Bakhodir Nasimov, former player of Neftchi and currently playing for Samarkand Dinamo in the Uzbekistan Premier League, spoke with QOL.az.
- Bakhodir, how are things going?
- Everything is good, things are going well. I'm playing regularly. Right now, we are in Tashkent for a training camp, and tomorrow (the interview was conducted yesterday) we will head to Dubai for the second part of the camp.
- Let's talk about Uzbekistan football first. Over the years, both sports and football in Uzbekistan have seen significant growth. We see more Uzbek players moving to European clubs, and the transfer of Abdukodir Khusanov to Manchester City created quite a buzz.
- Yes, in recent years, more of our players have been moving to Europe. Khusanov showed himself well in the national team, then performed well at Belarus' Energetik and later at Lens in France. He has incredible speed. He doesn’t hold back on the field and plays aggressively. This is the type of football appreciated in England, so I believe he will do well in the Premier League.
- What are the main goals for Uzbekistan football right now?
- Our main goal now is for the national team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Our team has never participated in a World Cup, but now we have a real chance. God willing, we can achieve this.
- The Sabah club from Baku recently signed 21-year-old Uzbek player Umarali Rakhmonaliyev. What do you think about him?
- There's a physiotherapist named Aziz Salmanov at Sabah. He was with us when I played at Neftchi. When he spoke with Umarali, he asked, “Do you know Aka (referring to me)?" (laughs). Umarali said yes. Later, I spoke with him as well. He's young, talented, and has great potential. He was the captain of the U-21 national team, and I believe he will make a name for himself and progress further.
- Are there any other Uzbek players you would recommend for Azerbaijani clubs?
- We have many good players, but right now, most of them earn good money here. So, I don't think they would consider moving to Azerbaijan.
- So, the salaries in Uzbekistan are better than in Azerbaijan?
- Yes, clubs like Qarabag, Neftchi, and Sabah pay players well in Azerbaijan, especially Qarabag. Although the salaries here are not at the level of Qarabag, the money players earn in Uzbekistan is comparable. I mean, they earn the same amount here.
- What makes Uzbekistan football different that gives you hope to qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
- I believe there are currently 10 players in our national team who live abroad. They are all key members of their clubs and play in every match. The players in Uzbekistan are all main team members as well. On the other hand, in Azerbaijan, I hear the legionary limit was abolished, and next season, clubs might even field 11 foreign players. I think that’s wrong because a player with no game experience can’t perform well for the national team.
- What’s the foreign player limit like in Uzbekistan?
- We have a 6+5 system. This means a maximum of 5 foreign players can be on the field at the same time. I think this is reasonable. If 11 foreigners are playing, where will the local players have a chance to play? And when that happens, it becomes much harder to find good local players for the national team.
- Do you think the removal of the legionary limit will create difficulties for the national team?
- If local players aren’t playing, it will definitely lead to negative outcomes. Everyone knows that foreign players get much higher salaries than locals. The more Azerbaijani players play on the field, the more beneficial it will be for the national team.
- Who do you keep in touch with at Neftchi?
- I sometimes chat with the former club president Sadyg Sadygov on Facebook. I also stay in touch with Tahir Suleymanov, Mirhuseyn Seyidov, and many other players.
- Do you watch Neftchi matches?
- I follow Azerbaijani football, especially Neftchi. I watch almost all the matches of the Azerbaijan Premier League. I saw that Neftchi won their last two matches in the Premier League.
- So you know that the team is currently in 6th place. In previous years, and during your time, Neftchi always aimed for the championship.
- Yes, I know. The team was in 8th place, but now they are gradually improving. It's possible to watch matches of the Azerbaijan Premier League live, so I follow all Neftchi games.
- Would you call your years spent in Azerbaijan the best period of your career?
- I think my career in Azerbaijan was great. Many people tell me that my best football was played in Azerbaijan. I agree. I had many great performances at Neftchi, and we achieved success.
- Your time at Keshla was less successful.
- I didn't play there at all. If you don’t play, you can't really do anything. If you aren’t on the field, people will say you’re a bad player.
- Why didn’t you play?
- I don't know. Maybe I didn’t fit the head coach's (Tarlan Ahmadov) tactics. Every player must search for the reasons for failure within themselves.
- In a previous interview with the Uzbek press, you mentioned that the then president of Keshla, Zaur Akhundov, interfered with the head coach's work, even influencing which players played.
- Yes, sometimes that happened. But I’m not sure if that affected my lack of playing time.
- Did you receive any offers from Azerbaijan after leaving the country?
- No, I didn’t. After leaving Azerbaijan, I played in Iran and South Korea. Now, at 38, it’s unlikely that any Azerbaijani Premier League club would offer me a contract (laughs).
- What do you think is the reason for Neftchi's current poor performance?
- The team brings in 12-13 new players, and after playing one season, they are let go, with the same number of new players brought in again. This cycle keeps repeating itself. As a result, there will be no progress. The club should be properly managed. For example, Qarabag sends away 2-3 players and brings in the same number. Everyone understands each other well on the team. But if you let go of 12 players every year, no progress can be expected. Even if Ronaldo and Messi play there, success is unlikely. Football is a team game, so players must understand each other well. Unfortunately, many don’t get that. Plus, they frequently change the head coach, which is very bad.
- What do you think of Qarabag, which has been consistently chasing the championship for many years?
- Qarabag is currently the strongest team in Azerbaijan. They’ve also proven themselves to be a good team in Europe.
- What is your most memorable match at Neftchi?
- I will never forget our matches with Khazar Lənkəran. They were real derby matches. Those games were called “big football.” I wish we could have such games in Azerbaijan now. They were spectacular matches. I mention them because they were memorable. Neftchi also had unforgettable games in the Europa League. Unfortunately, I was injured. I could have come on in the final moments of the game in Italy against Inter (2:2), but the coaches didn’t risk it. That’s why I focused on the Khazar Lənkəran games.
- How did you leave Neftchi?
- I had an injury. Maybe that’s why they didn’t offer me a new contract, and I left. But I always remember Neftchi with good memories. I want to thank the people working at the club back then, as we were like a family.
- You’re 38 now, and your contract with the club ends this December. What are your future plans?
- Actually, I wanted to retire last year. But my head coach told me that I could play for one more year as my physical form allowed it. So, I extended my contract for another year. My contract will end in December, and I will likely retire. After that, we’ll see. Right now, I am taking coaching courses. I have already completed my C and B licenses. I will start courses for the A license soon.
- Would you like to return to Azerbaijan as a coach?
- I don’t know, but if I study well, work at a good club, and gain experience, I’d like to work in another country.
- Greetings to the fans of Neftchi and Azerbaijan from Uzbekistan. I wish them success. I also wish success to the Azerbaijani national team and hope they show great results.
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