Interview with Turan Tovuz captain Shahriyar Aliyev for Report news agency.
Turan Tovuz held a training camp in Turkiye to prepare for the new season. How would you evaluate the preparation process?
First of all, we tried to improve the team’s physical fitness. The one-month preparation period went according to plan. Some new players joined the team later. Our head coach, Kurban Berdyev, wanted to give everyone a chance in the friendly matches because he wanted to see each player’s level of readiness. The main thing is that all of us are in shape by the start of the Premier League.
Do you consider yourself ready for the new season?
No! We are not fully ready yet. Especially the physical condition of some players is not satisfactory, as some joined the camp later. Nevertheless, everyone is working on themselves, and we had a good training process. Hopefully, we will benefit from this camp. Some shortcomings will be eliminated in the coming weeks of the season.
Before the new season, Turan Tovuz stood out with ambitious transfers, including Ibrahima Wadji and Filip Ozobic. What can you say about the new arrivals?
In addition to the players you mentioned, there were other transfers as well. Each of them was scouted and approved before joining the team. Ozobic and Wadji need no introduction, everyone knows what kind of players they are. We have no doubt that their experience will greatly benefit Turan Tovuz. I would also like to highlight Roberto Olabe. He has shown himself very well in training. He presses aggressively and fights hard when necessary. These are exactly the type of players we need. Sometimes you see players avoiding challenges to protect themselves from injury, but Olabe is very composed. We believe we will move forward with players like him. Having a large squad is also a good thing because when there is no one to replace an injured player, the team suffers. Players are only brought into Turan Tovuz after being monitored dozens of times.
During the training camp, what did head coach Kurban Berdyev emphasize most to the players?
Last season, our head coach told us that we should qualify for European competitions and work toward that goal. In the summer transfer window, we couldn’t sign many players and mostly focused on keeping the squad together. After the winter break, the high number of injuries caused problems. The departure of our main striker, Otto John, to another team also had a negative impact. We talked among ourselves and came to the conclusion that if we fight the same way as last season, we won’t be able to qualify for Europe. That’s why we must push ourselves even harder this time. The number of teams in the Premier League has also increased. Araz-Nakhchivan, Neftchi, and Sabah have made significant transfers, and Qarabag is in good form as always. It won’t be easy to get into the top three competing with such teams. The goal set before us was to work twice as hard.
During the training camp, the club’s Chairman of the Board, Ehtiram Guliyev, visited the team. What did you discuss during the meeting?
First of all, Mr. Ehtiram is someone who values the players’ humanity. In addition to being the club president, he treats us like friends, which is a great blessing for a player. During the camp, he said that if there were any shortcomings, he was ready to address them. Then he took an interest in our friendly matches and preparation process. He assured us that he is always behind the team.
The grass at Tovuz City Stadium, where the team plays home games, is being replaced. In the meantime, Turan Tovuz will host opponents at Azersun Arena in Baku. How much does this concern you?
We really wouldn’t want to be away from our fans. But we believe this is for the good of our team and our supporters. Just imagine, we’ll have a neat, natural grass pitch. For now, we have to grit our teeth and endure. Playing on artificial turf is very difficult; it was exhausting for us. In away matches, our fans often outnumber the home team’s supporters. We trust them, and they trust us. Our only goal is to make our fans happy.
In the first round of the Misli Premier League, you will face Imishli away. What are your thoughts on this match?
The opponent is a Premier League debutant. They will take to the pitch with fresh enthusiasm and energy. We are not familiar with their strength. Also, it should be noted that the opening rounds of the championship are always difficult. It’s easier to analyze teams like Qarabag, Araz-Nakhchivan, and Sabah, because you can watch their European matches, and their squads are mostly built from last season’s players. Imishli’s squad, however, has been renewed by about 95 percent. We don’t know their game system. Nevertheless, our goals are big, and we want to start the season with a win.
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