Turan Tovuz head coach Kurban Berdyev has spoken out about the young football talents in Dagestan and Azerbaijan.

Offsideplus.az reports that the experienced specialist shared his thoughts on the Cappuccino & Catenaccio Show podcast:

"I have simply never seen such talented kids as those in Dagestan. Yes, I am talking specifically about football! Character is embedded in their genetics. I have seen young boys in every district, and Haji Hajiyev knows this well. They are already complete professionals with strong character, regardless of the position they play. It is no coincidence that the world's best wrestlers come from there—it is all down to genetics. I even watched a show once where an Englishman said that if Dagestan fielded three teams at the World Cup, all three would take the top three spots. This is not accidental. When you go out to the beach in the evening, you see a lot of young guys and people my age working out.

I believe this directly correlates with football as well. That is exactly what I am getting at. When I traveled around these small villages, I would scout and recommend some of them. For instance, one of them has now become the top scorer in the Youth Football League (YFL)—I just spotted him in a tiny village and recommended him. And there is a sea of them out there! If Hajiyev builds a system there now, believe me, Dagestan will become the granary of Russian football. A system is needed, and he will build it. This system is required everywhere, including here in Azerbaijan.

Last year, I specifically watched the reserve teams and all the clubs here in Azerbaijan. There are many, truly many talented kids here. This is exactly where we need to ensure that these youngsters do not go to waste."