The Azerbaijan Football Association (AFFA) is considering the establishment of two new youth national teams, specifically for the U12 and U14 age categories.
This information was shared by Aslan Karimov, Head of AFFA’s Coaching Education Department, in a statement to AZERTAC, Idman.biz reports.
Karimov noted that while the creation of both teams is under discussion, he expressed caution regarding the U12 team:
"Forming a team from children still in their development stage, who have not yet fully grasped tactical aspects, could be risky. I believe the U14 option is more suitable. At 12 years old, identifying promising players is difficult. We have often seen that physically weaker or shorter players at this age can significantly improve as they mature. We risk losing talented players if they are overlooked at U12 level. At this stage, focusing on club-level development rather than national team selection would yield better results."
Discussions are ongoing, with the final decision yet to be made.
Idman.biz
