Interview with Kapaz head coach Adil Shukurov for Sport24.az.
The defeats in the first three rounds were undoubtedly not part of your plans. During the break in the championship, you probably discussed the failures with your coaching staff. What do you see as the cause or causes?
A poor start to the championship has a big impact on the players and management. Everyone will work together to overcome this situation and change it. During the break, the coaching staff will try to find a way forward. I think we can regroup the team during this period. To be honest, the team was assembled very late. Before the last match against Zira, two new players joined the squad. The main reason for our poor start was this significant delay in the overall selection process. That is why our performance in the first rounds was very unsuccessful.
So, you were prepared for events to unfold like this?
I wouldn’t say that we could have predicted such results in the first three games. It was a shock for us as well. We expected a more successful start. The team needed to come together earlier, and this delay affected us.
Why were the transfers delayed?
Unfortunately, the players initially proposed to me and that I liked were not brought in. I’m not saying I don’t like the current squad, but the fact is that while Premier League clubs had finished their selection and started training, we were still waiting on transfers. The players I approved after analysis on the dates I was told did not arrive. As a result, we had to redo the selection process twice, and we are still feeling the consequences.
Two days ago, you met with the club management. The statement posted on Kapaz’s website was somewhat vague. Were you given a specific target for points in the next three rounds?
I don’t want to comment on the official statement. In any case, our duty is to fix the situation, and we will do our utmost to achieve that.
How realistic do you think it is to overcome the current situation? What steps do you plan to take?
In the current situation, we need to work harder and be united as a team. As coaches, we trust our team and believe in it. We built this squad, and we believe we can reach our goals with these players. We got into this situation as a team, and we must get out of it as a team.
Finally, should fans expect new transfers?
Yes, new transfers are expected. Hopefully, if we find a suitable player in the coming days, we will announce it. For now, we are still scouting.
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