An interview with Zeynal Zeynalov, the former head coach of our national beach soccer team, for "Sportal.az."
- You worked as the head coach of the Azerbaijani national team for many years. But then you left the team. What was the reason for your departure from the national team?
- The reason for my departure from the national team was the personal principles of Farid Novruzi, the head of the federation, with me. There is no other reason.
- In your opinion, what is the current state of our national team? Has the team improved or weakened further?
- It would not be correct for me to say anything about this. However, the results are obvious.
- When you played for the beach national team, the team seemed stronger and achieved better results. In your opinion, why are we not in Division A and achieving more successful results as before?
- When we played, there were many football players. Therefore, our selection was also large. Now there is a shortage of football players. Moreover, it is excessive. Currently, it is impossible to bring players to beach soccer. Because everyone thinks about the financial side. In addition, since we do not have an indoor venue, beach soccer is played for 3-4 months and then stopped. Since there is no finance, the current football players play in 3-4 places. There are those who work and then come to training. In such a situation, what can you demand from a football player or what effect can you expect? All of these are important factors.
- So, does the current national team promise prospects? In your opinion, why has the interest in the national beach soccer team suddenly decreased? Or was it because the attention was not at the desired level that this happened?
- I repeat, I would not want to say anything because I am not in the national team. But let me say that the national team belongs to all of us. And everyone's duty is to play and work wholeheartedly for the national team. In our time, we always tried to do our best. We demanded this from the football players as well.
- The goal in Group B is to reach Division A. But the team remained in Group B. Will the current team, under the leadership of Sahib Mammadov, be able to return to Division A?
- We built the team from scratch. Hikmat Bagirov, Ilgar Abdulov and myself. In the first year, we did something that no one had done in the history of beach soccer. We brought our national team from Division B to Division A. Moreover, we won 12 games. At that time, only 1 team reached Division A. Despite the injustice of the referees in the final, we won the game and achieved this success. But now, as far as I know, 4 teams have reached Division A. Unfortunately, the Azerbaijani national team is not there.
- Would you like to return to the A national team as head coach? If there is an offer from the federation management, would you return?
- If there is a good offer, if good conditions are created, of course. We are all and always ready to work in the national team.
Idman.biz