Georgia fears for Blackburn Rovers defender Zurab

8:30pm Tuesday 12th August 2008

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By Tom Moseley »

BLACKBURN Rovers footballer Zurab Khizanishvili has spoken of his horror at seeing his home country of Georgia rocked by war.

The defender told the Lancashire Telegraph his friends had been called up to fight on the front line, and he had not slept since the conflict with Russia began.

He has spent every day on the phone to family or anxiously watching for news on TV, and said his Rovers manager and teammates had supported him during training sessions.

Russia yesterday announced a ceasefire in the five-day battle, and both sides announced their troops would withdraw to pre-war positions.

The Georgian international said: “I hope it has finished but I am not sure.

"It’s crazy when one day you switch on the TV and 10,000 soldiers are coming into your country, killing people.

"I know more people have died than they have said on the news.

“I love the country so much but I can’t do anything at this moment. It’s terrible.

“In just one second everything has changed in the world.

“It was all looking good. Businessmen were coming to invest in the country, the economy was coming up, we didn’t look like a poor country.“It was a crazy day.

“I know five or six boys who are 21 and 22 but they are not soldiers.

"They are just boys who have not been in the army. They have been called up in an emergency.

“One guy had a heart attack because of the shock.

"I speak to them every day but they can’t say too much because it’s been like a dream - nobody can believe it.

“Everyone needs time to realise what has happened.”

Khizanishvili, who grew up in the Georgian capital ’s Tbilisi, left his homeland aged 17 to move to Scotland, where he played for Dundee and Glasgow Rangers.

His wife and children live with him in the UK, but the 26-year-old has spoken every night to his sister, brother and parents, who still live in Tbilisi.

Russian and Georgian troops had been fighting over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia, and the Russian attack on Georgia was condemned by world leaders.

Khizanishvili added: “The Russians haven’t touched Tbilisi, and my parents keep telling me not to worry.

"I hope I don’t have to go back there, but if it got worse I would like to bring them over here.

“I couldn’t sleep, I was just waiting every minute for what will happen.

"I have been watching the TV all the time. It’s crazy.”

He thanked Rovers for supporting him.

Khizanishvili said: “When I have gone to training I haven’t been feeling 100 per cent but my team-mates have been really good for me. They told me it would be over soon.

“I spoke to Paul Ince and he understands about the problems.

"He said of course he would support me and said family was the most important thing.”

Khizanishvili first came on loan to Rovers in 2005-06 season from Glasgow Rangers.

The move was then made permanent. He has made 51 league starts for Rovers and has 25 caps for Georgia.