Interview with Turan Tovuz’s new goalkeeper Oleg Baklov for Futbolxeber.az.
In the first round of the season, you won against Imishli. How would you assess the match?
It was a tough game. We dominated for 90 minutes, but we couldn’t find a way to the opponent’s goal. Fortunately, in the end, we achieved our aim and secured the victory.
You made your Azerbaijani Premier League debut in the first round. New team, new environment – have you fully adapted yet?
It takes a bit of time. I’ve met everyone and memorized the players’ names. Yes, it’s a new team and a new country for me. There’s no problem adapting. Overall, everything is great at Turan Tovuz.
How do you assess the competition for your position?
Competition is part of our profession. Only through it can you develop.
How did your transfer to Turan Tovuz come about? How much did Kurban Berdyev influence the move?
My agent told me there was an offer and that Turan Tovuz was interested in me. The negotiations went well, and the transfer happened. As for Kurban Berdyev, of course, I know him. He’s a very good and experienced specialist.
Turan Tovuz aims for the championship. How realistic is this?
For now, we are not thinking about the championship, only the next game. We want to improve match by match. Our goal is to win every game. We’ll count points at the end of the season.
What do you know about Azerbaijani football?
Everyone knows the strength of Qarabag. The team is quite well-known. But I haven’t followed the Azerbaijani league much before. It’s a new championship for me.
Some foreign players think they will “play easily” when they come to Azerbaijan…
No, it definitely won’t be easy. Moreover, there’s no foreign player limit this season. That’s why many good players have come. In the first round alone, our match against a newly promoted team was very tough. This shows the level of competition in the league.
Your team will not play home matches in your own stadium for a while. How will this affect your performance?
Of course, if a team is called Turan Tovuz, it’s better to play in Tovuz. Fans are our advantage. But it’s not a big problem. It’s temporary. Besides, we have loyal supporters who back us even on the road, just like in the match against Imishli.
Idman.biz
