Samir Abasov: "The Cup is a stimulus for us"

"You know yourself how we are focused on this tournament. The Cup is a stimulus for us, we see it as hope for ourselves. We have set a goal for ourselves. It is good to win on a difficult away game. But that doesn't mean it's the end. We gave the opponent episodes. We ourselves could have won by a large score. The main thing is that this game motivated us to prepare for the next match as a result, gave us hope. I thank the football players. They also understand the importance of this. That's all. We will go home and prepare for the championship match."

Sport24.az reports that these words were said by the head coach of "Neftchi" Samir Abasov at the press conference held after the 1/4 final stage match of the national cup with "Kapaz".

He also answered questions from journalists.

- "Neftchi" has won 2 games in a row and also does not concede goals. You seem more reliable in defense. What has changed?

- Since I came here, we couldn't get a series. We couldn't find ourselves as a team. I'm not saying we are in an ideal situation now. We just started looking for solutions. I thought that the most ideal game for us is to maintain discipline within. These are not giving the opponent episodes, playing tightly, insuring each other in defense. The best example of this is our meetings against "Sabah" and "Shamakhi". It is possible to include the match we played against "Kapaz" today there as well. We must find a way out.

- Next season, the number of teams in the Premier League was increased, and the legionnaire limit was abolished. What is your attitude to these decisions?

- I spoke about this when it was not being discussed. Even then, journalists gathered, saying that Samir Abasov said such things. As if Samir Abasov was the man who decided the fate of Azerbaijani football. Now such a decision has been made. Yesterday we traveled to Tovuz by train. The same people were talking about it right next to me again. Believe me, I didn't get into these conversations, I didn't think about it. We have so much work to do that we are overwhelmed. Cup meetings, championship games...I have not thought about how these conversations will be, the good and bad sides, and I will not think about it. We will act according to whatever decision is made.