"It's a feeling of excitement, joy, and, to be honest, a bit of disbelief. Starting the season with two teams is like a fairytale – something that seems hard to happen. It's hard enough to lead just one team, let alone two. But thankfully, I had a hardworking staff and a club that supported us every step of the way. And the players did their part to make this fairytale come true." These words were spoken by Adino Mustedanaqiç, head coach of Sabah's U-19 and reserve teams, in an interview with Sport24.az.
The Croatian specialist shared his thoughts on the match against Neftçi - 2, where the fate of the championship for the reserves was decided:
"Of course, the opponent's red card affected the game. We made tactical changes and started the second half very well. I think our pressure, tempo, and determination also influenced this red card. But I must say that we also started the first half well, but Neftçi's free kick shook us a bit. Nevertheless, we still demonstrated our winning spirit worthy of the championship. Now it's time to rest. As always, we need to sit down and talk with the club management. Last year, we participated in a European tournament for the first time and started from the second stage. This year we have to be better."
Mustedanaqiç spoke about the main problems in youth football:
"The priority is given to quantity over quality, and there is a lack of a long-term, complex approach. However, it is necessary to develop all areas in a connected way to create an environment where talents can grow."
It should be noted that Sabah's reserve team became the champion of the Azerbaijan championship. The "Owls" finished the season in first place with 69 points.
The team's head coach, Adino Mustedanaqiç, also led the U-19 team, and that team also became the champion in its league.