CONTRADICTORY RESULT

The performance of the women's volleyball team of Azerbaijan in the world championship held in Italy can hardly be appraised unequivocally. The team displayed a strong will and played on equal terms with very strong competitors and yet was mediocre in the matches with relatively weak opponents. As a result, the Azerbaijani team came 15th in the world championship. This is the worst result of the Azerbaijani women's volleyball players in a world championship. During their first world championship, back in 1994, the team came 10th. After a long break of 12 years the team came 13th in 2006. The Azerbaijani team missed the world championship in 2010. During this tournament the Azerbaijani team's play was very unstable. 

After defeating in the first match three times world champions Japan with the 3:2 score, the Azerbaijani team was then crushed by the Chinese (0:3). With some difficulty our volleyball players overcame Puerto-Rico (3:2) and then again were defeated soundly by Belgians (0:3), placing in doubt their qualification from the round. Yet, a victory over Cuba in the last match (3:1) allowed Azerbaijan to qualify. Here the Azerbaijani volleyball players could only defeat the Croatian team (3:1). They lost to the Dominican Republic (1:3) and Germany (0:3), thus ending their participation in the world championship.

An analysis of the team's performance at the world cup reveals a number of interesting points. Few people expected that the Azerbaijani team will qualify for the second round after it went to the world championship without leaders. This result was a pleasant surprise. Aleksandr Chervyakov stood at the helm of the team because Faiq Qarayev due to health problems could not come to Italy. Yet, everybody knows that Qarayev made practically all decisions concerning the team's play.

Nobody denies the big role of Qarayev in the development of women's volleyball in Azerbaijan. But maybe it is time to invite another coach for the national team. After all, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Qarayev to combine work at the club, the team and the federation.

The tournament in Italy also showed that the Azerbaijani team can play without its main leader, Natalya Mammadova, who had to miss the championship due to an injury. Without Mammadova the team performed in the world championship even better than it did in the last European championship. Her replacement Polina Rahimova showed herself in the best light. The 24 year old naturalized volleyball player with 229 points entered the list of the best scorers of the championship after the first eight matches. In addition, Rahimova also became one of the best receivers in the world championship. Her 18 serves brought points for the Azerbaijani team.

Blocker Kseniya Kovalenko was also among the best players in the tournament.

In the current Azerbaijani team setup had many young players from the national volleyball school. The participation in the world cup of Oksana Kiselyova, Aysa Abdulazimova and Ceyran Aliyeva will definitely influence their careers. Therefore, the representation of the young players in the national team should be a signal for the clubs. In Azerbaijan, only Azerreyl and Azaryol include national volleyball players in the team. The rest of the clubs prefer foreign players in the first team to let, leaving representatives of the Azerbaijani school in reserve.

By taking the 15th place in the tournament the Azerbaijani team surpassed Kazakhstan, Argentina, Canada, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Cameroon, Cuba, Mexico and Tunisia. 

Across all team sports Azerbaijan has managed to take part in the finals of the World Cup only in volleyball. But fans want to see the team capable of fighting on equal terms with strong teams and for this we need to attract a new generation. Veterans must give way to young professionals. By the way, the Parkhomenko sisters, Oksana and Elena, set the first example. After the World Cup they announced the end of their career in the national team and decided to concentrate on performing for their clubs: Azeryol and Iqtisadci.

The majority of the local players remain on the benches in their clubs and this remains a big problem. Therefore, the Volleyball Federation of Azerbaijan must require the clubs to give a chance to young Azerbaijani volleyball players.

Faiq Qarayev in his interviews has repeatedly emphasized Azerbaijan's participation in world cups. Naturally, this is a cause for celebration, but the time has come not to be content with just participation in the world cup. A result is needed now. Work on the future activities must be carried out to achieve this.