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Nazim Suleymanov: â€œI was banished from Azerbaijan despite fame

17 May 2007 16:09 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan national football team selector coach Nazim Suleymanov interviewed by APA-Sport

- You have begun the activity in AFFA today with the participation in expert commission meeting. What expressions did first working day make on you?
- Some issues were discussed at the meeting. But there are no facts or appeals yet.
- Do you think expert commission is a late act?
- Yes, it is a late step. But it is the right step forward. We will watch last two rounds of the championship. If there is any appeal, we will discuss it.
- Is there â€œmade-to-orderâ€ games in Azerbaijani championship?
- It is possible to face it in all countries. It is very easy to solve the problem in Azerbaijan. Relevant bodies should work and make decisions together.
- AFFA leadership hasnâ€™t cooperated with you so far. It didnâ€™t offer you to work though you have been jobless for a year. But you were assigned to two posts in same time...
- Football is everything I want. I grew up in football. I was invited to high posts when I played in Russia. But I always rejected offers because I wanted to stay in football. I didnâ€™t leave football though I had no job since May last year.
- Did you reprobate AFFA leadership for your condition that time?
-You know that clubs are owned by individuals and AFFA has no influence here.
- No, I mean AFFA not clubs. How did it happen that AFFA offered you job? Isnâ€™t the association late for cooperation with you?
- If they invited me, It means the team needs me. I am very glad to work in national team because it the team of all Azerbaijan.
- You worked as a selector coach in the national team in 2003. Is there any difference in current post now?
- I played role in transfer of Spartak player Aleksandr Semedov and solution of Emin Guliyevâ€™s problem with Alania. Now I will be engaged in selection again. As far as I know, there are some Azeri players in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. I will try to include them in national team if I like their performance.
- Will you assist to abroad transfer?
- It is not in my authority. But I can help any local footballer to be transferred to a foreign club.
- Russian press says Nazim Suleymanov has been assigned head coach of the national team. Do you thing the chain of events leads to it in the future?
- I wouldnâ€™t say so. I followed plans even when I was unemployed. Every trainer wishes to be a head coach of national team. I was assigned selector coach and I am going to work in this post.
- You stated after the dismissal from Khazar-Lankaran that you offered job from first division teams of Russia. Why did you reject the proposals?
- I have managers in Russia, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania. They advised me not to hurry. I received proposals not only from Russia, but also Lithuania and Kazakhstan.
- Sochiâ€™s FC Jemchujina you used to train once has become professional club now. Do you think to return to the club?
- I discussed the club with Arsen Naydyonov by the phone a week ago. I think Naydyonov leads the formation of the club. If the team has concrete objective, I will be with it. But I have a deal with the national team and I will stay here by December.
- Does it mean you will accept if Jemchujina offers a job?
- I think it is better to work a selector coach than head coach in Jemchujina.
- You were to attend course in Chelsea Football Academy when you were Khazar-Lankaran head coach. Why did you not reaslize the plan?
- Club leadership advised me to be in Fenerbahche. I attended teamâ€™s games for a month.
- Do you plan other courses to improve professional skill?
- I think the experience is gained in work. Besides, I have A category as a coach. I will take exam to get Pro category in Ukraine in September.
- Is it right to say that your activity in Khazar-Lankaran was unsuccessful?
- While analyzing my activity, it becomes clear that it was not unsuccessful. Khazar-Lankaran took sixth place after 8 games. Besides we had one match. If we won that match, we would have took first or second place. I see no unsuccessful activity here.
- There is a saying: good footballers donâ€™t become good coaches. Do you think you will gain fame as a coach as you did as a footballer?
- We played before 38000-40000 people in 1980s. I did everything I could to gain the fame. But I was banished from Azerbaijan. I didnâ€™t lose play even in Russia. Now i want to become famous as a coach in motherland, not in a foreign country.
- Where should European championship qualifying match between Azerbaijan and Armenia be played?
- Only in neutral fields. I am against Armenian teamâ€™s visit to Baku.
- What shortcomings are there in national team?
- The players lack experience. But i donâ€™t want to blame only them. I even blame myself for the results because it is trainer who prepares footballer.
- Two teams are main candidates to win gold medals of national championship. Which one deserves it more: Neftchi or Khazar-Lankaran?
- Both are familiar for me. I donâ€™t sympathize with Khazar-Lankaran though I was a creator and head coach of the team. Let the stronger win. /APA-Sport/