Defiant Georgians go out of their way to make a political point

FULFILLING A football fixture ought to be the last thing on the minds of the people in Georgia at the moment, but try telling the players who will take on Wales in Swansea tonight that an international friendly is meaningless.

Not all the Georgia national team managed to make the trip but those who escaped their war-torn country and negotiated a 20-hour coach journey to Azerbaijan to collect visas firmly believe that a message has been sent to Russia.

"This is a special game for the country," said Petar Segrt, Georgia's technical director. "No one from Russia believed it was possible to bring 18 players out with us from a war-torn country. The president asked me to come out with these players. He told me that the result wasn't important. This game is simply to show Russia that you can bomb us and you can send tanks into our country, but you will never stop our people. This is a symbol that they will not defeat us."

Segrt repeated those sentiments time and again as he reflected on the players' determination to travel to Wales, despite the military conflict between Russia and Georgia at home.

The relations between the countries mean that only two of the seven Georgia internationals based in Russia have joined their team-mates for the fixture at the Liberty Stadium (kick-off: 8.05; Sky Sports 2), but Segrt saluted the efforts of those who have travelled from some of Georgia's most affected towns and cities.

Meanwhile, new Georgia coach Argentinian Hector Cuper, who only met the Georgia players this week, has vowed, despite the circumstances, to do his best to take Georgia to the World Cup finals. The former Valencia and Inter Milan manager said: "This is the first contact I have had with my new players, we needed to train and play this match.

"After this we have our first World Cup qualifier in September against the Irish. We have to put in maximum effort to have the respect of the Georgian people, for what they have been through. They are looking for a good and positive result, and we will be doing our best for them.

"I will do my best now to lead this team to the World Cup finals. What has happened to Georgia has made me even more determined to work for them. The Georgian people and the Georgian nation deserve that and I will do all I can to make it happen. "

• Guardian Service