“On the 18th, we will make a final decision regarding the squad. We want new names, young players. They need to start at some point. We need to win the footballer. When we included Rufat Abbasov in the game against Iceland, it was tough for him, but now he has become a key player at Neftchi and is also one of the main players in the national team.”

These words were shared by the national team’s head coach Ayxan Abbasov in an interview with Offsideplus.az.

– You were in Poland two days ago, and now you are in Sumgait. How do you manage to watch all the local footballers?

– (smiling) No, of course, I am not alone – I have assistants. Since the start of the European competitions, including friendly matches, we are trying to watch all the games. Seeing the players live is different. For those living abroad, we try to see what kind of atmosphere they are in. I think our last meeting was more interesting. It was nice to see how much Mahir Emreli is trusted by his club and how they see him as a leading player. It’s our job, and we manage it.

– What can you say about the “Shafa” - “Sabah” match?

– It was an interesting game. Everyone was waiting to see how “Sabah” would perform after a tough away match. We saw that “Sabah” is still one of the best candidates for the championship this season.

– Will new players be called up to the national team?

– Of course, there will be changes. We will make a final decision on the 18th. We want new names, young players. They need to start at some point. We need to win the footballer. When we included Rufat Abbasov in the game against Iceland, it was tough for him, but now he has become a key player at Neftchi and is also one of the main players in the national team. In 2-3 days, we will finalize our selection.

– It is said that Seykhan Farecov and Edgar Adilhanov will be called up to the national team.

– The squad is not confirmed yet, but both players are on our list.