Interview with Agshin Mursalov, Chairman of the Board of Imishli Football Club, for Teleqraf
– You requested the PFL to send an inspection team to the Guba Olympic Sports Complex Stadium. Why Guba specifically?
– Not only Guba, we’ve applied for several venues that meet PFL standards. The Inspection Commission will make the final decision. If approved, we’ll begin preparations at the selected stadium. The choice of venue is regulated by the PFL’s regulations. We’ve submitted a list of available stadiums and are awaiting a response. As you know, there is a shortage of stadiums in the country, and Imishli is suffering because of it. We would love to play at the Imishli city stadium, but unfortunately, the situation is being delayed due to ownership and company balance issues. We can’t begin renovations yet. We hope this issue will be resolved soon. For now, we are ready to play at any available stadium. We have no other choice.
– Why is the ownership issue taking so long?
– Imagine you're using a car that others also drive. Would you spend money to fix it? That’s the problem. We invest in renovations, but someone else could come and damage it. Also, bringing the stadium up to Premier League standards requires significant funding. That’s why we’re cautious about investing large sums in a property we don’t own. Tomorrow they might say the lease is over. Renovating the stadium would cost 1.5 million manats. We need assurance that our investment will allow us to use it.
– It was said that after Sabail was relegated from the Premier League, Imishli would use ASCO Arena. Why didn’t that happen?
– If I’m not mistaken, there was an issue with the pitch. We’ve applied to all stadiums managed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, AFFA, and SOCAR. Once inspections are completed, a decision will be made.
– As a Premier League debutant, the appointment of a Portuguese head coach raised eyebrows. Some questioned why Imishli, reportedly short on funds, would bring in a foreign coach…
– Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, and I respect that. But we see it differently. It’s not about money. Local coaches also demand a significant budget. No head coach comes for free. Coaching salaries are roughly the same. Hiring Portuguese coach Jorge Casquilha wasn’t a spontaneous decision, it followed a long study. Portuguese players tend to perform better in Azerbaijan, as seen in clubs like Qarabag. Many of our new signings are also from Portugal and Brazil. A foreign head coach directly supports our transfer strategy. Players know who they’ll be working with.
– What are your goals for the new season?
– We’re not here just to survive. Although we’re newcomers, we aim for mid-table positions. Our biggest issue remains the stadium. By the 2026/2027 season, we hope to fight for European competition spots. We’ve retained 6–7 players from last year’s squad and plan to increase that number. I believe we can build a team capable of finishing in the top six or eight.
– If your coach fails to meet expectations, will you give him time or dismiss him mid-season like some clubs?
– That’s not a decision to be made now. Time will tell what’s appropriate. Decisions aren’t always seen as right in the moment. We’ve made our choice and believe he’ll justify our trust. But if it turns out otherwise, we have a plan. We’ll share it when the time comes.
– Your transfer activity is quite active. The transfer and presentation of Azar Salahly was not received positively by everyone…
– Azar Salahly is a professional, a national team player, and has a rich career. We had already announced that we would continue our transfer policy with both foreign and local players. Some transfers haven’t been announced yet. We’re considering 8–9 foreign signings. At the same time, we want to rely on young, experienced local players. There are also bonus incentives for playing locals. We’ll take advantage of that. Our main goal is to achieve results with local talent.
– In the video announcing Azar Salahly’s signing, the caption read “The black-and-white days are over, the white days begin,” which many took as a jab at his former club, Neftchi…
– Neftchi is a historic and beloved club. The video was a creative idea from our marketing manager, and we supported it. Rivalry between clubs is great for the sport. We have friendly relations with all clubs, but on the pitch, for 90 minutes, we are opponents. Outside of that, we might make comments or have disagreements, and that’s perfectly normal.
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