the team. He is a Pyunik player, he is simply playing on loan. Therefore, the question arises: why is he not at Pyunik? But we will see.

There are already certain plans and ideas, and now we will start having discussions around these issues. I want there to be two-way communication, and I want the fans to send me questions through the press service. I am ready to answer all the fans’ questions every two weeks, no matter how tough or even unpleasant they may be.

Look, I am a person who has come here to work in a clean and transparent way. When people do something they love, the result always comes. I have no doubt about that. Some people may think that I am going to do something here now, bring someone in, and so on. But I say the opposite. It is possible that I may bring in a footballer whose transfer value is, say, half a million, but I may bring him to the club for free. I will try, we will develop young footballers who may later also be sold.

We will work, and the academy will work, the coaching staff will work, the scouting departments will work. Work needs to be carried out in all directions.

Taking into account the fact that, for example, many of my former footballers or people who previously worked with me now hold high positions at different clubs and so on, it is possible that we will also organize friendly matches with Spanish and Dutch clubs.

For example, Jordi Cruyff is now the technical director of Ajax. He was also previously my footballer and played for us at Metalurh Donetsk. Therefore, we will do many things that, hopefully, will take Pyunik to a new level.

But at the beginning, whenever, as they say, you move into a new apartment, you have to clean somewhere and put something in order. Therefore, it is possible that at some stage someone may be upset with someone else, but there is no way around it. Both the fans and the club employees need to understand that sometimes changes are necessary in order to move forward.

— Mr. Selyuk, let us speak as directly as possible. How do you see Pyunik’s maximum potential on the European stage?

— I will simply tell you that here, perhaps, we also need to work with the Football Federation of Armenia again. I am a little concerned about what I am seeing now. Recently, I have started following Armenian football more closely, and, for example, I am concerned about the issue of infrastructure. Stadiums are needed, training pitches are needed.

Why am I saying this? Because most of the teams are, naturally, based in Yerevan. But we also need to instill a love for football among people, organize various events and involve the fans. Because sometimes you look at matches and, to put it mildly, the stands are empty.

Therefore, a joint solution is needed here, together with the Federation. I hope that now, thanks to the efforts of the Federation president, and given the fact that Armenia, together with Georgia, has been awarded the right to host the FIFA Youth World Cup, we can take advantage of this opportunity. We need to build stadiums, create appropriate training pitches and so on. Even if, for example, they belong to the Federation.

— As you mentioned, you took this position at Pyunik in order to change something. In your opinion, what changes should a fan notice at Pyunik after one year?

— They will notice many changes. Perhaps even after six months. But right now, there is a time issue. It is not that I do not know how to do everything or what needs to be changed and what it should be replaced with. It is simply that the situation in football is such that there are transfer windows, and now we will try to work within the opportunities available to us.

Naturally, the team already exists, and every footballer will start from zero to prove what he is capable of. We will see and assess who is committed to the work and how professional they are. We will look at everything: who is overweight, how someone runs, and so on. The coaching staff will also monitor all of this, make decisions and take the appropriate steps.

If everything goes well, then everything will only improve and move forward. Wherever something needs to be corrected, we will correct it; wherever there is a need to change something, we will change it. But overall, the main direction is, naturally, to make the team somewhat younger.

We also see that we need to increase the team’s average height to some extent, because there are practically no tall footballers. But we will discuss all of this with the coach, and I think the coach will also present his wishes and proposals. We will work step by step.

— And the final question, Dimitry Dimitrievich, a somewhat rhetorical one. Why should Pyunik’s fans believe in a new chapter for the club with your arrival?

— I am a person for whom reputation is much more important than money. I am a financially secure person, but reputation is important to me. I am putting my reputation on the line with this work.

I do not know whether I will ultimately be able to bring this project to completion or not. Time will tell, we will see. But there is one thing I have absolutely no doubt about: the fans will see the results very quickly.

And wherever I have been, in all the clubs, I can tell you — for example, Metalurh Donetsk. Oleg Artushevich Mkrtchyan can now tell you that it was a successful project. Look at the footballers who played there: Yaya Toure, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and so on. Jordi Cruyff was there as well, as was Erol Bulut, who later became the coach of Fenerbahçe, and many other footballers. By the way, Yeghishe Melikyan also played for Metalurh Donetsk. In other words, it was a successful project.

I think Pyunik approached me for certain reasons. I think they know and understand that. I have already said earlier that the development of the club and enabling footballers to reach the international level is one of the most important goals I would like to see. I think this is important not only for the club’s management but, of course, for the Football Federation of Armenia as well.

I think we will gradually try to implement all of this. But it is very important that the entire team, from all the club employees to the management, works as one unified mechanism and that everyone supports one another.

Once again, I want to repeat: everything will be transparent.