Fuad Niftaliyev appointed head coach of "Sumgayit" U-13 team

Former member of the Azerbaijan national basketball team, Fuad Niftaliyev, has started coaching at the "Sumgayit" club.

The 45-year-old player said this in a statement to "Report".

"I will not play in any team this season. I will not have enough time, as I am currently taking the U-13 team of the "Sumgayit" club to competitions. I am working as a head coach, and we have already played four games. We won three of these matches and lost one. Working with children is still a priority for me," he emphasized.

The experienced basketball player also spoke about the possibility of playing in the Amateur League:

"I had such an idea, but it hasn't worked out yet because the children's competitions overlap. Maybe I will look at this issue again in the future. The Amateur League has just started. There are no offers yet. I can join the amateur championship to stay in shape. I would like to play in the professional championship. But the European Championship for basketball players under 18 will be held in the summer. In particular, the teams in Group B will try to prepare young people for the competition".

F. Niftaliyev also expressed his views on the Azerbaijan Basketball League:

"The favorite of the competition is "Sabah". I think they will be the champion. Because they are much superior to other clubs in terms of squad. There are such high-quality and expensive players there that they are worth as much as the budget of some clubs. In my opinion, the most interesting championship was the season when "Sabah" was a debutant. Because the club did not have expensive players. Then there was competition. Maybe "Absheron Lions" or "Neftchi" can show some resistance. But overall, I think the champion is already known".

It should be noted that Fuad Niftaliyev's last club was "Sumgayit".