The last few days in Azerbaijani football have been chaotic. And this is not about religious sects, even though this topic is frequently brought up lately by those who want to confuse the football community and society. Our point is something else entirely…
The championship race, the interesting rivalry between “Qarabag” and “Sabah”, the full stadiums against this backdrop, the determination of cup finalists, the intense struggle in European competitions and the Premier League, refereeing errors, and finally, Elvin Jafarguliyev… The agenda of Azerbaijani football is hotter than it has been in recent years.
“Elchi” reports that, according to Publika.az, there is a side to this process that was not visible until last week but is now apparent. A few days ago, it became known that “Qarabag” had punished defenders Elvin Jafarguliyev and Abbas Huseynov for indiscipline and sent them to the reserve team.
Abbas’s punishment did not attract much attention. In recent years, his presence or absence was barely felt. Huseynov, who was once considered one of our football’s promising full-backs and was signed by Gurban Gurbanov at a young age, used very little of his potential and qualities. Therefore, Abbas’s punishment did not create as much hype as Elvin’s.
Jafarguliyev, on the other hand, is one of the most talented players in the history of Azerbaijani football. His historic successes and performance in the Champions League are already being discussed beyond the country’s borders. However, Gurban Gurbanov’s problems with him have not ended for many years.
Perhaps the only problem with Elvin is his character. He initially made headlines with his recklessness and indiscipline on the field. He would receive red cards in important games, engage in unnecessary dialogues with referees, and make irresponsible decisions at times. This had a serious impact on the team in terms of results and the struggle on the pitch. However, his qualities on the field, his hard work in training, and his development led Gurbanov to resort to relatively light punishments. Over time, he managed to overcome this problem and began to play more disciplined.
As time passed, Elvin became popular, won awards, and became a fan favorite. The defender, who never made mistakes in his relations with fans and the media and showed respect to those in front of him, this time made headlines for his tendency towards entertainment. All of this was also noted by his head coach, who wanted his development more than anyone else. Gurban Gurbanov had individual conversations with Elvin many times, advising him to stay away from entertainment that is contrary to a professional footballer’s lifestyle and would cause problems for his development and reputation.
However, despite all the conversations, the 25-year-old footballer did not pay much attention to his personal life. He attended entertainment events and did not pay attention to his regimen and health while on vacation. Over time, he became more inclined towards entertainment. The reason for Elvin Jafarguliyev being punished by “Qarabag” along with Abbas Huseynov was precisely this type of entertainment.
It turned out that both footballers participated in a debauched party at one of Baku’s most famous restaurant-hotel venues owned by businessman Sharurlu Isfandiyar. According to the information, there are also photos of the footballers taken at the entertainment venue. Gurban Gurbanov did not forgive this act of theirs. The fact that the players violated disciplinary rules and participated in such a gathering before the team’s match against “Sabah” angered the “Qarabag” management and the experienced coach.
Gurban Gurbanov spoke about Elvin after the match against “Sabah”. Although he was upset, he did not voice negative opinions about his player:
“I stand behind every footballer. It has never happened that I didn’t think about a player’s development, their lifestyle, and their future. I have thought about the future of even the weakest player and have talked to them. I don’t bring this up as an excuse. People have certain stages of life, and at that time, a player must be stronger and have character. Elvin became the player of the round in the Champions League. I always tell the players that one game doesn’t mean your mission is complete. This is “Qarabag” club. You win 1-2 games, and one point hinders you. It doesn’t mean that because I played well in 3 Champions League games, I can be undisciplined in an important match. As for forgiveness, the process is ongoing. Let other clubs understand me correctly; perhaps in some clubs, one can turn a blind eye to something. But if the club’s name is “Qarabag”, we cannot turn a blind eye to this.”
Gurbanov answered the question “Can Elvin Jafarguliyev be forgiven?” as follows:
“I don’t know yet. Up until today, we have been forgiving. We have also walked this path, we have also made mistakes as players, and we have been fined. We have drawn conclusions from this. Players individually do not think about facing such opponents and taking on such a burden, thinking about what important games await us. What is your lifestyle after a defeat? There are many details. It is not the first case; we have fined some players. We will look at the upcoming progress. We have forgiven many footballers until today.”
News is spreading that “Qarabag” has put Elvin Jafarguliyev on the transfer list. According to our information, the club is not rushing in this matter. Although no decision has been made regarding Elvin, it has been confirmed that Abbas Huseynov will leave the Aghdam club. His contract, which expires at the end of the season, will not be renewed.
The matter regarding Elvin has been closed until May. The footballer is at the disposal of the reserve team’s head coach, his former teammate Maksim Medvedev. He is training with the team and will also participate in games. At the end of the season, Jafarguliyev’s fate will be fully clarified.
Finally, let us remind you that Abbas Huseynov is the son-in-law of Gurban Gurbanov’s brother, Musa Gurbanov.