At the first-ever Coaches Forum held in Azerbaijan, FC Qarabag head coach Qurban Qurbanov delivered a candid and wide-ranging address during the panel session titled "The Role of the Head Coach: Leader, Educator, or Manager", AzerNEWS reports.

Reflecting on his journey with FC Qarabag, Qurban Qurbanov admitted that leading the club has profoundly shaped him both professionally and personally.

"Being part of this team has developed me tremendously," he said. "This name has, in a way, made me grow even more and increased my sense of responsibility. Perhaps if I had coached another team, this would not have happened."

He noted that one of his primary missions has always been to ensure players fully understand the weight of the club's name and identity. According to the experienced coach, success is impossible without understanding the cultural and social environment in which one works.

"If my mentality is not aligned with this country, I cannot achieve success. At the same time, I cannot succeed in a country whose mentality I do not understand," he stressed.

"I have always explained to our foreign players that they must understand the name under which they are playing. We also have these discussions with local footballers. They must never forget that we represent Qarabag."

Qurbanov emphasized that character is indispensable in sport:

"Without character, an athlete cannot achieve success. We cannot leave the pitch without fighting," the coach emphasized.

Turning to the profession itself, he described coaching as an extremely demanding vocation:

"If I do not love and respect my profession, I can never become a good coach," Q.Qurbanov added.

In his view, a head coach must embody multiple roles simultaneously:

"I believe a coach must always be a leader, especially in football, where this quality is even more crucial. We are the ones who bear responsibility. The final decisions are always made by the head coach. There is a saying in football: when the team wins, the players win; when it loses, the head coach loses. I have always accepted this approach."

He added that coaches must stand by their players at all times. "We demand, and they execute. Therefore, we must provide maximum support to our footballers," Qurbanov noted, adding that self-improvement should never stop.

"Even after the age of 60, I believe I must continue developing myself. There are details a coach must constantly monitor, and he must also work on himself physically."

Addressing structural challenges in Azerbaijani football, Qurbanov pointed to infrastructure issues as a key obstacle. Recalling a recent training camp in Antalya, he highlighted the stark contrast in conditions.

"We recently traveled to Antalya in Turkiye and saw how excellent the facilities are there. In football, passing is fundamental. If training takes place on a poor-quality pitch, and each player is expected to make around 50 passes, it becomes extremely difficult. Such conditions lower the quality of players and affect them psychologically. In this respect, we lag behind European football. If there are no proper conditions, an athlete cannot develop," he said.

Despite these challenges, Qurbanov remains optimistic about the country's potential.

“We have plenty of talented young people in Azerbaijan. I wish for our country to produce the best specialists — not only in sport, but in all fields," he concluded.