Levan Kobiashvili

Levan Kobiashvili

Kobiashvili with Schalke 04
Personal information
Full name Levan Kobiashvili
Date of birth (1977-07-10) 10 July 1977
Place of birth Tbilisi, Soviet Union
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Left wingback
Youth career
1983–1992 Avaza Tbilisi
1992–1993 Gorda Rustavi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1994 Gorda Rustavi 48 (0)
1995–1998 Dinamo Tbilisi 36 (3)
1997 → Alania Vladikavkaz (loan) 21 (5)
1998 → SC Freiburg (loan) 26 (3)
1998–2003 SC Freiburg 123 (27)
2003–2010 Schalke 04 168 (9)
2010–2014 Hertha BSC 101 (7)
National team
1994 Georgia U17 2 (0)
1995 Georgia U21 1 (0)
1996–2011 Georgia 100 (12)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Levan Kobiashvili (Georgian: ლევან კობიაშვილი, born 10 July 1977) is a retired Georgian footballer and the current president of the Georgian Football Federation.

He played primarily as a left wingback or left winger. During his career, Levan played for Gorda Rustavi, Dinamo Tbilisi, Alania Vladikavkaz and three German clubs: SC Freiburg, Schalke 04 and Hertha BSC.

Kobiashvili is the most-capped Georgian player with 100 caps for Georgia.

On 4 October 2015, he was elected president of the Georgian Football Federation.[1]

Club career

Early career

Kobiashvili began his career in hometown club Avaza Tbilisi. His first professional club was Gorda Rustavi where he made debut in the Umaglesi Liga in 1993. After spending two years with the Rustavi-based club, Kobiashvili moved to Dinamo Tbilisi in 1995. Under the guidance of famous former player and then-Dinamo coach David Kipiani, Kobiashvili became one of the key players of the club.

At the start of the year 1997, Alania Vladikavkaz declared their interest in Georgian midfielder. Dinamo Tbilisi let Kobiashvili leave the club on a season long loan deal. Kobiashvili joined a few of his compatriots there, including Mikheil Ashvetia, Giorgi Gakhokidze and Kakhaber Tskhadadze. He made 21 appearances for the club, scoring five goals in Russian Top League. Kobiashvili played in the UEFA Cup as well, scoring a single goal (against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk) in four appearances.[2]

Moving to Germany

After spending a half season on a loan at SC Freiburg, Kobi signed a deal with the German club in 1998. During his spell with the Breisgau-Brasilianer ("Breisgau Brazilians"), Kobiashvili became one of the key players of Volker Finke's system. He was joined some Georgian players in Germany as well, Alexander Iashvili and Levan Tskitishvili his teammates in Freiburg.

SC Freiburg finished sixth in the 2000–01 Bundesliga season which granted them a qualification for 2001–02 UEFA Cup. This was the second time the club has ever participated in a UEFA tournament. SC Freiburg were eliminated in the third round by the future champions Feyenoord, on a 2–3 aggregate score. Kobiashvili played all six games of the club during the tournament, scoring the only goal against the Rotterdam-based club.[3][4] Eventually Freiburg got relegated from Bundesliga.

Kobiashvili decided to stay at the club and helped team to get another promotion to the top tier again during the following season. He scored ten goals for the club.[5]

Schalke

During summer 2003, Kobiashvili's contract with Freiburg expired and he decided to leave the club. He received an offer from the future UEFA Cup winners CSKA Moscow.[6] The coach of the Russian team, Valeri Gazzaev, was interested in signing the Georgian midfielder with whom he worked in Alania five years ago. However, Kobi decided to stay in Germany and signed a three-year deal with Schalke 04.[7]

Kobiashvili became the starting member of his new club during the first season. Schalke coach Jupp Heynckes used him as a left-back. Upon the arrival of Ralf Rangnick, Kobiashvili was moved back to midfield, becoming one of the key links between Schalke's defence and attack.[6] Two years after joining the Gelsenkirchen-based team, Kobiashvili extended the contract with the club until 2010. Schalke general manager Rudi Assauer declared that Kobiashvili was one of the best signings they had made in the last decade.[8]

One of the best games of Kobiashvili's career came against PSV Eindhoven in 2005–06 UEFA Champions League season where he scored a hat-trick.[9] Two of them were from penalty kicks.[9] After the game he was praised by the manager Ralf Rangnick and teammate Frank Rost, who labeled Kobiashvili as a true professional, who was an example for them.[6] Later this season, Schalke moved to the UEFA Cup, where the team reached semi-finals and lost to the eventual champions FC Sevilla.[10]

During his career with Schalke, Kobiashvili won three titles: the DFL-Ligapokal in 2005 and the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2003 and 2004.

On 20 December 2009, he announced he would be leaving FC Schalke 04[11] to transfer to Hertha BSC. He joined his new club on 1 January 2010.[12]

Hertha

Kobiashvili completed a move to Hertha BSC in 2010, although the negotiations began a few weeks earlier.[11]

Suspension

During a relegation playoff game against 2. Bundesliga team Fortuna Düsseldorf, Kobiashvili punched referee Wolfgang Stark after the final whistle. Hertha lost the playoff 4–3 on aggregate goals and was relegated from the Bundesliga as a result. Kobiashvili was banned for one year, retroactively beginning 16 May 2012.[13] The German Football Association later reduced Kobiashvili's suspension for seven and a half months, to end 31 December 2012.[14]

International career

In September 1996, Kobiashvili made his debut for Georgia, in a friendly game against Norway in Oslo.[15]

In 2011, Kobiashvili became his country's first 100-cap player and received a special award from the UEFA.[16] That game against Greece was the last for Kobiashvili's international career. He is still the most-capped Georgian player. Kobiashvili captained the national team for 16 times and has scored 12 goals during his international career.[17] Two of them were scored in a famous win against Uruguay in 2006.[18] Kobiashvili has also scored the winning goal against Croatia in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier in 2011.[19]

Kobiashvili has declared once that the national team was the top priority for him and he dreamed of playing at the FIFA World Cup or a UEFA European Championship.[6]

Kobiashvili was named twice Georgian Footballer of the Year, in 2000 and 2005.[20]

Personal life

Kobiashvili is married to Tamuna Tsuleiskiri. They have two children: Nikoloz (b. 1999) and Salome (b. 2007).[21]

Kobiashvili and his fund, called Kobi and Friends donated 10,000 GEL in support of the victims of Tbilisi flood in 2015.[22]

Career statistics

Club

[23][24]

Club Season League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hertha BSC 2013–14 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
2012–13 11 1 0 0 0 0 11 1
2011–12 33 2 3 0 0 0 36 2
2010–11 32 3 2 0 0 0 34 3
2009–10 16 0 0 0 1 0 17 0
Total 107 7 5 0 1 0 113 7
Schalke 04 2009–10 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 1
2008–09 29 0 3 0 5 0 37 0
2007–08 13 1 2 0 5 0 20 1
2006–07 29 3 4 1 1 0 34 4
2005–06 32 1 3 0 13 4 48 5
2004–05 32 3 7 0 13 3 52 6
2003–04 29 0 1 0 8 0 38 0
Total 168 9 20 1 45 7 233 17
SC Freiburg 2002–03 28 10 3 0 0 0 31 10
2001–02 31 4 3 1 6 1 40 6
2000–01 31 7 4 2 0 0 35 9
1999–2000 33 6 4 1 0 0 37 7
1998–99 26 3 1 0 0 0 27 3
1997–98 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
Total 164 31 15 4 6 1 185 36
Alania Vladikavkaz (loan) 1997 21 5 0 0 1 0 22 5
Total 21 5 0 0 1 0 22 5
Dinamo Tbilisi
1997–98 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
1996–97 7 3 0 0 4 0 11 3
1995–96 27 0 0 0 0 0 27 0
Total 36 3 0 0 4 0 40 3
Olimpi Rustavi 1994–95 25 0 0 0 0 0 25 0
1993–94 23 0 0 0 0 0 25 0
Total 48 0 0 0 0 0 48 0
Career Total 544 55 40 5 57 8 641 68

* Includes Liga-Pokal and DFL-Supercup.

International goals

Scores and goals list Georgia's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 6 June 2001 Népstadion, Budapest  Hungary 1–4 1–4 2002 World Cup qualifier
2. 27 March 2002 Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi  South Africa 1–0 4–1 Friendly
3. 29 March 2003 Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi  Republic of Ireland 1–1 1–2 Euro 2004 qualifier
4. 4 June 2005 Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana  Albania 2–3 2–3 2006 World Cup qualifier
5. 16 August 2006 Svangaskarð, Toftir  Faroe Islands 4–0 6–0 Euro 2008 qualifier
6. 15 November 2006 Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi  Uruguay 1–0 2–0 Friendly
7. 2–0
8. 11 October 2008 Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi  Cyprus 1–1 1–1 2010 World Cup qualifier
9. 28 March 2009 Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca  Cyprus 1–2 1–2 2010 World Cup qualifier
10. 14 October 2009 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Bulgaria 2–6 2–6 2010 World Cup qualifier
11. 3 March 2010 Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi  Estonia 1–0 2–1 Friendly
12. 26 March 2011 Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi  Croatia 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier

Honours

Dinamo Tbilisi
FC Schalke 04

References

  1. ↑ Bzikadze, Vakhtang (5 October 2015). "Kobiashvili takes GFF helm". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  2. ↑ "Dnipro-Alania". UEFA.com. 26 August 1997. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "Van Hooijdonk strikes again". UEFA.com. 6 December 2001. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "Freiburg - Feyenoord". fussballdaten.de (in German). Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Germany » 2. Bundesliga 2002/2003 » 34. Round". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Kobiashvili on Georgia's mind". UEFA.com. 6 December 2005. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "Schalke sign Kobiashvili". UEFA.com. 6 April 2003. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  8. ↑ "Kobiashvili commits to Schalke". UEFA.com. 24 August 2005. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  9. 1 2 "Kobiashvili feat delights Schalke". UEFA.com (in German). 24 November 2005. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Puerta sends Sevilla through". UEFA.com. 28 April 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Hertha move again to sign Kobiashvili". UEFA.com. 20 December 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  12. ↑ "Kobiashvili kommt" (in German). herthabsc.de. 20 December 2009. Archived from the original on 16 May 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  13. ↑ Quinn, Phillip (30 May 2012). "Levan Kobiashvili Banned For One Year, Four Others Also Banned". sbnation.com. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "Kobiashvili ban reduced by tribunal". espnstar.com. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  15. ↑ "Football MATCH: 01.09.1996 Norway v Georgia". eu-football.info. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  16. ↑ Bzikadze, Vakhtang (13 October 2011). "Georgia's Kobiashvili enjoys 100-cap honour". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  17. ↑ "Football PLAYER: Levan Kobiashvil". eu-football.info. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  18. ↑ "Carini: Georgia 2-0 Uruguay". inter.it. 16 November 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  19. ↑ Islamović, Elvir (26 March 2011). "Georgia strike late to see off Croatia". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  20. ↑ "Kobiashvili claims Georgian prize". UEFA.com. 17 June 2005. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  21. ↑ "ლევან კობიაშვილის გერმანული ცხოვრება". ambebi.ge (in Georgian). 10 February 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  22. ↑ "ლევან კობიაშვილის ფონდი დაზარალებულებს 10 000 ლარს გადაურიცხავს". sportall.ge (in Georgian). 16 June 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  23. ↑ "Levan Kobiashvili". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  24. ↑ "Kobiashvili, Levan". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 December 2011.

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