Pyunik make late adjustments

By Khachik Chakhoyan

When the Armenian Cup round of 16 takes place next Tuesday, it will serve as a prelude to the big kick-off in the Premier League next month, for which clubs are busy making plans.

Pyunik departures
Double-winners FC Pyunik, whose bid for a fifth consecutive championship starts on 13 April, have parted company with two key midfielders, with Karen Aleksanyan and Zhora Hovhannisyan joining Moldovan side CSF Zimbru Chisinau and Greece's Olympiacos CFP respectively. Another Pyunik regular, Alexander Tadevosyan, is on trial at Russia's FC Anzhi Makhachkala.

Bete returns
However, Pyunik have signed some familiar names. Goalkeeper Edel Bete has returned to Yerevan from FC Girondins de Bordeaux after refusing to play for the French club's reserves, while Carl Lombe did not impress the Bordeaux coaches during a trial there.

New MIKA coach
FC MIKA, a distant second in 2004, moved quickly to appoint Armen Adamyan as coach after Suren Barsegyan was lured to Lebanese football. Adamyan, 38, had enjoyed a successful campaign with Belarussian club FC Darida Zhdanovichi and has agreed a one-year contract. New to his squad are centre-back Yuri Magdiev and defensive midfielder Maxim Morozov, but star man David Grigoryan has gone to Kazakhstan's FC Yesil Bogatyr Petropavlovsk, and last season's No1 striker Armen Shahgeldyan has also moved to Lebanon.

Banants trials
FC Banants have finished in the top three for the past three years and have been trying out potential recruits in the Russian resort of Evpatoria. The club have opted not to sign FC Dinamo-Zenit Yerevan forward Albert Nersisyan, FC Gandzasar defender Armen Tatintsyan and FC Metalurh Donetsk striker Patrick Umomo Agbo. However, Georgian goalkeeper Manuchar Ivadava, Moldovan defender Aleksandr Goncharov and Armenian striker Vahe Tadevosyan have all been invited to their final training camp at Antalya in Turkey.

Cosmopolitan Dinamo-Zenit
Dinamo-Zenit have also continued to examine potential foreign additions with Georgians Alika Khavteli, Georgi Mikhailidze and Gagu Tibilishvili as well as Australian Michael Cameton impressing. Czech duo David Kanai and Geu Kugari are also under consideration.

Friendly tournament
Newly-promoted FC Lernagorts-Ararat Kapan, reprieved FC Shirak - whose relegation was revoked, partly because FC Ararat Yerevan were demoted for financial reasons - and FC Kotayk will compete in a pre-season friendly tournament, while FC Kilikia are heading to the Armenian mountains for their final preparations.