Interview with veteran footballer Zaur Ramazanov for Futbolinfo.az.
– How did your interest in football start? In which neighborhoods of Baku did you play football?
– I grew up in the neighborhoods behind the “Nizami” metro station. There was a mosque there, and we turned its yard into our own stadium. We worked hard to set up a goal and put up a net, and practically every day we played football from neighborhood to neighborhood. Areas like “Sovetski” and “Kubinka” were all there. Even Bahram Bagirzade played football with us. The local field chief and police officers would come and watch our games with interest. My older brothers also played a big role in my football development. I learned a lot by watching them. When I played, people watching would notice something special about me. Also, the “Spartak” society was close to us, where my childhood coach, the late Fazil Abbasov, worked. He put a lot of effort into me. He always had a stick and made me run constantly, saying, “You have great talent.” That’s how I developed.
When the Karabakh war started in the 1990s, they didn’t let me go outside. I didn’t go anywhere for 3–4 years. Later, I returned to “Spartak” and played neighborhood football. There was a lower league team called “Nakhchivan,” and they took me into their ranks. Samir Aliyev, Farrukh Ismayilov, and Rizvan Farzaliyev were also there. I played there for a while, then switched to futsal. I was involved in both futsal and football. Our futsal team was strong, coached by Rafig Mirzayev. Later, Abdulgani Nurahmedov came and formed his own team. He told me, “It’s better for you to focus on professional football, futsal isn’t for you.” Still, I was one of the best there.
Then there was someone named Fagan who worked in the prosecutor’s office, sponsored a team of strong players, and we faced them. I scored six goals in that game. Abdulgani told me, “Maybe you should come back,” and I said, “I was already with you; you could’ve kept me.” In short, my futsal career started there, and I reached the national team. In football, I joined “Bakyly.” While playing there, I received an offer from “Neftchi.” Kazbek Tuaev called me, but I didn’t go. I thought about the competition with forwards like Vadim Vasilyev and Zaur Tagyzada, unsure if I would get a chance. They were offering good money, but I preferred playing regularly, even for less. Later, I moved to “Karvan.” Yunis Huseynov called me to join his team.
– Could you tell us about the environment at “Bakyly”? What was the team atmosphere like?
– Our head coach was Nadir Gasimov. The situation was a bit different there. The club’s director, Misir Abilov, didn’t care much about giving money. If he saw a kid he liked, he’d say, “No one else should know, I’m giving this money to you. Come to my team.” I don’t know why he did this. Misir treated it as a hobby and didn’t want to do anything big. But he was a really good person and cared a lot about me.
While I played there, we faced “Neftchi” in a cup match. In the first game, we beat them 1–0. I scored a beautiful goal from a free kick for Huseyn Mammadov. At that time, Misir worked in some financial department at “Neftchi” and was also our manager. Now neither he nor we can support “Neftchi”, it’s awkward. In the return leg, we lost by a minimal score, and it went to penalties. Sasha Yunisoglu missed a penalty.
– Did Abilov choose the squad himself at “Bakyly,” or did he interfere with the coach’s work?
– Yes, he was a very eccentric person, but even if he spoke harshly, he would later go and make amends with the player.
– How did your transfer to “Karvan” happen?
– Actually, when I was playing at “Bakyly,” I had an agreement with “Qarabag.” At that time, Emrah Celikel had just joined the team and offered me a contract. We had to go somewhere with the national team. He said, “Let’s sign the contract, then you can join the national team.” I agreed. Yunis Huseynov had also invited me to “Karvan,” but at that time Yevlakh’s club was in the First League, which made me hesitant. Otherwise, I would have accepted their offer immediately. Later, the issue of “Karvan” playing in the top league was resolved.
Meanwhile, I returned from the national team, and “Qarabag” brought in Igor Ponomaryov. I saw that his playing style didn’t suit me. I told Emrah, “I want to leave; I feel constrained here.” So, I went to meet Yunis at Neftchi’s old base and said, “I’ve joined Qarabag, and I’ve received money from them, how can I join you?” They met with “Qarabag,” resolved the issue, returned the money, and I moved to Yevlakh. I became a top scorer there, and Yunis supported me and tolerated my whims. The fans loved me a lot.
There were some problems with the national team; I wasn’t called up frequently. At that time, the national team was left to certain coaches… The coach of “Turan” used to say, “How can you not call Zaur Ramazanov to the national team…” Honestly, the national team had created factions… I was actually stronger than everyone else there. On the other hand, Shahin Diniyev never called me. I know they always tried to create problems for me in the national team. Unfortunately, I played very little there, although I should have played many matches. I don’t know if they didn’t trust me or what… These issues have always remained unclear to me.
– The peak of your career was at “Khazar Lankaran.” How did you move there?
– Actually, I had no intention of leaving “Karvan.” They just removed Huseynov from the team and brought in Fuat Yaman. I thought Yunis understood me well, and I wasn’t sure how it would go with the new Turkish coach. Then Emin Guliyev said, “I’m going to Khazar Lankaran.” The thing is, I was constantly receiving offers from that team as well. I joined him, and Mahmud Gurbanov also came there. Soon, “Khazar” had assembled a strong team. Rasim Kara was coaching at the time. Our first season wasn’t successful. Coaches changed frequently. There was money, but they didn’t realize that constantly changing the coach is harmful to the club. That’s how they approached it, what could I say to them…
– You became the national champion in 2007. How do you remember that period?
– That’s when Agaselim Mirjavadov joined the team. When he came, he said, “I want to gather different players and form my own team.” I thought he probably didn’t want to see me and was ready for me to leave. But he said, “No, this doesn’t apply to you; I won’t let you go anywhere.” So, I stayed. Mirjavadov’s strength was that he could read the game. He knew the style of the teams we played against and didn’t insist on any one tactic. He organized the team, and we played real football. That year we became both champions and cup winners. We understood each other intuitively. Mahmud passed to me so often that I got tired of always moving to receive the ball. Emin Guliyev, Jeyhun Sultanov, Gurbanov… we were all excellent. Kamran Agayev was just beginning to solidify at that time.
– Even though “Khazar Lankaran” played well in the championship, in European competitions the money spent didn’t produce the expected results. Why was that?
– Back then, it wasn’t like today. In the first stage, we faced a team like Dinamo Zagreb. Six or seven players from that team later moved to European giants. We didn’t play badly against them. Maybe they didn’t even expect that from us. Later, they immediately sent an offer to transfer me to “Khazar Lankaran.” But Mubariz Mansimov said, “Zaur Ramazanov is not for sale!” Honestly, I didn’t want to leave either. I couldn’t stay anywhere else. If I had stayed, I would have only lived the life of a foreign player. Officials from Bursaspor even stayed at my door, and later I received offers from Iran and Anzhi. Before that, clubs from Germany’s 2nd and 3rd Bundesliga had invited me. Even when I played futsal for the national team, Malaga had called me.
– What do you see as the main reason for the collapse of “Khazar Lankaran”?
– Many things weren’t going right there. Tuygun Nadirov couldn’t manage things properly. He went and either told Mais Mansimov something or didn’t; Mais also didn’t understand football. Tuygun decided who to bring in and who to send away, he handled everything. He couldn’t cope with his responsibilities. Several times, Mubariz personally came and fired people. For example, Mansimov fired Tuygun twice, then somehow he returned. They themselves “messed up” the club. You could see how disgusting it was. Mansimov thought he was doing everything necessary, but look at the state he left the club in. When I left, Mubariz’s eyes widened, where could Zaur go? I couldn’t explain that there were problems in his club. Tell Mais today that Zaur was sent away and someone else brought in, he would just say, “Fine, do it!” For example, if a coach needs to be hired, there are three candidates; they pick one in a second and the job is done. That’s not how you manage a club! You have to choose a coach that fits the team’s tactics, or hire someone who knows every detail of the club as a coach.
– Then you moved from there to “Qarabag”…
– Yes, Gurban Gurbanov called and said he wanted to see me in his team. At that time, he had also just joined “Qarabag.” I replied that I would think about it and let him know. Later, Ramin Musayev called, and he played a big role in my move to “Qarabag.” He told me, “Gurban needs help, everything will be fine,” and so on. Some players whose names I won’t mention also asked me to do it.
– So Ramin Musayev invited you to the team even though he wasn’t officially connected to “Qarabag”?
– He did it for Gurban. He needed support. He just told me, “If you join ‘Qarabag,’ it won’t be bad.” Believe it or not, after I joined that club, the flow of players increased. Many players moved to that club because of me. One of them was Emin Imamaliyev. I contributed a lot to “Qarabag” winning the national cup at that time. We beat “Neftchi,” who were stronger than us. I think Vugar Nadirov crossed the ball from a corner, I scored, and with that goal, we eliminated them from the competition. After defeating them, we knew our path to Europe was through this cup. Beating “Neftchi” was like completing 70% of the job.
– Did Zaur from “Khazar Lankaran” become Zaur of “Qarabag”?
– Of course, I have been the same Zaur everywhere, and I have always been respected. Even Gurban himself was accommodating. He often gave me space to rest and recover when needed.
– Why didn’t you stay long at “Qarabag”?
– There were some rumors, but I don’t want to get into them. Let’s just say there was a small misunderstanding between Gurban and me. They went on a training camp, and I couldn’t join. Gurban didn’t like that. Honestly, I was taking medication for bone pain under a doctor’s guidance, so I didn’t go. Later, I called Gurban, and he said, “I want to rejuvenate the team now.” That caused some coolness between us. But afterward, we reconciled. We even met a few times, and I suggested some players to him.
– And after “Qarabag,” you returned to Lankaran…
– Mais said, “Come back,” and I didn’t refuse the offer. Mirjavadov had taken the team to Austria for training, and I joined them. Later, we couldn’t get Moldova’s “Olimpia” club, and Mirjavadov was sent away. Mircea Rednic was immediately brought in, and he sent half the team off. He told me, “You’re old.” Apparently, they said that some players had already been sent away, and I could be next. A while later, they searched for a coach again; I recommended Yunis Huseynov to them. Mais supported it, and they brought him. With Yunis, for the first time in our history, we advanced a stage in a European competition, eliminating Estonia’s “Nomme Kalju” from the tournament. Then we won the silver medal in the championship and even beat “Qarabag” 4:0. By then, the club was in turmoil again, and Mubariz Mansimov refused to spend more money. I realized it was no longer possible to work there. My brother Agabala also played there for a while. That’s how it ended, I retired and played my farewell match against “Baku.”
– Who were the best and worst coaches in your career?
– I can name Yunis Huseynov and Agaselim Mirjavadov as good coaches. I could also mention Gurban, but at that time he was still young, and I hadn’t yet seen his coaching talent. I have never wanted to work with a bad coach. For example, I never liked Viktor Pasulko. He might have been a good player once, but as a coach, he was very weak. His tactic was basically, “Mammadaga, just kick it forward.”
– You’re originally from Baku, and when people think of Baku, they always think of “Neftchi,” the country’s main team. But you never played for “Neftchi.” Does that bother you?
– I did receive offers from “Neftchi,” but I was so comfortable where I was that I didn’t want to move anywhere. Of course, I would have liked to play for “Neftchi.” If I had started my career there, I probably would have stayed there forever. Also, “Khazar Lankaran” felt like home to me. I felt there as comfortable as I did in the center of Baku.
– Which team did you support as a child?
– There was no other team besides “Neftchi.” From the moment I opened my eyes, I saw my late father supporting “Neftchi.”
– If you could start your football career over, how would you do it?
– Of course, I would still be a footballer, but I would play more abroad. I think that would have been a more successful career. Wherever I went, I would never have tarnished Azerbaijan’s reputation. People would have talked about me everywhere. Today, they talk so highly about Vali Gasimov’s time abroad, and I could have reached that level. I was so attached to Baku that I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else, even for a month. Wherever I went, I tried to connect everything back to this city. Even during training camps abroad, after the first week, I would mentally “stall” without Baku. Looking back now, I realize I didn’t think correctly; it shouldn’t have been like that.
– Since retiring, have you seen a striker at your level?
– No, I haven’t! There isn’t anyone who even plays at 50% of my level. I don’t want to boast, but no one has the attributes I had. Beating 1–2 defenders was very easy for me. I have never lost a one-on-one duel. I always felt like a king inside the penalty area. When I went onto the field, I never thought, “The opponent is Dinamo Zagreb; they’ll destroy us.” I have never been afraid of anyone. Wherever I played, I considered myself their “patriot.” When I went onto the field, I already thought one goal was ready for me; my goal was to score more. Today’s players are very weak. You see a striker who can’t get past his opponent, what kind of striker is that? Looking at the top scorers, someone played 36 games and scored 15 goals. When I see today’s strikers, it makes me laugh. If I were playing now, I would score over 40 goals in a season.
– Why don’t we have any strikers?
– You know, a forward has to work on himself. A striker shouldn’t be like a girl. You have to be stubborn! When you go onto the field, your job is to score goals. Nowadays, they win or lose and don’t care; it’s just a score, up or down, who cares. If Azerbaijan had strong strikers, someone would go find them.
– Why didn’t Agabala Ramazanov reach Zaur Ramazanov’s level?
– Agabala started well, and I believed in him. I even took him to “Skonto” in Riga, where they offered him a 3-year contract, but he didn’t stay. He had told me he would go and stay. At that time, “Sheriff,” which beat Real, offered Agabala 15,000 euros per month, but he didn’t go there either. Like me, he didn’t want the life of a foreign player. My brother would have needed to learn much more from me to reach my level. I explained things to him, but we couldn’t be in the same place, and I was focused on my own career. I think injuries also drained his strength. I have never known an injury like his. Even Boris Khetagurov said that in the list of players he worked with who got injured, all names were there, even Banishevskiy’s, but Agabala wasn’t. Agabala played well at “Qarabag,” even pushing Muarem Muarem out of the squad, but after being out for three months due to injury, he never returned to his previous form. “Qarabag” is a team where once you lose your place, it’s hard to get it back. Small injuries scared him; when the ball came, he would jump away. Even when Agabala played at “Zira,” Rashad Sadygov told me, “Zaur, something has happened to your brother; he’s afraid of the ball.” Sometimes I even thought I should take him to a psychologist for that fear. Injuries didn’t give him a chance!
– What are you doing now?
– I work in scouting at AFFA. I find children aged 13–19 and advise them.
– Why didn’t you want to become a coach?
– I wasn’t interested. And I see the coaches nowadays. Do they really belong where they are? In the Premier League, there are coaches you can see don’t belong there; someone just put them there. Meanwhile, stronger coaches are left aside. In youth football, the coaches I see are shocking. I ask, “Who is this?” They say, “He played football as a child, then went to courses, studied, got a license.” I see kids who play amazingly, but later they disappear. That’s because the coaches working with them are terrible. Look at how the Uzbeks made it to the World Cup, they opened academies, sent coaches abroad to gain experience, came back, and did the job properly.
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