“The decision to allow additional foreign players by paying a substantial fee beyond a certain quota will compromise fairness. I strongly believe that criteria should be uniform for everyone. Some teams in the league operate with smaller budgets, while others have larger financial resources. Such changes could significantly disrupt the balance of power,” said Rashad Sadygov, head coach of Zira, in an interview with Sport24.az about the recent discussions regarding the removal of the foreign player limit in Azerbaijani football.
Idman.biz reports that Sadygov emphasized the importance of equal rules for all teams, regardless of their financial situation: “Some clubs may have the resources to bring in additional players, while others face financial constraints. We don’t know the internal dynamics of these decisions. However, I urge that the fees for foreign players remain consistent—whether it’s 15, 14, or 13 thousand, the amount should be the same. Increasing the fees for exceeding the foreign player quota will create a significant gap between teams.”
Sadygov also commented on the proposal to pay 300 AZN for every minute a local player spends on the field: “I haven’t heard about this suggestion. It would require sitting down and discussing it thoroughly. Only after fully understanding the matter can one determine whether paying 100,000 AZN for a foreign player makes sense or not. Financial interests of the clubs will naturally play a role in this. I’m sure considerations and analyses are underway. We don’t analyze things as deeply as they do. That’s why I always say any topic under discussion should be thoroughly evaluated so we can respond appropriately.”
The removal of the foreign player limit is expected to take effect in the upcoming season.
Idman.biz
