Interview of Murat Dikmen, head coach of "Khazri" basketball club, to Idman.biz website
- The era in the Azerbaijan Basketball League has ended. How do you evaluate the remaining 9 rounds for Khazri?
- I don't think we showed the performance we wanted in the first round. We played "up-and-down" matches and took third place. It could be better. I think we will play better in the second round.
- Many coaches complained about the referees. You are also not satisfied with the representatives of justice. Why do you sometimes get angry with them?
- My criticism of the judges is not related to their decisions. Of course, this is a point related to their education. Most of all, I criticize the fact that their decisions often have a serious impact on the fate of the match. Once they've made a decision, they don't double-check it outside. In the match against Sabah I was seriously upset about it. Because the same referee made the same decision in 3 different matches. I'm freaking out because this has happened so many times already. It is wrong to make a decision without watching the video replay. Unfortunately, they often do not use it. The biggest problem is the lack of communication between education and each other. They do not talk and make decisions in any way.
- You always say that you will become a champion in an ambitious manner. Do you still think so after your performance in the first round?
- If a team and head coach do not have a goal, they cannot succeed in any case. Because everyone works for this goal. I have been saying that we will be champions since the first day I arrived. I have to convince the team and managers about it. It is an ambitious statement. I made this promise because there are 2-3 teams playing for the championship. I know what I am capable of. I believe I will do the same here. When I came to Khazri, I did not make the choice regarding local players. I focused more on the transfer of legionnaires. If I had done it, we would have been more ambitious. But in this way, we will be stronger with a few transfers.
- Who are your main competitors on the way to the championship?
- Sabah, NTD-INDIGO and Neftchi. I think 4 teams are ahead, including us. But Jalilabad is especially dangerous at home. After the recent transfers and the victory over Neftchi, Khirdalan also showed its strength. Ganja plays well in front of the fans and should never be considered weak. I see these clubs as the main candidates for the playoffs.
- Will you root for the first place in the Azerbaijan Cup?
- Because there is a limit of 3 locals and 2 legionnaires in the cup, each club can beat each other. It is necessary to take place in the first 2 rows in the group. Our main fight will be against "Khirdalan" and "Neftchi". Of course, we also want to win the Azerbaijan Cup.
- Is a new transfer expected after the break?
- There is a system that I have been playing for years. I want to apply it here as well. But it takes time. That's why we need to build our system rather than thinking about strengths and weaknesses and we need to instill this in the fans. If I can do that, we'll play better. It will be even better if we strengthen with a local basketball player as the number 3 and 4 players. For the development of local basketball players, the problem of training should be eliminated.
- We talked about local players. Are you satisfied with the level of Azerbaijani basketball players?
- Azerbaijani basketball players playing in the league are very valuable. There are veterans and young people who have lived the life of a legionary. They work too. They will be better in the future. Azerbaijani basketball is developing. Federation works. It supports clubs. The surrounding is also important. There is a hall problem. 2-3 hours of training per day for 1 team is too little. In this way, a good basketball player cannot grow. Conditions should improve. I see this as the biggest drawback. Azerbaijani basketball players should increase their individual work in order to develop themselves. Due to the hall problem, we have less time. They cannot train individually.
Emin Aga
Idman.biz
