World Cup qual. - Who are Kazakhstan?

Eurosport - Fri, 10 Oct 08:23:00 2008

If a nation's footballing prowess directly correlated with its size, then Kazakhstan would have the world's ninth-strongest team.

2008 Kazakhstan - 0

However, of the world's top 10 biggest countries by area, only Brazil and Argentina are any good, with the Kazakhs alongside the likes of India, China and Canada as countries that are as large as they are rubbish.

The country which is not - contrary to popular belief - inhabited solely by moustachioed men in dayglo mankinis, are currently ranked 131st in the world by FIFA, below New Caledonia and Equatorial Guinea, although they did crack the top 100 in 2001, when they reached the dizzy heights of 98th.

Since gaining independence from the dismantled Soviet Union in 1992, Kazakhstan have never qualified for a major tournament - either in Asia or in Europe following their incorporation into UEFA in 2002.

They have a decent defensive record - conceding 21 goals in 14 matches in a tough Euro 2008 qualifying group - but lack a cutting edge going forward. After three World Cup qualifiers, only Group 6 whipping boys Andorra are between them and the foot of the table.

The 3-0 opening win over the Pyreneen minnows has been followed by defeats in Croatia (3-0) and at home to Ukraine (3-1), a run that led to the sacking of Dutch coach Arno Pijpers.

Announcing Pijpers's sacking, Kazakhstan FA secretary-general Sayan Khamitzhanov displayed the ambition that saw the country leave the Asian conference for the more competitive one of Europe when he said: "How long should we endure it? We in the federation are ashamed of the existing situation and we all must apologise to the country's fans for it."

German Bernd Storck, the Kazakh Under-21 coach, has taken over as caretaker for the match at Wembley.

Storck spent his post-playing career as number two at several Bundesliga clubs before taking his first top job at FK Almaty in the Kazakh Super League, a job he still holds now.

He now finds himself preparing to face England, with a squad of players drawn almost entirely from their own domestic league.

However, that will not deter the German coach from trying to play good football, and he said upon announcing his provisional 27-man squad: "We will not play too deep as that would only make it easier for our opponents. We will play in an active defensive style, rather than being passive."

Missing from that squad are first-choice goalkeeper David Loria and Dynamo Moscow midfielder Andrei Karpovich. However, striker Sergei Ostapenko - the man who has scored three of Kazakhstan's four goals in this campaign - is in the squad.

Goalkeepers: Alexander Mokin (FK Almaty), Andrei Shabanov (FK Almaty), Vladimir Loginovsky (Esil-Bogatyr Petropavlovsk), Alexander Petukhov (Tobol Kustanai)

Defenders: Samat Smakov (FK Aktobe), Kairat Nurdauletov (Tobol Kustanai), Alexander Kislitsyn (Shakhtyor Karaganda), Alexander Kuchma (FK Astana), Vladimir Noskov (Irtysh Pavlodar), Alexander Kirov (FK Almaty)

Midfielders: Ruslan Baltiyev (Tobol Kustanai), Sergei Skorykh (Tobol Kustanai), Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev (Tobol Kustanai), Sabyrkhan Ibrayev (Tobol Kustanai), Talgat Sabalakov (Tobol Kustanai), Yuri Logvinenko (FK Aktobe), Anton Chichulin (FK Astana), Bekzat Beisenov (Ordabasy Shymkent), Tanat Nuserbayev (Ordabasy Shymkent), Vyacheslav Erbes (Vostok Ust-Kamenogorsk), Kairat Ashirbekov (Shakhtyor Karaganda), Vadim Borovsky (FK Almaty), Maksat Baizhanov (Kaisar Kyzylorda)

Forwards: Sergei Ostapenko (FK Almaty), Maxim Azovsky (FK Almaty), Gleb Maltsev (Irtysh Pavlodar), Erzat Kenbayev (Zhetysu Taldykorgan)

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 29 - 48 of 68

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  1. haha, it doesn't matter which spot you take if you didn't qualify to a final stage :)

    From Adil K, on Thu 9 Oct 11:45PM

  2. WHO IS KAZAKHSTAN??
    KAZAKHSTAN IS A COUNTRY WHO WILL HUMILIATE
    ENGLAND!!!!

    From dorin c, on Thu 9 Oct 10:19PM

  3. Nothing less than 10-0 will suffice. Since that will not happen, I guess England will be @#$% again. Therefore, how clever of Terry (which rather goes against the grain) to miss this game and the criticism that will go with it. Maybe he'll also miss all our other matches and give a decent player an opportunity to shine, if we had any. We obviously don't have any decent defenders otherwise Terry wouldn't get a game.

    From Sussex BY The Sea, on Thu 9 Oct 10:11PM

  4. hey milosh94, ur such a loser. firstly wat the hell has that got to do with anythin, nd secondly kosovo is not serbia, u sickos would probs kill everyone there

    From mhjawad@..., on Thu 9 Oct 10:06PM

  5. wb - Italian 90 was one of the international tournaments youve seen because it was the WORLD cup you idiot!

    From codonnell95, on Thu 9 Oct 10:03PM

  6. ur all fools to belive that borat will be playing cos he is suffering with a @#$% injury and he will be on the bench. so for your info @#$% borat is off injured.

    From YOSEF, on Thu 9 Oct 9:34PM

  7. Aslan - Euro 2008 was not better without England Im not saying it was worse either. It was just another normal championship. Italian 90 was one of the international tournaments I have seen.

    From wb, on Thu 9 Oct 9:28PM

  8. dannysbac - If you were really from Kazakhstan you would spell the name right atleast. Your just another stupid Scot.

    From wb, on Thu 9 Oct 9:26PM

  9. I COME FRAY KASICTAN BUT I MAVED TAY SCOATLAND WHEN A WAS A WEE LAD . IM NAY A KASICSTANY SCOAT WAY NAY LEGS. AM A RAN GARS FAN.

    From dannysbac, on Thu 9 Oct 9:15PM

  10. I think England will under-estimate Kazakhstan.
    1-1

    From codonnell95, on Thu 9 Oct 9:08PM

  11. Kazakhstan may not have big names in the team but it doesn't mean that england will definitely win, especially with type of game they have. by the way euro-08 was the most exiting championship please note without england. everyone should agree that everything will be according to God's will so dun advise to be so confident and think about your money b4 u bet.

    From Aslan, on Thu 9 Oct 9:02PM

  12. England team is rubbish as well. It is a disgrace that England team could not qualify for Europ's biggest Champ. England premire is rubbish.

    From eeduwoh, on Thu 9 Oct 8:59PM

  13. sorry about the comment below about bangladesh, (stupid computer). i know they're not good footballers, but i felt like writing that

    From Ripster, on Thu 9 Oct 8:55PM

  14. bangladesh is no.1

    lol sor

    From Ripster, on Thu 9 Oct 8:53PM

  15. You can write that a team is 'not good' or 'lacks qualities', but 'RUBBISH'????? It's a disgrace for the profession. Eurosport should take the first paragraph away.

    From SteveMcQueen, on Thu 9 Oct 8:47PM

  16. I'm Chinese and I agree our national football team is rubbish. No doubt about that. However, for a nation who often boasts its Premier League to be the best in the world FAILED TO QUALIFY for the Euros (by the way, the competition was better off without England and their boring style of play), it's best these words don't come from an Englishman. :)

    From mailstation99, on Thu 9 Oct 8:41PM

  17. Kazakhstan are easy opponents. But who knows, we could witness a shocker.

    whos betting on who?

    From Ripster, on Thu 9 Oct 8:33PM

  18. Hey Tony I think your mom is "large" and "rubbish" as well ha?

    From ONURE, on Thu 9 Oct 8:08PM

  19. Kazakhstan to win 2/1 bring in big sam

    From toecutter, on Thu 9 Oct 7:35PM

  20. Russia is the largest country
    and who qualified instead of
    England for the euro's
    RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA
    so it is a disgrace to say
    that we are not good at football

    From Sasha, on Thu 9 Oct 7:09PM
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