Galymzhan Kenzhebek: “I almost cried when I got a call-up to the national team”

- What were your first impressions after you got to the academy “Kairat”?

- Well, of course, there was an effect of “Wow”, for the first time I saw the academy with such conditions. But I was still a teenager, one left and initially it was hard in this regard. They also monitored my studies there. But talking about football it was pleasure, I enjoyed the process.

- ''Kairat'' was coached by Aleksey Shpilevsky when you started...

- Yes, at the end of the season-2020, by the way, against “Taraz”. Then there was still a very strong squad. Of course, I was excited then, I was only 16 years old and there were such players as Vagner Love, Kosovic, Guralski, Alip. A championship squad, in general.

- When you first came to “Kairat”, given the style of your game - constant attempts to beat you, did you not get a blow for it in training from the staff or players?

- In Kazakhstan, after all, we have respect for elders and at first there was caution. But there was a moment at the training camp in 2021, I beat Alip and I immediately elbowed him. 

- Are there any players you like and tried to be like them?

- Kvaratskhelia, Neymar, Kokorin - I watched them, but my absolute favorite player is Messi. In general, I'm impressed by all creative footballers.

- You moved to Cyprus this year. This is your first foreign club. What would you say about both football and life there?

- Of course, I thought differently before and I didn't think I would play in the second league in Cyprus at all. Life is different there, the weather is hot, you have to learn English, now I am already doing it, in the team I can speak to the coach or players. I think Cyprus has benefited me. I am in better shape, I watch my sleep, recovery. Well, and most importantly, just being in Cyprus, I was called up to the national team.

- You said earlier that there had been problems with discipline, and now you live alone in Cyprus and yet you are quite professional and growing in terms of play. Is it self-discipline or something else influences?

- It depends on a person's goals, motivation. I want to grow, develop and I can honestly say that I don`t plan to stay in the second league of Cyprus for a long time. That's why I work hard. But, probably, the factor that I am alone in Cyprus and concentrated here on football also affects.

We start training at 9:30, and I leave the base at about two o'clock in the afternoon. There is no such thing that I am in a hurry to go somewhere, as it used to be. Yes, sometimes I don't feel like doing something, but I continue, it's become a habit, I go both to recovery and to the gym. Then I learn English at home, sleep a little, have dinner and that's it.

Once in Cyprus, I realized that I miss the conditions at the base of ''Kairat''. I realize that such conditions should be appreciated and not everywhere there is such a thing. In football now very important details, such as recovery and for this in “Kairat” has everything.

- What would you say about football in the second league in Cyprus?

- I would say that there are no passing opponents, all games are quite tough, all players have more or less the same level. The pitches are natural, it allows you to play good football, but the pace is not very high.

- How did you know about the first call-up to the national team?

- Honestly, I was very much looking forward to this call. Earlier I played well for the youth team, I was able to score in Cyprus and, of course, I had expectations about a possible call-up. I was very hopeful, because now I am fully focused on football.

On inclusion in the final list I learned from the manager of the national team, he called me and asked for details on the purchase of a ticket to Kazakhstan. At this point almost cried.

I still, when I got on the expanded, began to calculate my chances, because I realized that a lot of players would be removed, studied there by position, worried. There was about a week between the announcement of the expanded and final list and I was already impatient at the end. At that moment I was on my way to Akritas training, my teammates were nearby, they helped me in adaptation - one Ukrainian, another Moldovan, they congratulated me warmly and said that I should set the table (laughs).

- How were your first days in the national team?

- When I went to the national team, I thought: “Zainutdinov, Islamkhan, Tagybergen!”, they are the stars for me. I assumed that I would walk quietly, but I was accepted as a native, as if I had been playing here for a long time, immediately began to communicate, jokes and it helped me to fit into the team without any excitement.