SHOWING WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THE GAME

Next month at a friendly with the Serbian team Azerbaijan is taking advantage of the services of a new player. A few months ago, Pavel Pashayev, the full-back from the "Metallurg" club (Zaporozhe [Ukraine]), an Azerbaijani by birth, applied to the Football Federation of Azerbaijan [AFFA] with a request to play in the country's squad. In response to AFFA's enquiry, the Football Federation of Ukraine reported that, although this player had played for Ukraine's junior group teams, he had not joined the national squad.

AFFA also applied to FIFA for permission for Pashayev to join the Azerbaijani squad. After checking his documents the FIFA Players' Status Committee satisfied AFFA's and Pashayev's request for him to change associations. Thus, the player gained the right to play for Azerbaijan's national team.

In June, Azerbaijan's squad is to play two matches. To begin with, there is to be a friendly against the Serbian team and then, within the framework of the knock-out stage for the Euro-2016 championship, the squad is to play an away game against the Norwegian team. Our team's chief coach, Robert Prosinecki, has included Pavel Pashayev among the players invited for the training rounds.

In an interview with Regionplus, Pavel PASHAYEV disclosed his reasons for wishing to play for the Azerbaijan squad and shared his expectations for the games in the training rounds.

- The Ukrainian press writes that you cannot play for Azerbaijan's squad, since you have played in Ukraine's national team twice, although it was in unofficial matches.

- I played in official matches as a member of the U-21 [ junior squad], but I have not played for the Ukrainian national team. As you know, I have expressed the desire to play for the Azerbaijan squad. FIFA has given a positive response to that request. The highest football authority has confirmed that I did not play for the Ukrainian national team.

- Although you were invited to join the Ukrainian squad, you did not manage to get into it. Why weren't you offered the opportunity to play for it?

- I did get an offer, but every time my debut was postponed for some reason. And then they stopped inviting me altogether.

- So, this is the reason you want to join the Azerbaijan squad?

-I would very much like to play for the Azerbaijan team. If they give me the chance, I shall try to justify their hopes. I have watched a few of the matches that the team has played in. You have a very good squad. There are strong players in every line-up. My father is an Azerbaijani. He also wants me to play for the team. Sometimes he even jokes: "Yes, who needs you? We've got better football players in Azerbaijan than you."

- What is your aim in the Azerbaijan squad?

- To play in the main squad, to help the team achieve success. I want to show what I can do in the game. I can talk about it a lot, but if I can prove myself in the game, I will gain trust.

- Won't it be hard for you to play in a weak team?

- I do not think that the Azerbaijan squad is a weak team. At the moment, it is headed by a very good expert. What is more, it does have some strong players. It simply takes some time to form a good team.

- What are they saying to you at "Metallurg" in this connection? You see, if you begin to play for the Azerbaijan squad, you will be regarded a mercenary in Ukraine…

-To be frank, this has not been discussed at the club. But you cannot say that, once I have become a mercenary because I have joined the Azerbaijan squad, I shall be faced with a problem at "Metallurg".

- How are they doing at "Metallurg"?

- We are struggling to gain a high rating on the tournament table. We are trying to move up as much as we can. We have a very good squad. Therefore I think that we are worthy of a higher rating than the one we have at the moment. In some games we were not able to get the result we wanted.

- Which of the matches you played this season was the hardest for you?

- Every match is difficult in its own way. But the hardest and most interesting matches were those against leading teams like "Dnepr", "Shaktyor" and "Dinamo".

- Have you received any offers from Azerbaijani clubs?

- No, I haven't, but anything can happen. At the present time, all my thoughts are focused on my debut in the team. AFFA has put its trust in me. Now I have to justify that trust.

- In June the Azerbaijan squad is to play two difficult matches. To begin with, there is a friendly with the Serbian team, and then a knock-out match with the Norwegian team. What do you think about those games?

- These games will undoubtedly be hard ones. At the present time, the Azerbaijan squad is entering a new stage. The new chief coach wants to form a new team. Some difficulties are bound to arise. We just have to be patient. In the game against Serbia it will be the game itself that is important and not the result. I will only be able to say something about the game against Norway after I have met the chief coach. At the present time, the training rounds have not yet started. I have not yet joined the team.

- Have you been to Baku?

- A very long time ago. But I plan to go there again this summer. My father returned from there quite recently. I like Baku very much. Now the capital has become even more beautiful. I have already received an offer to join the national squad. Now I shall definitely come to Azerbaijan.

- What do you know about Azerbaijan?

- My father often talks about it at home. I know that Baku is preparing for the First European Games. A great deal of attention is focused on sport in Azerbaijan. Many new sports facilities have been erected. My father says that Baku has become an even more attractive city now. I am planning to stay in Baku for some time after the Games. If I play well for the Azerbaijan squad, my father will be very pleased. He is very keen on football.

- If you don't justify the team's hopes, you won't get an invitation to the next games. Have you thought about that?

- Let's not count our chickens before they're hatched. We'll just see what happens. I know that the competition is strong as well. I have to be patient and work tirelessly at the training sessions. Then I'll get the right result.