"YOUR FOOTBALL IS NOT VERY DEVELOPED"

The former Turkish international and Galatasaray player, Umit Karan, arrived in Baku last week. During his brief visit, the veteran met up with friends and watched the Sumqayit-Qabala Premier League match.

R+ caught up with the celebrated Turkish player before he left for Turkey.

- Are you going back to Turkey already?

- I have to be at the airport in a few hours' time, otherwise I would have had more time for you. I arrived in Baku at the invitation of friends. I also wanted to catch up with what's happening in Azerbaijani football. There isn't a lot of interest in your players in Turkey, because the best of them only play in League One. Clubs in the Super League aren't interested in your players. Unfortunately, there hasn't yet been a player from Azerbaijan who is remembered for playing in the Turkish championship. Azer-baijan is a fraternal country for us, and it would be great if 10 of your players played in the Super League every year. But that's quite difficult.

As regards Baku, I liked it very much. You have beautiful architecture and I can understand why the people of Baku love the Maritime National Park.

- The arrival of a well-known veteran foreign footballer usually sparks a lot of rumours…

- (laughs) The press writes straightaway - has a new coach arrived? Did anyone in Azerbaijan write that?

- Not to my knowledge.

- I would like to make it clear that I came to Baku only because friends insisted. They have been asking me to come for a long time. There was no other reason. I am not planning to work with any of your clubs, nor have I had any offers of this sort. On the other hand, I have fairly stringent demands and not every club would agree to them.

- Players like Oktay Derelioglu and Ahmet Dursun played in the Azerbaijani championship at the end of their careers. They were successful with Xazar-Lankaran…

- Yes, I know. You had coaches like Rasim Kara, Bulent Korkmaz and Mustafa Denizli. Azerbaijan and Turkey are fraternal countries. That's why we feel at home here. Maybe that's what helps us to play better.

- Why can't Azerbaijani players perform in Turkey? Is the difference in standard that strong?

- That's a difficult, but also an easy question. Every player must feel a responsibility. In Turkey, they play mainly in League One and are happy with that. I don't think your players look after themselves. I happened to meet one of them. His contract had expired and he was without a club. I could see he had already put on weight. I don't want to name him, but a player must have self-discipline. When you play in League One you have to train more to get into the Super League.

- What do you know about Azerbaijani football?

- I know that this year two of your clubs qualified for the group stage of the Europa League. I have heard that your club football is quite well developed. But the national team has not been so successful. Friends have told me that there are no problems financially, but compared with the financial support it gets football in Azerbaijan is not that developed.

- You mentioned the Azerbaijani national team. Our team is at its best when it plays Turkey.

- I agree. Azerbaijan has a special motivation when it prepares for a match against Turkey. In their last match in Baku they beat Turkey 1-0. You played well against us. But it's always nice playing against Azerbaijan. You always make us feel at home in Baku and at the stadium.

- What did you think about the Sumqayit-Qabala game you watched?

- It's difficult to say anything specific as I only watched the first half. Some players were clearly overweight. The poor attendance also surprised me, as I thought there would be more. But then, friends had already told me that European games are more popular in Azerbaijan. There was little to choose between the teams on the field, and the standard of play wasn't very high.

- It's already four years now since you ended your career. Why haven't you become a coach?

- At the moment I am commentating. Before that I worked as a sports director. I will take up coaching some day. It's just that I treat my work in a very professional way. First of all, no-one should interfere with my work in any club I join. I must have full control, both of the first team and the younger age groups. When I was with Eskisehirspor we brought on two young talented players and sold them to other clubs for a good price.

- Turkey has done well under several coaches, but the fans have most confidence in their current coach Fatih Terim…

- Fatih Terim is on another level. He is a top-class professional and a man who loves discipline. He achieved a lot of success with Galatasaray and with the national team. He is a coach who knows how to motivate players. After listening to him, a player starts to believe he is the best in the world.

- Azerbaijan has a Croatian coach. A few years ago, the fans wanted to see a Turkish expert in this post. I'd love to hear your opinion. Could a Turkish expert work well with our national team?

- It's harder working with the national team than with a club. Believe me, that is so. Coaches will bear me out. The national team meets several times a year. Well-trained and professional players must be called up. If good players are not chosen, the coach won't get good results. The chief coach of the national side should not be involved with players' education. He must get a strong side together by choosing and attracting the very best. I can't give you any predictions on this score. There aren't many good players in Azerbaijan at the moment. Robert Prosenicki is currently in charge of your national team. He needs time. You can't raise the standard of the team in a few months. If he is given a lot of choice, you will see some good players in the national team.