Idman.biz
Footballers invited to the Azerbaijani national team should feel competition.
This was stated by Nadir Nabiyev, president of the Western Regional Football Federation.
The former striker of the national team shared his thoughts on the team's matches in the qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup:
"The only thing that has changed is that there is determination. Everyone is trying to give more than they can under the leadership of Aykhan Abbasov. But this is not enough for the result. The main drawback is the lack of competition. The head coach has difficulty making choices. As a result, he invites footballers who do not see competition and do not play in their clubs. In this case, the national team suffers. Players invited to the team must feel competition," he said in a statement to Report.
He stated that he also hoped for a victory in the previous match with Iceland:
"We were very happy to get a point from Ukraine. Frankly, I didn't expect it. Because the day before the game, Fernandu Santush resigned and Aykhan Abbasov was appointed interim head coach. Of course, we didn't expect anything to change immediately. But the players fought for 90 minutes in the match with Ukraine and won 1 point. After that, we hoped for a victory in the match with Iceland. Unfortunately, our wish did not come true."
The official of the organization said that it is important to give the head coach a chance:
"These games showed that Aykhan Abbasov should also be given a chance in the UEFA Nations League. Change and determination are visible. It turned out that those who wanted a local specialist at the head of the team were not mistaken. I think they will give him a chance. It is also clear from the players' statements that they are in a positive mood."
It should be noted that the Azerbaijan-France match held yesterday at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium ended with a 3:1 victory for the guests.
