Former assistant to Abdullah Avcı at Trabzonspor and a long-time coach at Besiktas, Onder Karaveli, has embarked on a business trip to Baku.
Idman.biz reports that known for his previous role as coordinator at the Qarabag Academy (2020-2021), the 50-year-old coach shared insights during an interview with Prosport.Az.
- Welcome back to Azerbaijan. What brings you here this time?
- I’m here to reconnect with old friends I worked with during my time in Azerbaijan, visit Qarabag club, and watch matches in your league. I was very happy working with Qarabag, and I had wonderful days in Azerbaijan. That’s why I’ve come back.
- You worked at Qarabag for 1.5 years. Why didn’t the collaboration last longer?
- The reasons for that are private. As you know, after returning to Turkiye, I worked at Besiktas. However, when I was at Qarabag, we had some very talented players. I’ve been following their progress, and some of them are now playing for the reserves, while others are in the U-19 team. I watch their matches whenever I can. I recently watched the reserve match between Qarabag and Neftchi. I’m planning to watch the reserve match between Qarabag and Sabah this Sunday. Some of the players from my time at Qarabag are still playing. There are also players I developed who now play for Sabah’s U-19 and reserve teams. Qarabag is a very successful team, especially in Europe, thanks to the efforts of Gurban Gurbanov. I had a meeting with him and exchanged ideas. I’ve been closely following the football scene here. I believe that Azerbaijani youth players have great potential. Players like Altay from Sabail, Ilkin from Sabah, and Nihad from Qarabag show promising prospects. They’re all 18 years old now. I’m interested in the development of football here. It’s been three years since I left Azerbaijan."
- How are your relations with Cenk Sumer, the former vice president of Besiktas, now the executive director of Neftchi?
- I worked alongside Cenk Sumer at Besiktas.
- Have you met with him during your visit?
- Yes, he kindly hosted me as a guest when I attended the Neftchi-Qarabagh match. I also met with Emrah Celikel, the CEO of Qarabag, and even traveled with him to Gabala to watch Qarabag’s Cup match. We returned to Baku together after the match.
- In October, Turkish media reported that Abdullah Avci had received an offer from Neftchi. Why didn’t that deal happen?
- It seems that the timing wasn’t right for Abdullah at that point. Neftchi is a club with a rich history and significant value for Azerbaijani football. I’m not the right person to comment on Abdullah’s decision, but perhaps the timing just wasn’t suitable, as we had just parted ways with Trabzonspor.
- You mentioned that you’re here to closely follow Azerbaijani football. However, we’ve been informed that your visit is linked to an invitation from AFFA. Have you met with the AFFA leadership?
- No, I don’t know anyone from AFFA and haven’t had any meetings with them. As I mentioned, my purpose is to observe the Azerbaijani Premier League, Cup, First Division, and academy teams, and to see the changes in Azerbaijani football firsthand. You are correct that I’ve worked with Abdullah Avci and will continue to do so. Since both of us are currently not employed, we must make the most of this time, watching matches and keeping up with developments. I’ve been in Baku since last Tuesday for 11 days. I watched Qarabag’s match against Lyon and plan to watch about 12 matches before returning to Turkiye on Monday.
- Will this report be shared with Abdullah Avci, or is it just for your own reference?
- As I’m currently working with Abdullah, I share the analysis of every match I watch with him. We also watch matches in other countries and cities. We’re a strong team, each of us contributing with information from different areas. Abdullah has several offers, and time will tell which one he chooses. However, without proper information, no progress can be made. Abdullah himself was recently in England, watching matches, and since I’m closer to Azerbaijani football, I wanted to take the opportunity to watch matches and visit my friends.
- Abdullah Avcı was also a candidate for the national team before Canni De Biagio in 2020. Why didn’t that happen?
- I’m not aware of the details from that time, but it’s completely normal that there was interest in him. He’s a coach who has won championships and cups in Turkiye and even won the European Championship with Turkiye U-17 in 2005. However, I don’t believe any work can succeed without understanding the country you’re working in.
- Finally, what changes have you noticed in Azerbaijani football since you worked here?
- I’ve heard that AFFA has been investing in young players, and I’m very pleased about this. It’s extremely important because developing a country’s football starts with developing its youth. I hope more fans will come to the matches because football is most enjoyable with its supporters. I also hope to see better stadiums, which will lead to more exciting games. I believe there will be more focus on the development of local coaches. I’m sure progress is being made in this area. Qarabag is a club worth looking up to. The long-term tenure of a coach there has led to success. If all these elements come together, I believe Azerbaijani football will be in an even better position in the future.
Karaveli’s return to Azerbaijan has sparked speculation about future collaborations, potentially paving the way for further development in the nation’s football landscape.
Idman.biz
