Peter Schmeichel

As has already been reported, the live legend of the ‘red devils’ arrived in Azerbaijan as part of cooperation between British FC Manchester United and Bakcell, Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has arrived in Azerbaijan. Despite his busy schedule of stay in the capital city, he found time for the readers of the Bakinskiy Rabochiy newspaper.

Your duty in Manchester United is called the  envoy of the club. What do the duties of the ‘diplomat’ envisage?

My main duty is to popularize football.

Is this your first visit to our country?

Yes, I already had the opportunity to take a walk around the city and talk to people. Baku is a beautiful and comfortable city, it left a wonderful impression on me. And people are very hospitable. Most recognized me in the streets.

What do you know about football in Azerbaijan?

Frankly speaking, now I have little knowledge. I know that the champion of your country Neftchi got to the group round of the Europa League for the first time ever and the national team of the country is trained by Berti Vogts. This is the entire information today, I do not know any other names.

But I heard much about sports in Azerbaijan long before the arrival. I know that the country has one of the world’s best wrestling school, strong chess, boxing, judo, different complexes are regularly under construction and sport receives a big attention personally of the president of the country.

You have said that you do not know names in our football. Let  me not agree with you-the name of a representative of Azerbaijani football is likely known to you.

Who is it then?

Arbiter Tofig Bahramov, who refereed the 1966 final.

Certainly, I know this name, but he was Russian.

He was the citizen of the USSR, the Azerbaijani, he lived in Baku and the republican stadium is named after him.

Tofig Bahramov is a landmark personality for England. He has a great respect and is called No 1 referee in the history of world football.

Is your visit here limited to cooperation between Manchester United and Bakcell?

Yes, this visit is connected with Bakcell. However, some issues are also discussed in the sphere of cooperation with Manchester United as part of football development when our specialists come to work by their program.

Peter Schmeichel is a Danish footballer who played for the clubs of England and Portugal along with his native country. But is Manchester United dear to you?

Yes.

Which club would you call the strongest today?

Manchester United

What about Barcelona?

Undoubtedly, Barsa is a great club. But Manchester United will remain No 1 for me. Others are numbers 2, 3, 4…

The two recent matches of these teams ended with the Spaniards’ victory. Both were in the finals of the Champions League. May be, Barcelona is No1 today?

(Laughs). Even if ‘my team’ loses one or even two finals to ‘Catalonians’, even then I would say that Manchester United is the best of the best in the world.

Do you think you are a lucky man?

Lucky? I don’t know. I’m rather happy.

I asked this because in winning the two main trophies in your career, the fortune obviously favored Peter Schmeichel: in 1992, just days before Euro, Yugoslavia was distanced from the tournament and Denmark was urgently sent to Sweden where it becomes a sensational champion.
In 1999, the final of the Champions League: beginning from the sixth minute Bavaria is leading (1:0), dominating, holding the ball, creating the moments, you were four times escaped by the barbell, as a result in extra time Manchester United scores two goals and wins.

In 1992 we were really on the rest, when the news came about Yugoslavs. It is difficult to convey the happiness when the team felt at this news. A bit earlier, in the morning, most of us were lying unhappy on the sea shore in a sorrow that Euro will be held without Denmark. However, the call in the noon turned everything upside down. There was no clear plan-we just gathered and left for Malme urgently.

But then the fortune ceased working-the footballers headed by the coach became the best in Europe.

But the final of the League in Camp Now… Believe me, I was supporting Manchester United then, and I watched that game many times. Admit that Bavaria was stronger that night. Janker alone hit the bar three times…

Janker hit and Mehmet Schol hit and Effenberg was to score and Bassler. But Germans made an unforgivable mistake- they considered themselves the winners long before the whistle. They even replaced the team brain-Mateus.

We really failed in most things that day, most failed in attack. But we did not give up, we went forth.

You say Bavaria was stronger? It is your opinion. Let’s suppose that you are right. But the Munich team were to be stronger till the end, unless the referee stopped the match they had to play.

Imagine a boxer who is stronger than his opponent. Let him hit the opponent several rounds and then give up before the gong saying ‘look at me, I am stronger’. What happens then? Such a boxer will lose anyway.  And even if he beat the opponent 20 times and missed just one kick, this will not change anything.

The same theory is applicable to life-any initiative must be brought to the end and then the success can be celebrated. The thing is done either by 100% or not done at all.

Murad Mammadov
News.Az