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7 interesting facts about the Georgian football team ahead of their clash with Ireland

Who is their secret weapon? Which legendary ex-player is now the country’s Minister of Energy.

1. Jaba Kankava is a hero in every sense of the word

ONE OF GEORGIA’S best-known players is Jaba Kankava. The 28-year-old captain is comfortably the most experienced member of the team with 48 appearances. In a very young squad that features just two players who are 30 or over, the Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk midfielder’s leadership is crucial. However, for all his accomplishments in football, he is perhaps most renowned for saving teammate Oleg Gusev’s life after swallowing his tongue (see below) during a Ukrainian league game, receiving the Order of Merit award as a result.

Osama S. Salah / YouTube

2. Tblisi can be a tough place to go

Georgia may have only picked up five points in their last qualifying campaign, but they still managed to achieve some notable results. In addition to beating Belarus in Tblisi, they also gained a highly credible 0-0 draw there against France. Furthermore, they almost emulated that feat in their encounter with Spain, but were ultimately undone by a late Roberto Soldado goal.

aladmiral14 / YouTube

3. Their best player is arguably Guram Kashia

The Vitesse player has won Georgian Footballer of the Year for the past two seasons and is a regular for his club side. The 27-year-old centre-back impressed enough in the Eredivisie to attract interest from Chelsea at one point, before they eventually signed Gary Cahill from Bolton instead.

Spain Georgia WCup Soccer AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

(Spain’s forward Alvaro Negredo, centre, duels for the ball with Georgia’s defender Guram Kashia)

4. Shota Arveladze was their Robbie Keane

The ex-Ajax man is the closest thing there has ever been to a world-class Georgian attacker. He played for the country between 1997 and 2007, scoring 26 goals in 60 appearances — an incredible achievement given that he was playing for a team that were seldom on the front foot during games. He is comfortably their all-time top scorer, with their current manager, Temuri Ketsbaia, second on the list with 18 goals. He also developed into a cult hero at AZ Alkmaar thanks to his impressive goal haul there (see below).

raporap / YouTube

5. Unlike Arveladze, the current side are not exactly prolific in front of goal

Their squad for the Ireland match features just two recognised strikers — Empoli’s Levan Mchedlidze, who has two goals in 21 appearances (one of which came in a 2-0 win against Scotland, which you can see below), and Nikoloz Gelashvili, who has 0 goals in 19 caps. Indeed, the top scorer of all their squad is captain Jaba Kankava, who has four goals in 48 appearances at international level. Moreover, in their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, they managed just three goals in eight matches, albeit in a tough group that also featured France, Spain, Finland and Belarus.

zagrebi / YouTube

6. Another Georgian legend, Kakha Kaladze, is now a prominent politician

Having retired in 2012, the ex-AC Milan star wasted little time in forging a new and similarly successful career in politics. The five-time Georgian footballer of the year who earned 83 caps for his country was part of the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party created by Bidzina Ivanishvili in February 2012 and he was subsequently elected to parliament as Minister of Energy later that year.

Georgia Kaladze AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

(Georgia’s most famous football player Kakha Kaladze stands at a news conference in Tbilisi after being nominated for the post of energy minister)

7. Jano Ananidze could be the team’s secret weapon

The 21-year-old Spartak Moscow star is the great hope of Georgian football. He already has three goals and 24 caps for the national side, and has been dubbed the new Georgi Kinkladze, attracting the interest of both Arsenal and Liverpool following a successful debut season with Spartak. Since becoming the youngest player ever to score in the Russian league at 17 and making a big initial impact, his progress slowed somewhat, prompting him to be loaned to FC Rostov for all of last season.

Gio Kakaladze / YouTube

Gaffney double ensures happy return for Russell in UCD>

‘It’s not going to be easy but we’ll give it our best shot’ – McCarthy looks ahead to Georgia clash>

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    Mute Anthony
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    May 19th 2015, 8:16 PM

    Charlie Adam all day long. I thought Mata’s scissors kick was worthy of a nomination though.

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    Mute Jon Walters
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    May 19th 2015, 8:22 PM

    Charlie Austin’s would be in my top 5 and its not even here. That one touch turn and strike was sweet

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    Mute Darragh Martin
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    May 19th 2015, 8:44 PM

    Yeah Charlie Austin’s was a class goal,definitely should be there. Charlie Adam’s for goal of the season though.

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    Mute Jon Walters
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    May 19th 2015, 8:58 PM

    Ya maybe your right but the fact that he always tries it and it’s not off the cuff just makes it less special I feel. Austin’s, for example, was sheer instinct.

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    Mute Unknown
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    May 19th 2015, 8:05 PM

    Search on youtube “Di Maria Manchester United” some of his crosses and assists there are amazing. He fully deserves another chance to prove his worth at United!

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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    May 19th 2015, 9:14 PM

    Definitely. His form dipped when he returned from injury. Happens to a lot of players. Even though his form dipped, only cesc has more assists than him. Makes me wonder what might have been had he avoided the injury.

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    Mute Robert O Farrell
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    May 19th 2015, 8:14 PM

    It’s got to be Charlie Adam. Although Phillips is in with a shout. If a top player scored that we’d still be talking about it – you don’t often see 45 yard screamers- it wasn’t a looping shot but a belter from that distance rising all the way.

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    Mute Dan Smith
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    May 19th 2015, 9:13 PM

    If public polls are anything to go by, Giroud will win this poll by a mile :P

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    Mute baz newham
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    May 19th 2015, 9:59 PM

    Lads Matty Philips was over 40 yards out!! No contest.

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    Mute Ross Ryan
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    May 19th 2015, 11:25 PM

    Thought longs goal against villa would have been in the top 10

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    Mute Barry Smyth
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    May 19th 2015, 11:17 PM

    Love Zamora’s one. Outside of the boot, quality

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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    May 19th 2015, 10:27 PM

    Schurrle overhead ? Hard to do it at the best of times but he had to set this one up himself by taking it on the chest first . That would be my choice

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    Mute lee
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    May 19th 2015, 8:18 PM

    Fabregas vs Burnley should atleast be nominated surely??

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