An Update from Kazakhstan
Posted by Kazakhstan - 22/05/2007
As you probably remember, last year our team took a silver prize and made a big sensation in local mass media. This year the interest of our target groups to participate in Baspana's tournament was incredible high.
We planned to have 8 teams with 6 players and select players for Copenhagen in one day, but we got 24 teams and had to have four days of selective process. Thus the team membership this year is 80% changed because of very strong competition and interest. Actually, we easily could arrange 30 teams, but strongly cut numbers by age of players.
The tournament this year was look like a party for players, residents, us and representatives of local authorities and local sport organization. In parallel with the tournament there were arranged food and show. We managed to get a local star of Kazakhstan Football - Kuralbek Ordabayev, who was goalkeeper number one in USSR!!Local mass media also visited the event.
After the last year sensation, we found a good contact with the department of sport of Almaty city that supports this tournament and team traveling to Denmark this year. Two local journalists will go to the Cup this year and film it and give proper information to the public (last year most of local papers just reprinted scandal material from Russian press).
At the moment national team have regular trainings and we are in the process of getting visas for them.
Comments
Dave 02/08/2007
A proud Aussie myself but after spending 11 years living and working in Kazakhstan I wish them all the best at this years World Cup
So " Priviet " to all the team and good luck !
