Following the official announcement of Azerbaijan national team forward Nariman Akhundzade joining Columbus Crew, the club’s supporters quickly began discussing the newcomer online, debating his experience, attacking role and even how long it will take the stadium to get used to his surname, Idman.Biz reports.
Many comments expressed optimism about the player’s level and his Qarabag background. One user pointed out the club’s consistent participation in major European competitions and the striker’s Champions League experience, adding: “Interesting to see how he adapts to MLS.”
Another summed up the mood more humorously: “I like the plan of conceding endlessly but scoring one more. Now please, a defense.”
Pronunciation of the forward’s name became a topic of its own. Fans openly asked for help — “Can someone tell me how this is even pronounced?” — and thanked those who offered phonetic spellings. Some were already imagining terrace chants: “How is this going to sound when the whole stadium yells his name? Maybe the announcer will help us?”
Others were confident the fanbase would manage: “If we learned to chant Lappalainen, Ruvalcaba and Vallecilla, we’ll learn this one too.”
Another recurring reaction was anticipation of Azerbaijani supporters joining the club’s social media. “Get ready, Azerbaijanis will take over the Facebook and Instagram comments under every post,” one discussion read, suggesting engagement around the team could grow significantly after the transfer.
All that remains is to see whether the new wave of supporters will indeed follow their compatriot and make their presence felt in Columbus.
