CHAMPIONSHIP COMES OUT OF HIBERNATION

On 14 February the Azerbaijani football championship began the second half of the season, which should provide answers to many questions. This season the list of title contenders is quite long and we can only guess who will come out on top. The clubs are quite close and this is reflected in the table - leaders Inter cannot feel complacent as only three points separate them from third-placed Simurg.

Contenders' chances

The teams spent the winter break strengthening their squads, with varying results. Baki had the most success, signing midfielder Mahmud Qurbanov, who was out of contract with Inter, and defender Sasa Yunisoglu from Poland's Grodzisk. But a skilful transfer policy isn't enough on its own, we have to see the new Baki in action. Inter still remain the top club and the only unbeaten team in the championship this season.

The winter break was a busy time for the Bankers. They reached the semi-final of the Common-wealth Cup in Moscow, losing to Kazakhstan's Aktobe. The tournament highlighted one of Inter's real problems, which had also made itself felt in the first half of the championship season. A disastrous failure to take their shooting chances let the club down time after time. The Bankers need to get this sorted out if they are to retain their place at the top of the table. Though this won't be easy - it's a problem for almost all the premier league clubs and the national team too, which is just back from a training camp in Dubai. 

It will be interesting to see how Xazar-Lankaran play with a new man at the helm, Igor Ponomarev. The 1988 Olympic champion has been brought in to shake up the southerners and bring them back to the top of the table, but this won't be easy. The cup holders are fourth in the table, five points behind Inter. It was after their game against Inter in the first half of the season that all their troubles started for the Lankaraners. After losing 2-4 at home to the Bankers, the team could not get back into their stride before the end of the first half of the season which was the reason for the departure of chief coach Rasim Qara. Now Igor Ponomarev has to put things right for which Xazar will need to win as many points as possible in the second half of the season. The team could not complete their training in Turkey as planned, because heavy rains forced them to change their base. However, the club does have solid reserves, which should help in their forthcoming encounters.

We still don't know what to expect from the revelation of the first half of the season - Simurg. The club from Zaqatala is quite comfortable in third place and not against improving its position, though this won't be easy at all. And although the squad does not have many reserves or star players, its strength is its teamwork. This is what helps Simurg threaten the favourites and steadily pick up points, allowing them to compete for a UEFA spot. If the Zaqatalers can be successful in the second half of the season, they have a chance of winning a European cup place.

Many people are following the situation at Neftci with interest, especially with the major changes in the squad after the arrival of German coach Hans-Jurgen Gede. After he decided he could dispense with the services of Rasad Sadixov, the captain did not hang around and signed for Turkey's Kocaelispor. It's not yet clear how the team are going to add to their game, as the Bakuvians have lost more than they've gained. Defender Elnur Allahverdiyev went to Qarabag, so Gede has come into a tricky situation. But the Oilmen have nowhere to fall back to - after the first half of the season they are ninth in the table and have practically no chance of competing for top spot. In recent years the club has had four trainers - Vlastimil Petrzela took over from Qurban Qurbanov, he was then replaced by Anatoliy Demya-nenko. Now Gede is in charge, but Neftci don't look to have found the winning formula yet. It's not only a question of managers although practice has shown that frequent changes of coach do a club more harm than good, especially changes at such lightning speed. 

Karvan, whose success is linked to Yunis Huseynov, are clearly aware of this. He took the Yevlakh team to the European cups and second and third place in the championship. The team has a chance to shine this season too, as they chase Inter. "I believed in my team and knew who I was signing. We have 25 points and are now sharing fifth and sixth place. You won't believe me, but I'm not pleased. In the first half of the season we deserved to be in the top three. We lost points in games when we really shouldn't have. We will be stronger and more focused in the second half of the season. We want to qualify for Europe this season," the trainer said. 

Praise from Vogts

The chief coach of the national team, Berti Vogts, made the most of the break in the country's championship to assess the readiness of the leading players for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, the next of which will be in Moscow. A training camp was held in Dubai where the team recorded a 1-1 draw in their first training match against Uzbekistan. While results are secondary in these matches, what he saw on the pitch did not do much to encourage the German coach. He was not pleased with the physical condition of the players who did not come to the camp in the best of fitness. 

The match against Uzbekistan was a symbolic 10th for Vogts as national coach. We had plenty of chances to win but in the end could not hold on for victory, conceding an equalizer 10 minutes from the end. This match showed up again one of the squad's problems, their inability to get a result. This is very important, especially in the qualifiers where points matter and help the team up the table. Berti Vogts still has to instil a winning mentality in our players. But the coach did have some praise for his team, saying that we are one of the most disciplined. He singled out naturalized Brazilian Leandro Gomes who was responsible for the opening goal. To be more exact, the South American was fouled in the penalty area and Fabio Luis Ramim scored from the resulting penalty. 

It has to be said that the coach could not get all the players he needed to the training camp - three players did not fly to Dubai for various reasons. They were Captain Rasad Sadixov, who is settling in at Kocaelispor, midfielder Anatoliy Ponomarev and forward Branimir Subasic who is looking for a new club. This is typical of the mid-season break - at this time many players are looking for a new club.

As for the current season, it will be a test of the national side's quality. It is this year that our team will play Russia and Germany, whom we have never been drawn against before in qualification. The forthcoming matches should answer questions about the squad's true potential, as opponents don't come much bigger than these two teams. Of course, we are outsiders in the group along with Liechten-stein. But it's only by playing against strong opposition that footballers can be toughened up. That's the way it is.