No selector in Azerbaijan for 25 years had such a bad start. The band Fernando Santos first completely disappointed in the League of Nations, in which they lost five out of six gamethat. In the New Year Azerowie entered Two friendly matches – with Haiti and Belarus – and both lost.
Santos's drama in Azerbaijan and bizarre press conferences. So he appealed for support
In both matches, the Azerians were hosts and they presented themselves terribly. They lost 0: 3 from Haiti. In today's match with Belarus, it was also bad, but some excuse is the fact that Fernando Santos He mixed up in the composition. However, this does not change the fact that the hosts lost again – this time 0: 2 – after the goals Pawieły Zaciałina from Sokol Sarans and Mikita Dziemczanka from Dynama Minsk.
In Azerbaijan they are disappointed. And no wonder. After all, this is not the case with a foreign specialist for great money, so that he does not win any of the first eight matches – the only draw in the match against Estonia (0: 0) would probably also be able to win some local coach.
Before today match With Belarus, Fernando Santos appealed for support for the team he compared to … a child.
– I have extensive football experience. The footballer must feel support – from the rulers, coaches, journalists, fans. If there is no support, he is afraid to take a step forward. Errors are a natural part of life. Everyone commits them, me too. But the most important is support. Then the footballer gains confidence. You can't just criticize. I appeal to everyone: support players, even when something goes wrong. After all, the child supports himself not only when he comes out, but also when he is wrong. It is the same with the national team – he explained to journalists, quoted by Azerisport.com.
Fernando Santos one step away? Journalists are no longer hidden
Sounds familiar? And the details that remind you of the style in which Fernando Santos led the Polish national team. At a press conference, after today's match with Belarus, the Portuguese got a question about the performance of the central defender Zwad Alijew, who made a mistake with a lost goal.
– Let's not forget that only 20 years old. These young players must constantly play to gain confidence. We can't give up them right away – said Santos.
This is an understandable approach. The problem is that Alijew is 23 years old, and in two months he will celebrate his 24th birthday.
Journalists simply asked Fernando Santos about whether he was expected to be released. “Do you think that the Portuguese federation would leave as a foreigner who lost seven of eight matches?” – It fell after the match with Belarus. The Portuguese got out of the answer and pointed out that “today the team took a step forward”. He also reminded journalists that … he would not sign a contract with the Azerbaijan Federation if he had not received a contract for three years with the option of extending by a year.
In Azerbaijan they are fed up with Santos. “He didn't know who he staged”
You can probably risk the statement that Fernando Santos will not stay as a Azerbaijan team coach for a long time. The journalists there are no longer inhibiting. This is how Imran Husejnow writes about the Portuguese from Azerisport.com:
“The reason why this defeat does not cause such negative emotions as the loss from Haiti is the eleven, which Fernando Santos staged. She was experimental. It seems that so experimental that the Portuguese probably did not know who he had exposed” – we read.
“In short: Azerbaijan's match was nothing and for nothing. Everything that happened in it, from choosing the starting eleven to the last kick of the ball looked incomprehensible. Yes, sometimes the experiments are good. Only that they have to resist something, on some thought, ideas, or at least a reflection has to result from them. journalist.
“The elimination group for the 2026 World Championships – with Ukraine, Iceland and France – will not even notice us. The French will definitely want to repeat, and maybe even pierce their achievement from 2023, when they won 14: 0 with Gibraltar” – says the black vision of Husejn.
What next with Fernando Santos? For now, he still remains the coach of the Azerbaijan national team. Will it survive to September elimination matches with Iceland and Ukraine? Even if not, he won't have any major problems. Teams that will get on the CV of an experienced coach will be a little more.