Talgat Baisufinov: “No matter who the opponent is, the guys will play their own football”

– We’re all looking forward to the match. We began our preparations on 3 November. Muradzhon Khalmatov fell ill, so we decided to send him home. The remaining 32 players have joined the national team’s camp. Fortunately, the boys are ready for the game. We will play our own football. Regardless of who the opponent is, we will not only defend but also look to attack.

– In the away game, Belgium beat us 6-0. They are one of the teams that could contend for the World Cup. What is the plan for the match? What weaknesses do you see in the opponent?

 –The players performed well in the first game, but everything that went towards the goal went in for the opponent. In the home match against North Macedonia, we had plenty of chances but didn’t convert any. That’s football: sometimes you’re unlucky, sometimes it goes the other way. We have studied both games. In any situation, we will play our own football, but we are curious to see what Belgium will allow us to do. Playing our own style gives the players confidence. The match plan is already in place. Islambek Kuat will miss the game due to yellow card, which complicates things, but we have found a replacement. The game will be tough, but we will stick to our plan. The players have been shown both Plan A and Plan B. Everyone is in good competitive rhythm, playing in their tournaments. Kazakhstan has not caused many upsets in the past, but hopefully tomorrow that will change.

 – Some of your biggest matches were against Ukraine, both ending in draws. At that time, Stas Pokatilov made several superb saves. Who will start in goal tomorrow? Will there be any new faces?

– Ali Aliev has done a lot of work in the process of rejuvenating the squad. Two games lie ahead. The team includes both young and new players. Of course, there will be rotation – they need to be given playing time. Dauren Zhumat made his debut against North Macedonia but was nervous and couldn’t show his full potential. As for the goalkeeper – we first look at match fitness. In the evening we will gather and confirm the final squad.

– Dinmukhamed Kashken was called up for the last match, but he is not in the squad this time. Instead, Talgat Kusyapov is. What criteria do you use when selecting defenders?

– We don’t rely on bare statistics. In the previous match, Sergey Malyy and Ular Zhaksybayev were injured, so we needed a right-footed central defender. Dimash fit all our requirements – we called him up in advance, spoke with him, and explained the situation. Now the right-footed players are ready for the match, but we needed a left-footed defender. That’s why Sagadat and Talgat were called up. They have recently recovered, and the club doctors confirmed they would be ready from November 1. Aside from Alip, there is no one else for this position. Currently, we have four defenders, and all have been given the benefit of our trust.

– Is Dastan Satpayev ready for the game? Will we see him on the field?

– Dastan has an injury – both his club's management and we are aware of it. We agreed that he will participate in all training sessions, but if he feels any pain, he must report it immediately and will not play. We asked him to be open about how he feels. We have other forwards ready. If he is fit, that’s excellent. First of all, it’s an honor to play for the national team, and secondly, a match like this will strengthen his resume. He is being closely monitored, and it’s important for him to make an impression.

– What can you say about Jeremy Doku?

– We watched his last match – he had some minor issues, but you can’t avoid that. He’s a professional, and so are we. I think our players will actually step up when they see strong opponents in front of them. We have good players too. Why shouldn’t they show the same level of football? And it’s not just about Doku – the entire Belgium national team is very strong.