Idman.biz
The "Azerrail" men's volleyball club is preparing for the return match in the Champions League qualifying round after a 0:3 defeat against "Radnicki" (Serbia) in Baku.
On the eve of the match to be held in Serbia on October 29, the president of the club, Ramin Azizov, gave an interview to Idman.biz. He spoke about the team's chances and the development of Azerbaijani men's volleyball in general.
- With what mood is the team going to Serbia? After the match you lost 0:3 in Baku, is there any hope for revenge?
- There is always hope! There is nothing impossible in sports - the "Qarabağ" football club proved it to us! I always tell this idea to both our male and female volleyball players: there is always a chance.
Moreover, if we win 3:1 in Serbia, not 3:0, according to the volleyball rules, an additional - "golden set" will be played to determine the winner. That set will last up to 15 points. But a 3:2 victory will not be enough for us - in that case, the Serbian club will advance to the next stage.
- As far as I know, are you also going on a trip to support the team?
- Yes, of course! If no force majeure occurs, I will also go to the return match. I want to be with the club at such a historic moment. Frankly, regardless of the result, this team has already written its name in the history of Azerbaijani volleyball as the first local men's club to compete in the Champions League.
I am proud of this. Moreover, it is gratifying that everyone expects only victory from us. However, we are facing not a simple opponent, but the champion of Serbia!
- Volleyball is perhaps the only sport in which women have been more successful than men. For example, even in handball, both genders are now at about the same level. In your opinion, why did this difference arise in volleyball?
- First of all, let me say that very strong traditions have been formed in Azerbaijani women's volleyball.
- So why haven't there been such traditions in men's volleyball?
- Look, now we are breaking that stereotype (laughs). Our club is already playing in the Champions League, and our national team recently competed in the CIS Games and is preparing for bigger tournaments. I hope that in the near future our male volleyball players will not only catch up with women, but even surpass them. After all, just three years ago there was no men's volleyball club in the country at all!
- How is the development of young volleyball players going in "Azerrail"? Will dependence on legionnaires continue in the coming years?
- In fact, we are no longer relying only on legionnaires. In "Azerrail", both men's and women's teams operate in three age categories - U14, U16 and U18. That is, we are forming the reserve forces of the near future.
- Finally, I would like to ask you one question. You are the president of both the women's and men's teams of the "Azerrail" club. But you are a former taekwondo practitioner, a medalist of world and European championships, and a participant in the 2012 London Olympics. Why do you work in a volleyball club and not in your own sport?
- (Laughs) I didn't switch to playing volleyball. Do you think that only football players should work in the football federation, or, for example, only taekwondo practitioners should work in the taekwondo federation?
A person should work where they can be useful. The main thing is to do the job properly. Those who invited me to this position thought that I could contribute to volleyball. I also realized that this job is for me and I like it.
If today both our women's and men's teams hold the title of Azerbaijani champion, and our club competes in the Champions League, then I am not doing my job badly.
Vugar Vugarli
