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Shahin Diniyev: I can be wrong to predict victory over Poland

12 March 2007 14:24 (UTC +04:00)

â€œThis tournament was of great significance for us as a preparation for encounters against Poland and Finland in European championship qualifying in late March. The main objective to participate in the tournament in Kazakhstan was to view players to be fielded in the matches against these two teams. Thatâ€™s why we were not much interested in the result in Alma-TV Cup tournamentâ€?, Shahin Diniyev, head coach of Azerbaijani national squad that took second place in Alma-TV cup, told APA-Sport.
Diniyev noted that the tournament was organized in low level.
â€œThere were some shortcomings in the organization. First, the lawn wa in awful condition as all matches took place in the same stadium. It was obvious that referees were not objective. I met with Rauf Inileyev after the match against Kazakh national squad. He told me he had known that referees would do all they can to make our team lose the match in last 10 min. The aim was to make the team of organizing country champion. It was not sensible to appoint Azeri referees to conduct the match between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan. Vusal Aliyev and his crew were to have conducted Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan. But it was known in Saturday evening that that match will be conducted by referees conducting Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan match. Azeri referees were appointed to conduct our encounter. The tournament was aimed to aid near hundred children infected with AIDS. I think everything should have been fair in such a goodwill tournament. I expressed my rebukes with the organization to the Kazakh press outletâ€?, he noted.
As for inclusion of 7 foreign players in the team, he stated that team legionaries will be reduced in number soon.
â€œI stated on the first day that the number of legionaries in the national team will not exceed 4. My word is still effective. Alma-TV cup was chance to test all legionaries. We were supposed to choose them. They are candidates to the national teams as local players. To be the candidate to the team doesnâ€™t mean to be included in it. Thatâ€™s why Azeri fans may believe that national squad will not be composed of legionaries onlyâ€?, he said.
Diniyev noted that he is going to name the team members who will play official matches.
â€œI will pick three or four legionaries to the matches against Poland and Finlandâ€?, he said.
As for matches against these teams, Diniyev declined to predict them.
â€œI donâ€™t like to predict. I may be wrong if i say we will beat Poland in the visit match. But I promise fans that we will try to play decently against our rivalsâ€?, he underscored. /APA-Sport/