Neftchi football player Aysun Seydiyeva's interview to Idman.biz
- You scored 38 goals in the game you won against Olympia with a score of 41:0 in the Azerbaijan Women’s High League. How would you interpret this?
- Everyone talks about it, but our opponent was not very strong, and I was able to score so many goals because my teammates passed the ball to me. Currently, the situation of our championship is not so good, there are only three main rivals: Neftchi, Sumgayit and Baku Juniors. It's difficult when you play with these teams. Others have not yet reached that level.
- In your opinion, what are the main factors that slow down the development of women's football in Azerbaijan?
- The main problems are materiality and lack of attention towards women's teams. We know that Sabah and Qarabag do not have girls' teams in the High Leagues. If they pay attention to women's football like Neftchi, Sumgayit, Gabala, there will be development.
- Speaking of Sumgait, they lead the tournament table in the High League.
- Sumgayit was the best last year and became the champion. They are strong competitor this year as well. When you play football with them, you feel that you have an opponent in front of you.
- Aysun, you played as a foreigner before. Would you consider the offers again?
- After becoming a mother, it's a bit difficult. Because I have to think about the child. If Amin gets such an offer from abroad and his team has a girls' team, I will play there. However, if an offer comes to me alone, I cannot evaluate it in the current situation. After becoming a mother, I also understand my own mother. Indeed, it is very difficult to look after a child, and to do football. But my aunt supports me a lot. He looks after my son during practices and games.
- So, if an offer comes from any team in Azerbaijan, will you evaluate it?
- There is no such team. Since I started my football career in Neftchi, if I stay in Azerbaijan, I will continue here, I will not think about other clubs.
- Some time ago you said that you wanted to quit football. Is this request still relevant?
- I had an idea, but I'm continuing now.
- What made you think so?
- Carelessness. In general, there is this kind of indifference towards women everywhere, I have seen it in all the countries I have visited. But we have more. After finishing first in the C division of the Nations League, they talked about us a little and we were forgotten. In fact, it was a huge success, it could have been more impressive. However, they talked about it on one or two television channels, and that's it.
- Maybe there should be a continuation of success to be talked about?
- Look, the result was 1:1 in the away match with Hungary, we could have even won. It is a very strong team. If we see the stadium empty after that game against Switzerland, what else can we do? We did not lose for ten games. But they don't see it. Fans don't come to our matches, they don't support us. An athlete needs a lot of motivation. Advertising for women's football is also very low.
- How are your family members? Do they come to the stadium for games?
- He comes when Ami has time. My mother can't come often, my brother comes often. My brother also plays futsal.
- Do you go to Amin's games?
- Yes, I try to go to every game. Even though I can't go to the away games, I'm always there for the home games. I love watching him succeed.
- Female football players in Azerbaijan often say goodbye to football after getting married. You should be lucky in that regard. The fact that your husband Amin Seydiyev is also a football player probably played a role in the continuation of your career.
- Yes, due to the mentality, most of our girls left football after getting married. We have given our childhood to this work, it is not easy to suddenly abandon the career. If Amen had not appeared before me, perhaps I would not have started a family yet. I would just play football. It's good that a person like Amin who understands me and supports me has appeared before me. But most other guys aren't.
- Are there many things that have changed since you came to this day?
- When I first joined the national team in 2010, there were more problems than now. Parents did not welcome girls coming to football. Over the years, both parents and fans began to accept it as normal. Previously, it was very difficult to find a girl for the team. Our head coach Siyasat Asgarov used to go to the regions, stay for weeks, looking for girls who play football. But today, parents themselves try to bring their children. Now the situation has changed relatively. It would be good if they support women even after marriage. We can't find girls, there are very few of them. We don't have enough good players coming from younger age groups. Because our children's football has not developed to that extent. It happens that they start playing football at the age of 13. This is too late. For example, I started when I was six years old.
- You are also a member of the national team. How do you assess the state of the team at the moment?
- Our situation as a team is very good. It is true that our last game was not encouraging, Switzerland's level is known. But we fought until the end. We want to collect maximum points and continue in the B league. The favorite of our group is Switzerland, and Hungary is close to it. But we are on the same level as Turkiye. We can even defeat them. We could have won against Hungary, but unfortunately we could not take advantage of the opportunities. I hope we can get points from Hungary in the next game.
- Is there a team you are a fan of in the Azerbaijan championship?
- I did not watch the Azerbaijan championship until I met Ami. The team I am a fan of is Sabah. Qarabag when playing against teams of other countries.
- What about Neftchi?
- Neftchi's my own team.
- You have already named three teams. Then you support Amy, not the team.
- One hundred percent. Wherever Amin is, I will be happy for his team's success.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
