Interview with "Araz-Nakhchivan" head coach Elmar Bakhshiyev for the website Futbolinfo.az
– Taking into account the real scoring chances missed in the first match against Aris in the Conference League, are you fully satisfied with the 2–1 victory? If Hamidou Keyta had converted his one-on-one chance, you could have gone to Greece more comfortably...
– As I mentioned before the match, our opponent is made up of experienced players, and they were going to try to force us into making mistakes. But we also had our own game plan and approach. In any case, we wanted to win. Of course, considering there’s a second leg, a larger goal difference would have been to our advantage. But missed chances are part of the game. Keyta wanted to finish that chance with a goal more than any of us. It didn’t work out, it's impossible to convert every opportunity. What’s important is the effort the players put in on the pitch. They tried to deliver what we asked of them. This match showed we have a strong, resilient, and determined team. We also thank our fans. They truly supported us during the match, even when we conceded, they were encouraging us to push forward. That shows the belief they have in the team.
– There were five new foreign players in the starting lineup. How would you assess their performance?
– Since we’ve observed all these players beforehand, we knew what they were capable of. So, we have no doubt that they can help the team. They just need a bit more time. Naturally, they've come to a different team, a different country. Maybe for Keyta and Andrade, this didn’t cause much difficulty. The others are gradually adapting. We’ll perform even better match by match. Our team will play more attractive and competitive football. I don’t want to single out anyone. We did a good job as a team. Of course, there were mistakes, that’s inevitable.
– Both goals were scored after you brought Nuno Rodrigues onto the pitch. Was using him in the second half part of your original plan, or did you decide during the match?
– It’s not possible to plan substitutions in advance, because you don’t know how things will unfold during the match. Injuries, red cards, anything can happen. So we monitor everything carefully and bring on substitutes when we notice fatigue or weaker performance in certain positions. Nuno’s substitution happened out of necessity. I agree that he played a direct role in the goals after coming on.
– It’s clear that the second leg will be more difficult. Do you plan any tactical changes, or will the team try to repeat the attacking football shown in Baku?
– Every match has its own preparation plan and approach. We know that the match in Thessaloniki will be much tougher. Along with travel fatigue and playing away, we also have to consider the home crowd factor. But as I’ve said before, what matters most is the team’s preparation and focus. The club management has provided the necessary conditions for the team, we’ll travel two days before the match. Any squad or tactical changes will be announced on matchday.
– According to the agreement, Igor Ribeiro will leave the team and join Neftchi after the second leg against Aris. If you advance to the next round, will you ask Neftchi to allow him to stay for two more matches?
– At this point, we’re not thinking about that. Our focus is fully on preparing for the second leg against Aris. If we progress to the next round, we can discuss it with management. But for now, it’s too early to make such a request.
– Overall, Ribeiro was considered a key player for the team. As head coach, are you disappointed that you couldn’t keep him? Can your latest signing, Rahil Mammadov, be a worthy replacement?
– It’s hard to find a good central defender. Igor spent two seasons at Araz-Nakhchivan. Any club would want a player like him. But it turned out that we couldn’t prevent his transfer. As for Rahil Mammadov, he’s a player we know well. He’s been part of the national team for years and has experience playing abroad. We hope he will contribute to the team.
– One of your strengths as a coach is creating a friendly atmosphere within the team. All the players respect you and treat you like an older brother. How do you manage that?
– A football team is like a second family for the players, coaches, and technical staff. They spend more time with their teammates than with their own families. So it’s important to create an environment where the player is happy, doesn’t feel the urge to run away or feel homesick. As a famous saying goes, "a happy person is someone who hurries from home to work and from work to home." If you want good results, you have to make sure the player is happy and fully committed to the team. While maintaining coach–player boundaries, we also become their friends and companions. We try to solve any problems together. When a player feels that, they don’t avoid you, they share their concerns and accept your help.
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