Lori face financial worry

Several departures
Lori head coach Lyova Vardikyan has left the club along with several leading players, including Hakob Mamulyan, Artyom Zailnyan, Ervand Khachkyan and Vahan Torosyan, citing unpaid wages as the reason for their departures. The club has no immediate replacements for the departed staff and will field a squad of mostly youth players for the next game in the Armenian league. One of the club's remaining players, Armen Pirumyan, is currently acting as coach.

'Tough financial situation'
"We are in a very tough financial situation for the second month running," said vice president Kolya Babayan. "In this condition, we could not keep the players. I hope for a breakthrough, we are talking to organisations who might help."

Lori not alone
Lori's financial worries are not unique within Armenian football - runners-up Zvartnots' fiscal difficulties came to a head ahead of their UEFA Cup game agains NK Primorje last month, which they lost 6-1. However the club developed a short-term solution and it immediately showed as the Armenians won the return leg 2-0.

Situation 'getting better'
"We have had substantial difficulties, but hopefully the situation is getting better now," said Zvarnots head coach Sambel Kasaboglyan. However two of the club's most important players, Mher Avanesyan and Levon Mkrtchyan, are still not playing - citing unpaid wages and asking to be paid in advance before they return. Financial trouble has also hit FC Dinamo-2000 Yerevan, who lost eight players to FC MIKA in the middle of the season.