Interview by Orkhan Yelchuyev, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Yuri Semin, Honorary Coach of Russia, Master of Sports and Russian champion, became the coach of the Gabala FC (Azerbaijan) in late May 2013. He described football in Azerbaijan and the North Caucasus in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.
- What are the conditions of work in Gabala? Are you happy with the infrastructure?
- The infrastructure is magnificent. I believe any club would envy it. There is a magnificent football school children from all over the district go to, they wear the club’s clothes, arrangements were made for them, and their mood is consistent with it. There are magnificent fields, both natural and synthetic. Concerning our team, we have no problems in Gabala. We live in a nice hotel. We have six fields to train on. The only disappointment is that there are not many spectators watching our matches. Though certain matches are of very-very high level, just as good as in Turkey, but the attendance is very low.
- Is the level of the Azerbaijani championship very different from that of the Russian?
- The Russian level is certainly higher. Clubs in Russia are richer, Azerbaijani clubs are only developing, but they are on the right track because the infrastructure is magnificent in such teams as Baku, Inter, Neftchi, children get a lot of attention. I think the Azerbaijani championship will progress too.
- What position would Gabala be in if it played in the highest league of the Russian championship?
- We will not compare them. We can only talk about it when we play. Gabala played with Nizhny Novgorod and played an even game, and we had no problems. But it is a warm-up match, I believe, when we have an official match, we can talk about the strength of one or the other team.
- Are you used to the conditions? Qabala is located far from the capital.
- Qabala is not the capital but it is a great place. The magnificent fresh highland air, good conditions, amazing hotels, a peaceful place, so I have no problems. I am on good terms with everyone.
- Do you monitor the Russian championship too?
- I monitor the Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian and English championships – we monitor all of them.
- What is the problem with the football crisis in the North Caucasus?
- I think that Terek is quite a strong team and will rise, Anzhi will do its best too. Maybe some of the main decisions were wrong at a certain moment. Football has been there and will remain. Many guys will grow there. North Ossetia has given especially many football players. I suppose North Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria need more attention.
