2024-05-01 09:33:27
Interview with the Croatian head coach of the Sabah U-19 team Adino Mustedanagić to the website İdman.biz.
– You won the title of champion of Azerbaijan. Was it easy or hard?
– There is diversity in the league, that is, all teams play differently, you need to be attentive and motivated. If you are not 100 percent focused on the match, the game can be lost at any time. Then it will be difficult to restore what was lost.
– Who was your main rival for the gold medals?
– One of the moments that I remember was the first game against Araz-Nakhchivan. We received two red cards in a match that was 1:1. We played well and managed to score a goal at the last second. The games against Gabala, Sabail, Neftchi and Karabakh were very interesting. I’m proud of my team because we got points from all our opponents.
– What do you think, what level do our young players have?
– Azerbaijani football players play very intensely, which is good. The challenge is to maintain this pace for 90 minutes. The talent and performance of football players under 15 years of age are almost at the same level. I will check this again at the tournament in Antalya in May. Then our U-14 and U-15 teams will compete in the tournament with strong opponents from all over the world.
– What are the main problems of children’s football in our country?
– The problem, or rather, the decline in development, begins from the moment when children play with 11 players on a large field. Based on our analysis in Sabah, we have come to this conclusion. Going from 7 players in half the field to 11 players in the entire field sometimes causes someone’s performance to drop. Gradually increasing the number of players and the size of the field can provide such adaptation. For example, playing with 9 players in U-12. This will create the right context for the development of football.
Another problem relates to coaches. Football is a team sport where communication is of paramount importance. It is the ability to solve problems collectively. You are very talented people in individual sports. You won a lot of medals there. Even in futsal there are excellent results. However, in soccer, children’s decision-making ability is compromised because they rely too much on their personality and ball skills to communicate with the team. People usually confuse communication with tactics, but tactics are just a tool to improve your game. Coaches can do more to communicate.
Another problem is decision making. There is more to football than meets the eye. Research shows that more than 80 percent of incorrect passes are due to poor decisions without the coach being able to intervene. We even see coaches make mistakes when telling players what they should do. The coach must remain silent during the game. But he must have the knowledge and skills to convey this to the player. In short, it is worth emphasizing what communication and decision-making skills are included in coaching education, their place in football, and the activity of football is not just about kicking the ball.
– Are there any other disadvantages?
– Due to poor infrastructure, football players play on poor fields, which leads to increased injuries and reduces training time compared to European guys. I don’t agree with what most young footballers eat. Their diet is low in protein and their muscle mass is very low. In terms of character, I feel that the development of a football context for youth is not good. Using these talents means survival of the fittest. Many things are constantly changing, and players unknowingly focus mainly on short-term goals. They prefer to stay in their comfort zone. One of the main tasks of all of us in Azerbaijani football is to put young players in uncomfortable situations and make them get used to difficulties. This can bring development.
– Are there any guys you could recommend to the clubs you will work with in the future in Azerbaijan or other Croatian teams?
– Yes, there are many interesting players in Azerbaijan. Every year we send some of them to Dinamo Zagreb to see how much they have improved and the club is always happy with them. Even if the paperwork had been completed, they would have kept it with their team. As for slightly older children, European clubs pay attention to the games in which they take to the field. Dynamo and other big European clubs have the most players in European leagues and in the national team.
– “Sabah” will represent our country in European competitions. What are you thinking of doing to succeed?
– The presence of the UEFA Youth League adds additional intrigue to the AFFA Youth League. That’s why everyone wants to win this championship. Because everyone wants to play in Europe. We will proudly represent Azerbaijan at its best and I think we are ready for this. Of course, we understand our responsibility. But in fact, for some of our players this will be their first gaming experience in Europe. We want them to show their best.
Now to him
İdman.biz