Tahir Bakhshiyev, head coach of Azerbaijan men's national basketball team, spoke to Idman.biz ahead of the crucial match against Ireland in the FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying round.
- You will take on Ireland today in the first qualifying round of the 2027 World Cup. How would you evaluate the team’s preparation?
- We’ve been preparing in Baku for a week. Almost the entire main squad has been practicing together. Only Jordan Davis and Orkhan Aydin joined us in Turkiye and came to Ireland with the team. We had one joint practice here, and overall, we are ready for the game.
- How is the atmosphere within the team? Are you satisfied with it?
- Everything is good. Everyone understands the importance of this game. This is our third match, and we still have four more to go. However, this is the most important match, both in terms of the tournament schedule and the psychological aspect. The players understand the responsibility.
- The Azerbaijan Championship has just started. How could this affect the players’ performances?
- Yes, the championship has only seen three rounds so far, but in training, I’ve seen that the players are in good shape. They’re physically well-prepared. Unfortunately, due to injury, Endar Poladkhanli will not be joining us. His contribution to the team was significant. Despite this, after a good training camp, we are fully focused on the match.
- What do you consider to be the strengths of the Irish team?
- We’ve watched their games. They play aggressively both offensively and defensively. They reach foul limits quickly. Several of their players have strong shooting from long distances. While they may not be very tall, they play an aggressive style of basketball. Based on this, we’ve prepared our tactics to counter these strengths.
- You mentioned that this match is important. Does that mean the team is solely focused on a victory?
- Yes. We only need a win. We understand that it will be a very tough match. Ireland has lost both of their previous games, so this is their last chance. If they lose, they will not be able to progress from the group. It will be difficult, but psychologically, we are fully prepared to win.
Emin Aga
Idman.biz
