A conversation with Mahir Shukurov, a former footballer of Azerbaijan, to Teleqraf.
- How do you think the removal of the foreign player limit will affect Azerbaijani football?
- What will happen? Bad things! The limit was lifted, but where will our 20-21-year-old players play now? They’ll end up in the First League. After playing there, what kind of progress can we expect from them in the future? All our clubs will bring in unnecessary foreign players, and the brokers will profit.
- Who stands to gain from this?
- Foreign players will be the ones benefiting. None of our local players will win. The only way for locals is to prove themselves and move to foreign clubs. The AFFA will also encourage this. But this is not a solution...
- Can this decision have a positive impact by pushing players to perform better?
- No, it won’t have any positive impact. Our national teams, U15, U16, U17, U19, U21 leagues—how are they doing that the players should be confident? We need to fix youth football, assign proper coaches, and involve veteran players for supervision. Changing the limit won’t help; it benefits the foreigners and the clubs. They’ll bring in a foreigner and won’t play an Azerbaijani player. Next year, when the Azerbaijani player demands more money, they’ll tell him: “Get out, I’ll bring someone else.”
- Will clubs be able to afford additional fees according to the number of foreign players they bring?
- The AFFA will make a lot of money and also take back the 3 million manats they previously allocated to clubs. The AFFA wins, who else? At least back in our day, all clubs had private sponsors. Now, except for 3-4 clubs, the national association funds all the rest. They will give money on one hand and ask for it back based on the number of foreign players.
- What about the increase in the number of teams? Will it have a positive effect on local players?
- It’s good to have 12 teams, but each should have its own sponsor. Why does AFFA assign sponsors to these clubs? Couldn’t they assign a single sponsor to oversee these clubs? There are people with enough money who would like to sponsor a club... But AFFA wants one of their people to be in charge. Why? This is why we’re stuck.
- But why does Qarabag keep progressing?
- Because there’s no one from AFFA there. Am I lying? In all our other clubs, there are federation employees overseeing the money matters. That’s why, after increasing the number of teams to 12, anyone with money and bank guarantees who can supervise a team for a year can be a sponsor. For example, if I want to sponsor a club, why should I have someone from AFFA working with me? This is just empty talk—don’t sit around saying "development is like this" and "development is like that." Let them come and debate with me, let's talk. We can go anywhere and discuss it.
- Will we see you in a role within Azerbaijani football soon?
- Well... Mahir will start soon, he’s still being patient. When I do start talking, they’ll know. I’m also waiting for the right time, like my friend Rafael Agayev. And then, you’ll see me open up and tell everything.
- It seems like you’ve turned your back on football...
- What football? Don’t look at the times when we played, it doesn’t exist now. Take Qarabag as an example: as soon as they stop performing, everyone criticizes them. Isn’t there any other team besides Qarabag? Why don’t you criticize them? Why isn’t there any progress? Qarabag has its own budget, but the others are wasting government money. At least Qarabag is a private sector team spending its own funds, no problem there. But the others are wasting government money and can’t even make it into the group stage. Qarabag advances 3-4 rounds, gets its revenue. But you can’t even develop players for youth football, let alone anything else.
- Other clubs are also eager to compete in Europe. Let’s hope they can replicate these successes soon...
- We won’t see anything. As long as they keep bringing in low-level foreign players, things won’t improve. Neftchi brought in about ten foreign players at the start of the season, and only one or two of them are good.
- You seem frustrated. When will you release all that?
- It’s still too early. I’ve been invited to shows, but I don’t go. If I went, I’d have to talk. I’m not known as a liar. The others might be liars, but I’m not. That’s why I don’t talk. I’m holding back. Imagine if someone promised you a job but didn’t follow through—what would you say? Wouldn’t you call them a liar? If I start saying someone promised but didn’t deliver, they’ll tell me, "Mahir, you didn’t have enough patience."
- When was this promise made to you?
- It was made a long time ago. I’m still in a waiting position. If I talk now, they’ll say I didn’t have enough patience. But even so, they say, “You have to work.” Why shouldn’t I? How long am I supposed to wait?
Idman.biz
