Vitaly Astafyev: ''I have always had great respect for Kazakhstani football.''
– Would you tell us how you received the offer from the KFF and what your previous perception of Kazakhstani football was?
– Thanks to the FIFA Talent Coach Programme, I was selected for the KFF Academy team. After passing through a competitive selection process with many contenders, I was sent to Kazakhstan to work with the national team, with which my paths had already crossed! As a player for the Latvian national team, I played against Kazakhstan twice, and also met Kazakhstan twice as an assistant coach of the national team. I have always respected Kazakhstani football and am very pleased that my coaching career has taken place in this wonderful country.
– What are your first impressions of the KFF Academy, and what are your goals in this work?
– My first impressions are very positive. In Talgar, there are all the facilities for training: three full-sized pitches, two with natural grass and one with artificial turf, a sports complex, a gym, and a swimming pool. A more modern complex is also in development.
Конечно! Вот перевод интервью про футбол на английский язык:
– Vitaly, please tell us how you received the offer from the KFF and what your previous perception of Kazakh football was?
– Thanks to the FIFA Talent Coach Programme, I was selected for the KFF Academy team. After passing through a competitive selection process with many contenders, I was sent to Kazakhstan to work with the national team, with which my paths had already crossed! As a player for the Latvian national team, I played against Kazakhstan twice, and also met Kazakhstan twice as an assistant coach of the national team. I have always respected Kazakh football and am very pleased that my coaching career has taken place in this wonderful country.
– What are your first impressions of the KFF Academy, and what are your goals in this work?
– My first impressions are very positive. In Talgar, there are all the conditions for training: three full-sized pitches, two with natural grass and one with artificial turf, a sports complex, a gym, and a swimming pool. A more modern complex is also in development.
The goal of the project is to find, train, and prepare young talents to professional football! This is long-term, strategic planning, coordinated by FIFA officials in conjunction with the Kazakhstan Football Federation.
– From your perspective, what does the development plan for the academy teams look like? Will there be any structural changes on your part regarding organization or tournament participation? Is there already an agreement for the academy teams to participate in certain tournaments?
– The development plan aims to help every talented player develop their potential. Key stages include uniting the best players, identifying talents, training local coaching staff, planning processes, and creating an academy system. The philosophy centers on style and game models rooted in Kazakhstani football traditions and cultural traits—hard work, endurance, and masculinity—these are priority qualities for maximizing talent potential.
Конечно! Вот перевод интервью про футбол на английский язык:
– Vitaly, please tell us how you received the offer from the KFF and what your previous perception of Kazakh football was?
– Thanks to the FIFA Talent Coach Programme, I was selected for the KFF Academy team. After passing through a competitive selection process with many contenders, I was sent to Kazakhstan to work with the national team, with which my paths had already crossed! As a player for the Latvian national team, I played against Kazakhstan twice, and also met Kazakhstan twice as an assistant coach of the national team. I have always respected Kazakh football and am very pleased that my coaching career has taken place in this wonderful country.
– What are your first impressions of the KFF Academy, and what are your goals in this work?
– My first impressions are very positive. In Talgar, there are all the conditions for training: three full-sized pitches, two with natural grass and one with artificial turf, a sports complex, a gym, and a swimming pool. A more modern complex is also in development.
The goal of the project is to find, train, and prepare young talents to meet the demands of professional football! This is long-term, strategic planning, coordinated by FIFA officials in conjunction with the Kazakhstan Football Federation.
– From your perspective, what does the development plan for the academy teams look like? Will there be any structural changes on your part regarding organization or tournament participation? Is there already an agreement for the academy teams to participate in certain tournaments?
– The development plan aims to help every talented player unlock their potential. Key stages include uniting the best players, identifying talents, training local coaching staff, planning processes, and creating an academy system. The philosophy centers on style and game models rooted in Kazakh football traditions and cultural traits—hard work, endurance—these are priority qualities for maximizing talent potential.
Together with federation technical director Gennady Skurtul, national team department director Ruslan Baltiev, and Evgeny Sveshnikov, we are preparing a program for international tournament participation and national championship involvement.
We’ll start with friendly matches against local clubs, followed by participation in the national cup. In October, there are scheduled control games with Uzbekistan, as well as participation in an international tournament.
In early November, a tournament among national academies will be held in Kyrgyzstan. During the winter, we plan to conduct a two-week training camp in Turkey or the United Arab Emirates as part of preparation for UEFA development tournaments and the new QJ League season.
As you can see, our schedule is very intense and comprehensive, requiring a serious approach at every stage of its preparation.
– You have extensive European experience as a player and coach/administrator. In your opinion, what qualities should young footballers develop first to reach a high, European level?
– First of all, football is daily hard work. I would advise young players to take everything related to their development very seriously. In football, there are no small things—this has long been proven. Everything matters: your daily routine, nutrition, sleep, recovery.
It’s important to set goals and steadily work towards them. Even winning in training builds the spirit of a winner and boosts confidence.
Never give up. Motivate yourself with examples of those who have been called up to the national team and started playing at a high level at 25–30 years old. Believe in yourself—that’s probably the most important message I want to give to young footballers.
