Sport24.az
RASHAD QASIMOV
What to write, what to say, as the Turks say, who to blame? It's been going on like this for years, and the worst thing is that there's no hope that it will get better. The excuses are over. The tragedy that happened yesterday in Reykjavik, Barcelos... I swear, I can't find the words to convey what I'm thinking to you. If I were to write what I'm thinking here...
Since yesterday, everyone, even AFFA Secretary General Jahangir Farajullayev, is lynching Fernandu Santos, blaming the Portuguese for what happened in Iceland. Yes, I agree, in any case, the head coach is responsible for the result. Perhaps, in Farajullayev's words, he failed to prepare the team for the game against Iceland. But what about the players, those who played in the national team, those who wore the uniform with our emblem? Are they not to blame?
Let's put aside tactics, the system, but what about team spirit, perseverance? It was as if corpses came out on the field in Reykjavik in the name of the Azerbaijani national team (excuse my expression). Emin Mahmudov, who was supposed to be the "conductor" of the team, was crawling like he was in "Neftchi". In defense, the Bahlul-Elvin tandem looked like a headless horseman, the flanks were torn from the game, and it's not worth talking about the attack... If it wasn't for Shahuddin Mahammadaliyev, who conceded 5 goals, we have no doubt that the score would have been higher.
Let's say, again referring to Farajullayev, we fired Santos, what will change? Mahir, Bahlul, Emin came out on the field. Will the new expert teach those wearing the national uniform how to play football from scratch? No, brother, it's impossible. Elvin's, Abbas's, Sabuhi's level is this, and after this age, they will not increase their "baggage". Since yesterday, everyone has been voicing an opinion, trying to put the responsibility for the defeat, the tragic defeat, on someone or some people. Some even say that the players deliberately played badly in order to fire Santos. This is not possible. Such a thing cannot happen in the national team! If this is really the case, there is one name for it: dishonor! Disgracing the country's name in order to fire a coach is the greatest meanness! (Although I wanted to write a heavier word from my heart, I took ethics into account). This will not last more than 40 days.
The way out? There is none. We must accept our fate and psychologically prepare ourselves for the next tragedies, another "Auser tragedy". Abolishing the legionnaire limit? It's empty talk. Almost all of those who appeared yesterday in the stadium whose name I couldn't pronounce or write were players who played in the main squad in their teams...
P.S. When we take the deceased out of the house, we lift them up and put them on the ground 3 times. According to the exclusive information we have obtained, in Iceland, according to tradition, they do it 5 times. For this reason, yesterday in Reykjavik, our team was lifted and put on the ground 5 times.
