"The appointment of Aykhan Abbasov as the head coach of the U21 national team is the right choice."
In an interview with AZERTAC, Vagif Sadygov, Chairman of the AFFA Coaches Committee, discussed Aykhan Abbasov’s appointment as the head coach of the Azerbaijan U21 national football team, emphasizing that the 43-year-old coach is deserving of this position, Idman.biz reports.
"Over the past few years, Aykhan has proven himself at the clubs he has worked with. I believe he will be successful with the U21 team as well. Of course, it’s a very challenging job, and he needs support in this endeavor. The main goal here is to send players to the senior national team, but we also need to achieve good results. We should not get our players used to losing. Many of the players who previously worked under head coach Samir Aliyev are now playing for the senior national team."
Sadygov believes that Abbasov’s experience at both Shamakhi and the national team will not cause any difficulties: "In world football, we sometimes see head coaches who work in two places and fail to achieve the desired results. But I am confident that Abbasov will manage this. Perhaps Shamakhi will become the main core of the U21 team in the future. Time will tell. I just hope it will be beneficial for our football."
Former captain of the Azerbaijan national team and Qarabag, Maksim Medvedev, also believes that Aykhan Abbasov’s work with the national team will be successful. He stated, "Whenever the topic comes up, I say that wherever Abbasov goes, he manages to deliver results. His working principles really interest me. This will be his first time working with the national team. The best players are being brought into the U21 team. I think he will form a strong collective. I believe he will be successful. Aykhan Abbasov will bring innovation to the national team with his experience."
The 35-year-old former defender also highlighted that working in two roles may be challenging for Abbasov: "He probably had a conversation with the Shamakhi management about this. Both the club and the national team will support him. The technical staff will also have a significant role to play. Aykhan Abbasov is a coach with high ambitions. He never shies away from any task and is always thinking of new ideas."
The AFFA has signed a two-year contract with Aykhan Abbasov.
Idman.biz
