Former “Kapaz” head coach Azar Bagirov’s interview with Sportnet.az.
How would you assess the decision to dismiss Fernando Santos?
I think the decision is absolutely correct. The only concern is whether another foreign coach will be behind this decision. For many years, most of the media and experts have been saying that there should be a local head coach. I also believe that in this case, such an obstacle would be removed. Psychologically, there are shortcomings. Foreign coaches cannot give the team that spirit. This was especially evident in the national team’s recent match against Iceland. Failing to win in 11 matches, losing to teams like Belarus and Estonia was even more disappointing.
What are your thoughts on Aykhan Abbasov’s appointment as interim head coach?
This is also a normal step. Abbasov has already shown his work in a short period of time, and since he is with the youth team, he knows the main team well. I think this appointment could be beneficial for the national team.
One of the main topics of discussion now is whether changing head coaches will solve the problems of the national team.
My thoughts are different. For many years, decisions have always been made, but in the last 10 years, no one has asked local specialists working in Azerbaijani football about the root of the problem. Decisions are made, and everyone is forced to continue with them. I believe we have coaches in Azerbaijan, but much more work needs to be done regarding their education. Even if you have material, the players coming from academies are incomplete, so they cannot fully grasp it. Today, we say that players disappear after the age of 17–19. We cannot develop quality players fully. Since they are incomplete, they “burn out” quickly.
If you had been asked, what would you say is the root of the problem?
The problem is that instead of giving millions of euros to Santos, De Biasi, and others, that investment should be made in our own coaches so they can become more educated and gain international experience. Today, we have almost no foreign players or coaches. This all stems from the lack of investment in our own coaches. You want good players, but there are no good coaches. Each academy should have 15 coaches. This should apply to all club academies. In this sense, clubs must do major work. Unfortunately, our coaches are placed in such conditions that they only think about the problems of the main team. They don’t have the opportunity to think about youth football and the future of the national team. They cannot consider the future of a 17–18-year-old. Because after losing one or two matches, they risk being dismissed. In other words, our coaches work under this pressure. The issue is broad, so it needs to be approached from the opposite side.
What is the opposite side?
I think we need to educate our own coaches, send them to training courses, and develop them. Then, sooner or later, these coaches will produce good players. What results have we achieved over the years by appointing Spaniards, Italians, or other foreigners to our teams? There is no real work in the academies, the coaches there need to be educated. If a coach earns 700, 800, or 1000 manats, he will work in several places instead of one. If you are ready to pay 3000–4000 euros to a foreign coach, why not pay the same to your own so he can work in one place? Everything is inversely proportional. Today, we must invest in our own coaches and open the path for them. Then our coaches will raise players in the national spirit and deliver them to us.
Aykhan Abbasov, who will lead the team in today’s match, and Rashad Sadygov, considered one of the main candidates, both work at clubs. Why are unemployed specialists left aside, while coaches already working at clubs are appointed to the national team?
I think this is mostly driven by the media. We’ve often seen many names mentioned in the media, but AFFA has sometimes appointed a coach whose name wasn’t mentioned even once. For example, before joining the national team, Fernando Santos’ name was never mentioned, yet he was appointed. I think it’s the media that puts these names forward. Rashad Sadygov and Aykhan Abbasov have influence in the media. This doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be there. They are in the spotlight with their work, whether good or bad. No one can say they are stronger or weaker than others. But in any case, the appointment is made by AFFA’s leadership, and they know well whom they will appoint. Mentioning names is nothing more than writing articles. Even if my name, Azar Bagirov, is mentioned 100 times, you’ll see that a foreign coach will be brought in and appointed.
So, are you saying that writing articles about someone has the opposite effect and AFFA deliberately appoints someone entirely different?
I don’t know if it’s deliberate or something else. But I think it’s often the case that coaches who aren’t written about or talked about are the ones appointed when the time comes. It wouldn’t be right for me to say it’s out of spite. But there are visible facts.
So, the media shouldn’t highlight unemployed specialists too much in order for AFFA to appoint them?
I think, in the end, AFFA’s leadership will carefully evaluate and, against the background of foreign coaches’ failures, take a positive step. Spending millions on foreigners must stop at some point. Locals are not so uneducated, but if opportunities for their development are created, better results will come. In the Premier League, the top three teams are coached by locals, while many foreigners in the Conference League failed. Why don’t we create those conditions for our own? By “conditions,” I don’t mean giving me millions. Give a third of it to local coaches, youth football, and infrastructure. By doing this, you are inevitably investing in Azerbaijani football.
Next is the away match against France. Can someone shoulder this responsibility?
Every Azerbaijani would take pride in being at the helm of the national team and would do their utmost, without blaming the pitch, the weather, or anything else. As an Azerbaijani, I would take full responsibility, without blaming the players’ weaknesses. If I am the head coach, I will stand as a mountain before everyone and say, “The problem is with me.” Just as Ali Aliyev took responsibility for Kazakhstan’s results. Because he is a son of that soil, he knows what’s needed and what comes next. Responsibility must exist, and it must run in the blood. When I sing the anthem, I see in my mind thousands of martyrs, their mothers, those who fought. I don’t believe foreign coaches see anything beyond money.
After the match against France, is there a chance the head coach will again be asked, “Did you go there without a goalkeeper?”
God forbid that day comes. I always say we are a proud nation. Let’s hope the proud are not turned into the dishonorable.
But it was under an Azerbaijani head coach that we suffered a 0:10 defeat…
I remember, we analyzed that match. We were young players then, and it was very upsetting. At that time, we were in the youth teams. We must accept realities and come to terms with them. France has countless leagues and teams. If you want to keep up with everyone, you must accelerate certain processes. Instead of spending money on foreigners for years, you must hold on to your own so that tomorrow Azerbaijani players take the field. The national team’s success should matter more than any club’s.
In your opinion, was the squad that lost to France stronger, or the current one?
Those players had a different sense of principle, they were psychologically stronger. The current players are somewhat more fragile. I think that squad achieved better results.
Does this mean an even worse result could happen this time?
In the end, anything can happen. But on the other hand, football has reached such a point that even match-fixing plays a role. Everything will depend on France. Because on the field, they will be the dominant side.
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