Rashad Ergun, sports reporter of Trend
The main term for national football squad to be strong is to organize domestic championship at high level. But there is another important term: if you want to see your country's squad strong, it must comprise more legionaries.
Recently, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics published a list of 100 the strongest football championships. Unfortunately, Azerbaijani Premier League didn't enter 10 of the worst ones. So, the main term due to which country's squad strengthens owing to domestic championship didn't justify itself. Only the second term to hope is left.
Situation of Azerbaijani footballers playing abroad is at poor level. Presently, three squad footballers, including Anatoli Ponomarev, Branimir Subashich and Ilgar Gurbanov play outside Azerbaijan. Master of Azerbaijani squad Rashad Sadigov is on the point of concluding a contract with "Kocaelispor" playing in Turkey's Super League.
Given that presently, world football is represented by transfer of footballers, legionaries, three footballers playing abroad is small figure for Azerbaijan. Moreover, Azerbaijani legionaries didn't take leading positions in their clubs and we must admit that situation isn't very comforting.
But today an interesting tendency is observed in Azerbaijani football. Most footballers, who aren't squad players lost status of leading players last years, try to conclude contracts with teams of Turkey's first league. Presently, three Azerbaijani footballers, including Jakhangir Hasanzade, Farrukh Ismaylov and Ramal Huseynov are examined in Turkey's football clubs.
It isn't surprising old footballers and those unable to play at full potential leave for abroad but squad footballers don't leave Azerbaijan. The matter is after abolition of limit for legionaries in Azerbaijan Premier League, demand for local footballers was reduced. In such a situation only young and strong Azerbaijani footballers can compete with legionaries. But old footballers not being in ideal form see the only way to leave for abroad. So, surprising as it sounds, Azerbaijani football began to "export" needless footballers. This is the only favorable moment for a squad.
Within the framework of selection stage of the World Championship 2010 hard games are expected to take place in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan needs legionaries to win such teams as squads of Germany, Russia, Finland and Wales which legionaries play in different world countries. Otherwise, beat will be inevitable as five, ten, fifteen years ago. This isn't time which was 10-15 years ago. Azerbaijani football must correspond with European football in all its components.
Have any feedback? Contact our journalist at: [email protected]