President of the Base

The latest issue of Shakhtar magazine has appeared on newsstands. The main character of the February issue is Taison. In the meantime, we are publishing an interview with one of the protagonists of the January issue - Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

- Henrikh, last year, you hit nearly all football top lists one can imagine - in Ukraine, Armenia and in Europe. Aren’t you afraid that such popularity can just blow your mind?

- I am not afraid of it, because I've always dreamed of it! I had to cover a very long way. And it was hard to accomplish. The same happens in life: it’s hard to achieve something, but you can lose it in one minute, just in no time. So I know the value of what I have achieved, and I hope that I won’t ever lose it.

- So do you purposefully control yourself not to be influenced by fame?

- No, I don’t. But at times, I intentionаlly listen to what they say about me. That’s pleasing and motivational for me to perform even better.

- Whose opinion is most important to you?

- First of all, I'm self-critical. I know myself when I played well, and when not, when I managed to do something and when I didn’t. And then come Lucescu with theory sessions, plus friends and relatives.

- How do you respond to criticism?

- If criticism corresponds to reality, then I respond to it very positively, because it proves the fact that I have the potential to play even better.

- What game or maybe the missed effort do you kick yourself the most?

- There were many chances I failed to convert. But I try to work on that, because I know that in the game you can have just one chance, but a very important one. Perhaps, at 0-0 in the 90th minute, you may have that chance, and if you don’t covert it, the team will lose points. Therefore, I try to improve, especially as I had some problems in this regard.

- How do you feel about the fact that the Armenian fans, no matter how you play, still praise you?

- I never take the praise, if I know that I played badly. They're fans, this is normal. They are the people who just like you and support you throughout. I am thankful to them. By the way, the situation has changed now: when my performance is poor, my countrymen start criticising me.

- Henrikh, you just said you were mastering your finishing. But this is a common statement for players. Can you explain how you polish it in more detail?

- I can simulate the goalscoring situation in training. Yes, the goalmouth is clear, the goalie is not there. But you probably understand that I must hit the corner of the net instead of just making it on target. It is better to hit the corner three times out of ten than just fire the centre of the goal. That’s, actually, the performance.

- Do your mother and sister often attend the games?

- The last one attended by my sister was the game with Juventus in Turin. And mom... (takes him long to recall) When Armenia played Lithuania! Speaking of Shakhtar, then at the game with Barcelona two years ago.

- But do they watch it on TV?

- Yes, always! Both on television and on the Internet they find broadcasts. They call immediately after a game, congratulating me and scolding sometimes.

- How do you feel about your growing popularity among girls: many lady fans see a potential husband in you and want to meet you?

- Haven’t met anyone yet, no one came up to me. (laughs) Actually, it's nice to be the center of attention of girls.

- Nevertheless, you live at the base and don’t quite leave it...

- Why? Sometimes I go out. I just know why I train and play. I do’nt deny that it is possible to combine the two. But now, when I’ve become an idol and begun to score more, I do not want to forget about football and change my way. I have just one way, and I'm going to combine it all.

- What about your private life? Honestly, if constantly staying at Kirsha, you’ ll have no chance to get acquainted with your future wife.

- Maybe, but it's fate, and there’s no escaping it.

- Okay, let's dream a little. How do you see your future wife?

- Well, she also might want to fulfill as a personality, she might need communication.

- Let her bring her girlfriends to our home.

- Why, then, do your mother and sister work?

- (Pause.) I asked my mom to quit her job, but she says she can’t do without it. She will just feel uncomfortable, because she was always busy doing something. Whilst modern young girls do not work. (laughing)

- Business in Donetsk?

- No, probably in Armenia. I plan so far to get back there when I retire.

- Don’t you want to live in Europe? You know so many languages!

- I don’t want to move there so far. And languages... We talk French only with our physiotherapist Clement Hazard. Oh, and with Mister! But with him, you can also speak English, Russian and Portuguese. Except Armenian. To be honest, I would like to have a good command of English, I always liked it.

- Have you got a higher education?

- Yes, I graduated from the Institute of Physical Culture in Armenia. Currently, I study economics at the Yerevan branch of the St. Petersburg Institute. I entered it because their degree is valid in almost sixty countries. When I graduate, I want to study there as a lawyer. And at the same time, I will master my English.

- By the way, usually Armenians speak with an accent. You don’t have it at all. How come?
- My grandmother is from Moscow. I spoke a lot of Russian with her at home. She still lives in Armenia - for almost 50 years now. Probably it’s by virtue of my grandmother’s assistance that I don’t have that accent any longer. And that's good!

FC Shakhtar Press Office based on the January issue of Shakhtar magazine