“My wish is for all football academies to be active and to play a role in developing players for Azerbaijani football.”
These words were said by former Azerbaijani national team player Aslan Karimov in an interview with Sport24.az, Idman.biz reports.
The experienced specialist commented on the restriction of operations at the Gabala Football Academy: “These restrictions will harm the development of players, and that is ultimately a loss for Azerbaijani football. As a club, Gabala cannot be blamed. If there are financial difficulties, we can’t say, ‘they shouldn’t be doing this.’ The restrictions will clearly affect both Gabala and the development of children in that region. I can’t say what the solution is. The decision to limit the operations of an academy with such infrastructure is clearly due to financial issues. That’s why it’s not appropriate to interfere in the club’s internal matters. I don’t think it’s right to criticize the club’s management or staff. What can they do if there is no funding? But without a doubt, this decision will have a negative impact on the development of youth football in Azerbaijan.”
The Gabala Football Academy announced yesterday that it has temporarily suspended its operations.
Idman.biz
