Shahin Chatma, the head coach of the Azerbaijani under-15 volleyball team, which won its first victory against Tajikistan (3:0) at the II CIS Games, gave an interview to Sportnet.az.
– You won your first victory in the CIS games. How would you share your impressions?
– Our main goal was not just this game. In order to achieve results in the tournament, we had to win this match. I was not completely satisfied with the team's performance. In fact, the children can play at a higher level. They are just still very excited. They belong to the 13-15 age group and have not yet gotten rid of this excitement. However, I believe that they will cope with this as the match progresses. Our main goal is the upcoming match with Uzbekistan. Because we want to fight for a medal. We may face potential rivals such as Belarus or Russia. Our goal is to win a medal. It can be first place, third place, but we definitely play with the desire to win a medal.
– Are you satisfied with the current form of the team?
– They are very young. We have been working together for about 18 months. For the first time in Azerbaijan after a long time, I see so much importance being given to the development of the youth system. The work done here is not easy, it is often invisible work. Our main goal is to train players for the national team. But if we win a medal in this tournament, it will be doubly joyful for us.
– Which team do you see as the main competitor in this tournament?
– Russia and Belarus are considered strong teams in volleyball. But no match is won without playing. An opponent is an opponent. If you play weakly, he will look strong. If you play well, the opponent's name will not remain.