The Bulgarian national team played its last qualification match for the European Championship next year, by winning 2:0 over Azerbaijan in front of less than 1,000 spectators. Thus the team scored its first host victory in a European qualification in the last eight years. The previous one was versus Romania in November 2007. Now Bulgaria finished 4th in its qualification group with 11 points. Despite the victory, the nationals will be now watching for the 5th time in a row the major European forum on TV only. By the way, the footballers themselves didn’t enjoy the victory either – the only one in 5 hosting games within these qualifications. The 4th position is far away from the dreamt 3rd one, taken by Norway with 19 points. The victory was the first one at the Vasil Levski National Stadium since March 2013, when we won 6:0 versus Malta in a world qualification match. So, now where is that bright future ahead? Most national players do not believe in it. Few see any light in our football tunnel. National coach Ivaylo Petev assessed the qualifications with a C- and explained that no one had had the illusions for winning over Italy and Croatia that are high above the rest of the teams. At the same time we couldn’t beat Malta in our own field. It looks like goalkeeper Bozhidar Mitrev is right that the expectations are too big at the moment and Bulgaria has not been a leading football force for a long time.
No one dares to give options right now. However, one of our major players, Ivelin Popov thinks that the change of coaches won’t solve the problems. He also says that the national vest requires the proper attitude and that young players should have more respect for the older ones, chatting less online on their new cars. Nuances! The whole puzzle comes as a result from such pieces. And there is always hope. World qualifications are now forthcoming. Those might turn into a new starting point, though the level of self-confidence is now zero. Lots of professionalism and lots of work are required now, without any unhealthy euphoria. Anyone, who has realized this, has the chance to become something more than a temporary phenomenon in this sport.
English version: Zhivko Stanchev
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