TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - March 2024 Our unbeaten run continues this month as we get wins against Tambov and Shinnik and get a come from behind draw at champions-elect Zenit St Petersburg. We are now in 5th place, teams around us have played different number of games so I don't know exactly where I stand but our run is good, and I think we make it to Europe this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - April 2024 Form continues to be great, as we smash our way up the league. We did lose our last game of the month and the first game I have lost with Krasnodar to CSKA away which to be honest is no disgrace. We now sit in 4th place and we look very good value for a Europa League spot, which is what I was aiming for when I took over the club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - May 2024 May proved no different to the rest of my tenure in charge of Krasnodar as we take get 3 wins from 3. The victory against Akhmat on the final day secured a 4th place finish and Europa League football next season for the club which I am very happy about. CSKA Moscow are crowned champions and Zenit somehow blew their lead to finish 2nd. At the other end of the table Rostov and Tambov are relegated and Arsenal Tula and Shinnik still need to play playoffs. Next season I am unsure of what we can achieve but I think if this season has been anything to judge next season's possibilities by I think we can challenge for the title. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - End of Season 2023/24 Squad Overview Team of the Season All Time Best XI Manager Profile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - Season 2024/25 Betting Odds The odds for the new season are out and we are predicted to finish 2nd. That is hugely encouraging that the bookies think we will be in the mix at the end of the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - Pre Season Friendlies 2024 The friendlies went to plan as we swept the board. Looks like we are ready for the new season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - July & August 2024 We have come into this new season like a wrecking ball smashing everything in front of us. In Europe we faced Swiss side Luzern and Dutch side PEC Zwolle and they both stood no chance, as we went through without conceding a goal to reach the Group Stages of the Europa League. In the league we have beaten everyone we have played so far pretty convincingly including Spartak Moscow. At the moment we sit 2nd by virtue that Akhmat have 1 more point having played one more game than us. Very happy with how we have started proceedings, we look dominant. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - Transfer Window It was a very busy window for us, we lost some key players (they are the ones with the big transfer payments), the worst of all was losing Chernyavskiy, who was a genuine world class centre back for us. We tried to replace and improve the team where we could and below is who we brought in:- Samuel Gigot Mad'iar Kalmykov Diego Maidana Bakyt Musaev Christian Vega Daniil Vasiljev Mikhail Zlobin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - September 2024 September has come and gone and we look like a scary proposition for anyone who wants to play us. Firstly the Europa League got underway and we produced arguably one of the very best European performances of all time as we smashed PSV Eindhoven 8-0 at home, to lead the group after German side Mainz drew with Zurich of Switzerland. There were three league games to negotiate and we beat Akhmat at home who were in second handsomely, then we went away to CSKA, always a difficult proposition and got the win and we managed the same at Yenisey. There is a long way to go in the season and things can still go wrong but we look impeccable at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - October 2024 It's been another good month but we did suffer our first loss, at home to Lokomotiv Moscow in the league. It is perhaps the most undeserved loss I have suffered to date. We completely controlled the game, possession and shots on target, they had two shots and scored both. Sometimes that's just how it goes, but we recover well. We had another league game in month and we beat our old club Tom Tomsk in that one. In the Europa League we beat Mainz and Zurich to take complete control of the group. From this position we should be winning the group and booking our place in the First Knockout Round. In the Russian Cup, we played high flying Akhmat, but came through against them pretty easily. We sit in 2nd place but have played less games than everyone else around us and all things being equal we should be able to take the leadership of the league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - November 2024 Four games this month and every single one of them away from home. We were very good again with some top results here, everyone but Dynamo Moscow got at least 5 goals scored against them. How Dynamo avoided letting us score, may go down as one of the great mysteries. We had about 35 shots to their 2 and the game finished 0-0. We have now qualfied in 1st place from our Europa League group with big wins away at Zurich and PSV. In the league we sit in 2nd place but again the teams around us have played more games so it is a bit of a false position. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - December 2024 December is the last month before the winter break and a few cracks began to show up, perhaps a little bit of weariness in some of the younger players too. There was one bad result in the league and that was drawing at home to Ufa, when we 3-1 up in the game and cruising. Elsewhere we also drew against Zenit in the league away but that is acceptable to me, it is tough to go there and win. We played Zenit also in the Russian Cup and came away with a slender 3-2 win, late goals costing us again as Zenit made the score respectable and gave themselves a very good chance in the 2nd Leg back at their ground. In Europe we beat Mainz, to record a win in every Europa League group game, we have probably reserved our best performances for this competition this season. Now a long a break and to be honest we probably need it at this stage, the wheels were beginning to squeak a little. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - February 2025 We had as bad a month as you can have, got dumped out of the Europa League by Southampton and few days later out of the Russian Cup by Zenit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - Transfer Window PSG are beginning to **** me off the way the snipe off my best talents for the minimum fee release clauses. Again we must bring the best alternatives we can get. Alan Agrba Anton Khokhlov Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - March 2025 March was an auspicious month, we have been consistently behind Akhmat due to the games in hand we have. Well we still have the games in hand but now we are top of the league. We have three games in hand over Akhmat and two over Spartak, CSKA and Zenit. I think at this stage we are big favourites for the league, the harder games this month were Krylja Sovetov away and CSKA at home and we came through both tests. We will see in the coming months if everything continues to look positive. At some point we are going to have colossal pile up of fixtures and it's whether we can manage that properly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - April 2025 It's all over! A perfect month saw us clinch the title in the final game of the month against Lokomotiv Moscow. We cannot be caught now and are Russian Champions!!! It was a long road but in the end it was not really close. The big sides all underperformed generally and we were there to pick up the pieces, we probably would have won most years with the points total we are likely to rack up but it's a great achievement. We made up for a very bad February in April. There is a still one month to go in the league season and it will be our trophy procession from now on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - May 2025 We arguably had our best form in May after we had won the title, as we smashed Akhmat and beat Zenit. I looked back and we won every game between March and May which is an amazing achievement, after such an awful February. We win the title by 17 points, which in a league with only 30 games is a landslide. Spartak Moscow qualify for the Champions League with us, at the other end of the table Sochi and Sibir are relegated and Yenisey and Arsenal Tula will play in playoffs for relegation. Akhmat did make it to Europe this season, so they had a good season for them. Well this title victory now means that next season will likely be my last season at Krasnodar as we have now won the league which our requirement to move to a new country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 FC Krasnodar - End of Season 2024/25 Squad Overview Team of the Season All Time Best XI Manager Profile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - 2025/26 Season Betting Odds We have been made favourites for the coming season to retain our Russian crown. Would be very happy if this were to be true. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - Pre Season Friendlies 2025 All to plan in the friendlies, wins across the board. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - July & August 2025 It has been a decent if not spectacular start to the season. We remain unbeaten in the league, drawing only twice to CSKA away and Spartak Moscow at home. We do sit top of the table however having played one more game than both those sides, and CSKA can go above us with a win in that game in hand. We did lose the Russian Supercup to Zenit at the start of the season which was a shame, but it is really the least of our worries, as there are much bigger fish to fry, in what will likely be our last season at Krasnodar as manager. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - Transfer Window It was a reasonably quiet window, we did not lose anyone that we did not want to lose, and really only sold on B Team and youth talent that I felt were ready to move on, or where we had better options available to us. We did bring a few new faces however. Tomasz Lata Ruslan Tulyakov Roman Brushnikin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - September 2025 A very good month, with two very tough games, but we came through them nicely, beating Zenit in the league and Lyon in the Champions League away in our first proper Champions League game as manager. I think AC Milan and Southampton will be the two teams to watch, as Southampton went all the way in the Europa League to win it, after they knocked us out the First Knockout Round, so they are a good side. We then had a routine win against Rostov before getting through in the Russian Cup against Second Division Rotor Volgograd. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - October 2025 The first thing to discuss is the Champions League where we got a very important home win against Southampton. I thought this would be a crunch game after they knocked us out of the Europa League last season and it was satisfying to get a measure of revenge for last season. We did lose at the San Siro narrowly but that is fine, we look good value at the moment to get through the group if we can perform in the remainder of our home games. In the league we have been impervious, as we racked up wins from all games. Our unbeaten record in the league now stretches back well over 30 games, which is extremely impressive. We top the table by 5 points from CSKA Moscow. We also made it the Russian Cup beating Rostov 2-0, to cap a very good month for us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - November 2025 November has proven to be a great month for us as we rack up wins across the board. In the Champions League we squeaked by AC Milan at home 2-1 and then smashed Lyon at home 5-0 to not only qualify for the next round, but due to the draw between Southampton and Milan, we also confirmed ourselves as group winners, which will help us a lot. In the league we continue to be excellent. The final game of the month against nearest chasing CSKA Moscow and we beat them to go 8 points clear in the league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - December 2025 It's been another good month as we extend our unbeaten league record to 38 games unbeaten. We did draw this month away to Spartak Moscow, but I always see that as a good point in my book. We beat Southampton again this time at St. Mary's, but AC Milan lost away to Lyon, which means that Southampton will join us in the next round of the Champions League. In the Russian Cup, we are well in control of the tie with Lokomotiv Moscow after a 2-0 win. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - Job Offers As this is our last season in Russia, we decided to get ahead of the curve and see if we could agree to join a club at the end of the Russian season, and we have struck a deal with Azeri side Qarabag FK to become their next manager in June 2026. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - February 2026 We have had a good return to competitive football interspersed with fitness boosting friendlies. We had a great performance in the Champions League away to AS Monaco as we came through 2-0, in a rearguard display. You would think with the home leg to come we should be able to make it through to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League. We also got through Lokomotiv Moscow in the Russian Cup, and got a favourable tie against Mordovia from the division below. We have played the away tie of the semi final of the cup and beaten Mordovia 3-0, which means we are pretty much in the Russian Cup Final. At the moment the treble is still on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - March 2026 It's been another good month for us. We managed to come through against AS Monaco 5-0 on aggregate, and that's sets up a very difficult Quarter Final tie against English giants Liverpool. In the league we have been great, wins all around and a draw at Zenit, which I will always take. We are 13 points clear of CSKA Moscow, having played 2 more games than them. It is looking good for a 2nd league title for Krasnodar in back to back years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - April 2026 We have had an absolutely superb month. The first thing to mention is our sensation Quarter Final tie against Liverpool in the Champions League as we beat them 4-1 at home and drew 3-3 at Anfield. This set up a tie against Paris Saint Germain, and it would be tough. We managed to get a win at home, and were very close to getting a two goal lead, before Kai Havertz got a last minute goal to give PSG a much better scoreline at 2-1. But if avoid defeat in Paris, we will qualify for the Champions League Final which will be an amazing acheivement. In the league we have been superb winning every game and we are 2 points now away from winning the league title. Next month could be an historic month for Krasnodar, we will see at the end of it, what silverware we have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - May 2026 We entered the final month of management tenure at Krasnodar, with the opportunity to create history, with three trophies on the line. Before a ball was even kicked, CSKA lost their early game and we were crowned Russian champions for the second year in a row, without needing to kick a football. We then went to Paris, to face a difficult PSG side, with a small advantage in the back pocket. Well things did not go to plan, as they got that first half goal. We kept it tight until half time and then had to go for it and they just picked us off with Mbappe the main beneficiary as they ran out 4-0 winners to win 5-2 on aggregate. We were out of the Champions League at the semi final stage, but I am so proud of what we did in this tournament. The final piece of silverware on the line was the Russian Cup as we faced Spartak Moscow. Interestingly Krasnodar had never won the cup, and had lost their last two finals. Well we rectified any demons of the past as we did a job on Spartak 2-1 to lift the Russian Cup for the first time in our history. The game against Orenburg had some extra significance because by not losing to them we would end the season unbeaten despite the fact we were already unbeaten in something like 45 games anyway. Well our victory meant that we had managed to go the entire league season undefeated, and I think that would be a lovely way to sign off from Krasnodar, having delivered the first Russian Cup, the league for the second year and an invincible Krasnodar side. Next we will be travelling to Azerbaijan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 FC Krasnodar - End of 2025/26 Season Squad Overview Team of the Season Best All Time XI Manager Profile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Final Word on Russia Well it was a fun time in Russia, we managed two clubs in Russia; namely Tom Tomsk and Krasnodar. When we arrived at Tom Tomsk, the club were in trouble and we stabilised the ship and avoid the club getting embroiled in a relegation battle arriving at 11th place finish. The next season we for a part of the season looked like we might win the league, but we fell away at the end, but we did capture the first major trophy in the clubs history in the form of the Russian Cup. The next season I was aiming for another strong challenge to established top sides and hopefully qualify again for Europe and hopefully do well in the Cup again. We were in 4th place, when we got the job offer at Krasnodar, a club with almost unlimited resources, who were having a very bad season. I decided that it was better to jump ship and see if we could bring Krasnodar back to the top of the table. That season we took over, we finish 4th, enough for a Europa League spot. The next season, we had lost some key players but also reinvested in the playing staff and despite the disappointment in Europe of getting knocked out in the First Knockout Round and exiting the Russian Cup we were unstoppable in the league as we captured the Russian League title. The final season was all about seeing what how far we could now extend this side. It culminated in an unbeaten season, capturing the league title again, winning the Russian Cup and being a game away from the Champions League Final as we fell short to Paris Saint Germain. Krasnodar have arrived at the top table of European football. Russia is a pretty tough country to manage in I would say. There are a lot of good sides looking to win the league, with the likes of CSKA, Spartak, Lokomotiv in the Moscow clubs and Zenit St Petersburg, as well the likes of Krylja Sovetov and Akhmat who can put together good seasons. I had managed here before and generally failed in past saves, so it was nice to come here and do well with Tom Tomsk and Krasnodar. Next up we travel to Qarabag in Azerbaijan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK Managerial Appointment We arrive at the Azersun Arena, to take our job as manager of Qarabag FK in Azerbaijan, apparently with quite some fanfare. Not so far this time to travel from Krasnodar to Baku, Azerbaijan. The City of Baku Baku is long attested under the Perso-Arabic name باکو (Bākū). Early Arabic sources also refer to the city as Bākuh and Bākuya, all of which seem to come from a Persian name. Further etymology is unknown. A popular etymology in the 19th century considered it to be derived from Persian بادکوبه (Bâd-kube, meaning "wind-pounded city", a compound of bād, "wind", and kube, which is rooted in the verb کوبیدن kubidan, "to pound", thus referring to a place where wind would be strong and pounding, as is the case of Baku, which is known to experience fierce winter snow storms and harsh winds). This popular name (Badkubə in modern Azerbaijani script) actually gained currency as a nickname for city by the 19th century (e.g., it is used in Akinchi, volume 1, issue 1, p. 1), and is also reflected in the city's modern nickname as the "City of Winds" (Azerbaijani: Küləklər şəhəri). Another and even less probable folk etymology explains the name as deriving from Baghkuy, meaning "God's town". Baga (now بغ bagh) and kuy are the Old Persian words for "god" and "town" respectively; the name Baghkuy may be compared with Baghdād ("God-given") in which dād is the Old Persian word for "give". During Soviet rule, the city was spelled in Cyrillic as "Бакы" in Azerbaijani (while the Russian spelling was and still is "Баку", Bakú). The modern Azerbaijani spelling, which has been using the Latin alphabet since 1991, is Bakı; the shift from the Perso-Arabic letter و (ū) to Cyrillic "ы" and, later, Latin "ı" may be compared to that in other Azerbaijani words (e.g. compare قاپو qāpū in old Perso-Arabic spelling with modern Azerbaijani qapı, "door") or in suffixes, as و was often used to transcribe the vowel harmony in Azerbaijani (which was also the practice in Ottoman Turkish). (See also Azerbaijani alphabet.) Around 100,000 years ago, the territory of modern Baku and Absheron was savanna with rich flora and fauna. Traces of human settlement go back to the Stone age. From the Bronze age there have been rock carvings discovered near Bayil, and a bronze figure of a small fish discovered in the territory of the Old City. These have led some to suggest the existence of a Bronze Age settlement within the city's territory. Near Nardaran, in a place called Umid Gaya, a prehistoric observatory was discovered, where on the rock the images of sun and various constellations are carved together with a primitive astronomic table. Further archeological excavations revealed various prehistoric settlements, native temples, statues and other artifacts within the territory of the modern city and around it. In the 1st century CE, the Romans organized two Caucasian campaigns and reached Baku. Near the city, in Gobustan, Roman inscriptions dating from 84–96 CE were discovered. This is one of the earliest written evidences for Baku. A miniature painting marking the downfall of the Shirvanshahs at the hands of the Safavids. Baku was the realm of the Shirvanshahs during the 8th century CE. The city frequently came under assault of the Khazars and (starting from the 10th century) the Rus. Shirvanshah Akhsitan I built a navy in Baku and successfully repelled another Rus assault in 1170. After a devastating earthquake struck Shamakhi, the capital of Shirvan, Shirvanshah's court moved to Baku in 1191. The Shirvan era greatly influenced Baku and the remainder of what is present-day Azerbaijan. Between the 12th and 14th centuries, massive fortifications were undertaken in Baku and the surrounding towns. The Maiden Tower, the Ramana Tower, the Nardaran Fortress, the Shagan Castle, the Mardakan Castle, the Round Castle and also the famous Sabayil Castle on the island of the Bay of Baku was built during this period. The city walls of Baku were also rebuilt and strengthened. By the early 16th century Baku's wealth and strategic position attracted the focus of its larger neighbors; in the previous two centuries, it was under the rule of the in Iran-centred Kara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu. The fall of the Ak Koyunlu brought the city immediately into the sphere of the newly formed Iranian Safavid dynasty, led by king (shah) Ismail I (r. 1501–1524). Ismail I laid siege to Baku in 1501 and captured it; he allowed the Shirvanshahs to remain in power, under Safavid suzerainty. His successor, king Tahmasp I (r. 1524–1576), completely removed the Shirvanshahs from power, and made Baku a part of the Shirvan province. Baku remained as an integral part of his empire and the successive Iranian dynasties to come for the next centuries, until the irrevocable cession in the first half of the 19th century. The House of Shirvan, who ruled Baku since the 9th century, was extinguished in the course of the Safavid rule. At this time the city was enclosed within the lines of strong walls, which were washed by the sea on one side and protected by a wide trench on land. The Ottomans briefly gained control over Baku as a result of the Ottoman-Safavid War of 1578–1590; by 1607, it was again put under Iranian control. In 1604 Baku fortress was destroyed by Shah Abbas I (r. 1588-1629). Atashgah is a temple built by Indian traders before 1745, west of the Caspian Sea. The inscription inscribed invocation to Lord Shiva in Sanskrit at the Ateshgah. Baku is noted for being a focal point for traders from all across the world during the Early modern period, commerce was active and the area was prosperous. Notably, traders from the Indian subcontinent established themselves in the region. These Indian traders built the Ateshgah of Baku during 17th–18th centuries; the temple was used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Parsi place of worship. In the wake of the demise of the Safavids, the Russians took advantage of the situation and invaded; the Safavids were forced to cede Baku to Russia for a few years. By 1730, the situation had deteriorated for the Russians; the successes of Nader Shah (r. 1736–1747) forced them to make an agreement near Ganja on 10 March 1735, ceding the city and all other conquered territories in the Caucasus back to Iran. The eruption of instability following Nader Shah's death gave rise to the various Caucasian khanates. The semi-autonomous Persian-ruled Baku Khanate was one of these. It was ruled by Mirza Muhammed Khan but soon became a dependency of the much stronger Quba Khanate. During this time, the population of Baku was small (approximately 5,000), and the economy was ruined as a result of constant warfare. From the late 18th century, Imperial Russia switched to a more aggressive geopolitical stance towards its two neighbors and rivals to the south, namely Iran and the Ottoman Empire. In the spring of 1796, by Catherine II’s order, General Valerian Zubov’s troops started a large campaign against Qajar Persia. Zubov had sent 13,000 men to capture Baku, and it was overrun subsequently without any resistance. On 13 June 1796, a Russian flotilla entered Baku Bay, and a garrison of Russian troops was placed inside the city. Later, however, Pavel I ordered the cessation of the campaign and the withdrawal of Russian forces following his predecessor, Catherine the Great's death. In March 1797, the tsarist troops left Baku and the city became part of Qajar Iran again. In 1813, following the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813, Qajar Iran was forced to sign the Treaty of Gulistan with Russia, which provided for the irrevocable cession of Baku and most of Iran's territories in the North Caucasus and South Caucasus to Russia. During the next and final bout of hostilities between the two, the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828, Baku was briefly recaptured by the Iranians. However, militarily superior, the Russians ended this war in a victory as well, and the resulting Treaty of Turkmenchay made its inclusion into the Russian Empire definite. When Baku was occupied by the Russian troops during the war of 1804–13, nearly the entire population of some 8,000 people was ethnic Tat. Drilling for oil began in the mid-1800s, with the first oil well drilled in the Bibi-Heybat suburb of Baku in 1846. It was mechanically drilled, though a number of hand-dug wells predate it. Large-scale oil exploration started in 1872 when Russian imperial authorities auctioned the parcels of oil-rich land around Baku to private investors. The pioneer of oil extracting from the bottom of the sea was Polish geologist Witold Zglenicki. Soon after that Swiss, British, French, Belgian, German, Swedish and American investors appeared in Baku. Among them were the firms of the Nobel brothers together with the family von Börtzell-Szuch (Carl Knut Börtzell, who also owned the Livadia Palace) and the Rothschild family. An industrial oil belt, better known as Black City, was established near Baku. Professor A. V. Williams Jackson of Columbia University wrote in his work From Constantinople to the Home of Omar Khayyam (1911): Baku is a city founded upon oil, for to its inexhaustible founts of naphtha it owes its very existence, its maintenance, its prosperity... At present Baku produces one-fifth of the oil that is used in the world, and the immense output in crude petroleum from this single city far surpasses that in any other district where oil is found. Verily, the words of the Scriptures find illustration here: 'the rock poured me out rivers of oil. Oil is in the air one breathes, in one's nostrils, in one's eyes, in the water of the morning bath (though not in the drinking water, for that is brought in bottles from distant mineral springs), in one's starched linen – everywhere. This is the impression one carries away from Baku, and it is certainly true in the environs. By the beginning of the 20th century, half of the oil sold in international markets was being extracted in Baku. The oil boom contributed to the massive growth of Baku. Between 1856 and 1910 Baku's population grew at a faster rate than that of London, Paris or New York. In 1917, after the October Revolution and amidst the turmoil of World War I and the breakup of the Russian Empire, Baku came under the control of the Baku Commune, which was led by veteran Bolshevik Stepan Shahumyan. Seeking to capitalize on the existing inter-ethnic conflicts, by spring 1918, Bolsheviks inspired and condoned civil warfare in and around Baku. During the infamous March Days, Bolsheviks and Dashnaks seeking to establish control over Baku streets, were faced with armed Azerbaijani groups. The Azerbaijanis suffered a crushing defeat by the united forces of Baku Soviet and were massacred by Dashnak teams in what was called March Days. An estimated 3,000–12,000 Azerbaijanis were killed in their own capital. After the massacre, on 28 May 1918, the Azerbaijani faction of the Transcaucasian Sejm proclaimed the independence of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) in Ganja, thereby becoming the first Muslim-majority democratic and secular republic. The newly independent Azerbaijani republic, being unable to defend the independence of the country on their own, asked the Ottoman Empire for military support in accordance with clause 4 of the treaty between the two countries. Shortly after, Azerbaijani forces, with support of the Ottoman Army of Islam led by Nuru Pasha, started their advance onto Baku, eventually capturing the city from the loose coalition of Bolsheviks, Esers, Dashnaks, Mensheviks and British forces under the command of General Lionel Dunsterville on 15 September 1918. After the Battle of Baku, the Azerbaijani irregular troops, with the tacit support of the Turkish command, conducted four days of pillaging and killing of 10–30,000 of the Armenian residents of Baku. This pogrom was known as the September Days. Shortly after this Baku was proclaimed the new capital of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. With Turkey having lost the war by October 1918 they conducted the Armistice of Mudros with the British which meant Baku was to be evacuated. Headed by General William Thomson, British troops of 5,000 soldiers, including parts of Dunsterforce, arrived in Baku on 17 November. Thomson declared himself military governor of Baku and implemented Martial law on the capital until "the civil power would be strong enough to release the forces from the responsibility to maintain the public order". British forces left before the end of 1919 having felt they had done so. The independence of the Azerbaijani republic was significant but a short-lived chapter. On 28 April 1920, the 11th Red Army invaded Baku and reinstalled the Bolsheviks, making Baku the capital of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. The city underwent many major changes. As a result, Baku played a great role in many branches of Soviet life. Baku was the major oil city of the Soviet Union. Since about 1921, the city was headed by Baku City Executive Committee, commonly known in Russian as Bakgorispolkom. Together with Baku Party Committee (known as the Baksovet), it developed the economic significance of the Caspian metropolis. From 1922 to 1930, Baku was the venue for one of the major Trade fairs of the Soviet Union, serving as a commercial bridgehead to Iran and the Middle East. Baku's growing importance as a major energy hub remained in sight of the major powers. During World War II and the Nazi German invasion of the southwestern Soviet Union, Baku had become of vital strategic importance. In fact, capturing the oil fields of Baku was one of the ultimate goals of Operation Edelweiss, carried out between May and November 1942. However, the German Army's closest approach to Baku was no closer than some 530 kilometres (329 miles) northwest of Baku in November 1942, falling far short of the city's capture before being driven back during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn in mid-December 1942. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Baku embarked on a process of restructuring on a scale unseen in its history. Thousands of buildings from the Soviet period were demolished to make way for a green belt on its shores; parks and gardens were built on the land reclaimed by filling up the beaches of the Baku Bay. Improvements were made in the general cleaning, maintenance, and garbage collection, and these services are now at Western European standards. The city is growing dynamically and developing at full speed on an east-west axis along the shores of the Caspian Sea. Sustainability has become a key factor in future urban development. Baku has wildly varying architecture, ranging from the Old City core to modern buildings and the spacious layout of Baku port. Many of the city's most impressive buildings were built during the early 20th century, when architectural elements of the European styles were combined in eclectic style. Baku has an original and unique appearance, earning it a reputation as the 'Paris of the East'. Baku joined UNESCO's Network of Creative Cities as a Design City on October 31, 2019 on the occasion of World Cities’ Day. The Hamam tradition in Baku is interesting. There are a number of ancient hamams in Baku dating back to the 12th, 14th and 18th centuries. Hamams play a very important role in the architectural appearance of Baku. Teze Bey is the most popular hamam (traditional bath) in Baku. It was built in 1886 in the center of Baku and in 2003 it was fully restored and modernized. Along with its modern amenities, Teze Bey features a swimming pool and architectural details inspired by Oriental, Russian and Finnish baths. Gum Hamam was discovered during archaeological excavations underneath the sand; hence the name: Gum hamam (sand bath). It was built sometime during the 12th–14th centuries. In ancient times Bairamali Hamam was called “Bey Hamam”. The original structure was built sometime during the 12th–14th centuries and was reconstructed in 1881. Agha Mikayil Hamam was constructed in the 18th century by Haji Agha Mikayil on Kichik Gala Street in the Old City (Icherisheher). It is still operating in its ancient setting. The Hamam is open to women on Mondays and Fridays and to men on the other days of the week. Late modern and postmodern architecture began to appear in the early 2000s. With economic development, old buildings such as Atlant House were razed to make way for new ones. Buildings with all-glass shells have appeared around the city, the most prominent examples being the Azerbaijan Tower, Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, Flame Towers, Baku Crystal Hall, Baku White City and SOCAR Tower. These projects also caught the attention of international media as notable programmes such as Discovery Channel's Extreme Engineering did pieces focusing in on changes to the city. The Old City of Baku, also known as the Walled City of Baku, refers to the ancient Baku settlement. Most of the walls and towers, strengthened after the Russian conquest in 1806, survived. This section is picturesque, with its maze of narrow alleys and ancient buildings: the cobbled streets past the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, two caravansaries, the baths and the Juma Mosque (which used to house the Azerbaijan National Carpet and Arts Museum but is now a mosque again). The old town core also has dozens of small mosques, often without any particular sign to distinguish them as such. In 2003, UNESCO placed the Inner City on the List of World Heritage in Danger, citing damage from a November 2000 earthquake, poor conservation as well as "dubious" restoration efforts. In 2009 the Inner City was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The music scene in Baku can be traced back to ancient times and villages of Baku, generally revered as the fountainhead of meykhana and mugham in the Azerbaijan. In recent years, the success of Azerbaijani performers such as AySel, Farid Mammadov, Sabina Babayeva, Safura and Elnur Hüseynov in the Eurovision Song Contest has significantly boosted the profile of Baku's music scene, prompting international attention. Following the victory of Azerbaijan's representative Eldar & Nigar at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, Baku hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. 2005 was a landmark in the development of Azerbaijani jazz in the city. It has been home to legendary jazz musicians like Vagif Mustafazadeh, Aziza Mustafa Zadeh, Rafig Babayev and Rain Sultanov. Among Baku's prominent annual fairs and festivals is Baku International Jazz Festival, which features some of the world's most identifiable jazz names. Baku also has a thriving International Center of Mugham, which is located in Baku Boulevard, Gulustan Palace and Buta Palace, one of the principal performing arts centers and music venues in the city. The majority of Azerbaijan's media companies (including television, newspaper and radio, such as, Azad Azerbaijan TV, Ictimai TV, Lider TV and Region TV) are headquartered in Baku. The films The World Is Not Enough and The Diamond Arm are set in the city, while Amphibian Man includes several scenes filmed in Old City. Out of the city's radio stations, Ictimai Radio, Radio Antenn, Burc FM, Avto FM, ASAN Radio and Lider FM Jazz are some of the more influential competitors with large national audiences. Some of the most influential Baku newspapers include the daily Azadliq, Zaman (The Time), Bakinskiy Rabochiy (Baku Worker), Echo and the English-language Baku Today. Baku is also featured in the video game Battlefield 4. Baku boasts a vibrant nightlife. Many clubs that are open until dawn can be found throughout the city. Clubs with an eastern flavor provide special treats from the cuisine of Azerbaijan along with local music. Western-style clubs target younger, more energetic crowds. Most of the public houses and bars are located near Fountains Square and are usually open until the early hours of the morning. Baku is home to restaurants catering to every cuisine and occasion. Restaurants range from luxurious and expensive to ordinary and affordable. In the Lonely Planet "1000 Ultimate Experiences", Baku placed 8th among the top 10 party cities in the world. Baku has large sections of greenery either preserved by the National Government or designated as green zones. The city, however, continues to lack a green belt development as economic activity pours into the capital, resulting in massive housing projects along the suburbs. Baku Boulevard is a pedestrian promenade that runs parallel to Baku's seafront. The boulevard contains an amusement park, yacht club, musical fountain, statues and monuments. The park is popular with dog-walkers and joggers, and is convenient for tourists. It is adjacent to the newly built International Center of Mugham and the musical fountain. Other prominent parks and gardens include Heydar Aliyev Park, Samad Vurgun Park, Narimanov Park, Alley of Honor and the Fountains Square. The Martyrs' Lane, formerly the Kirov Park, is dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives during the Nagorno-Karabakh War and also to the 137 people killed on Black January. Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex during the 2009 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships Baku hosts a Formula One race on the Baku City Circuit. The first was the 2016 European Grand Prix, with the track going around the old city. The track measures 6.003 km (3.735 mi), and it has been on the Formula One calendar since its 2016 debut. The city will also host three group games and one quarter-final of the UEFA Euro 2020 European Football Championship. Since 2002, Baku has hosted 36 major sporting events and selected to host the 2015 European Games. Baku is also to host the fourth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017. Baku is also one of world's leading chess centres, having produced famous grandmasters like Teimour Radjabov, Vugar Gashimov, Garry Kasparov, Shahriyar Mammadyarov and Rauf Mammadov, as well as the arbiter Faik Hasanov. The city also annually hosts the international tournaments such as Baku Chess Grand Prix, President's Cup, Baku Open and currently bidding to host 42nd Chess Olympiad in 2014. First class sporting facilities were built for the indoor games, including the Palace of Hand Games and Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex. It hosted many sporting events, including FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in 2007 and 2009, 2005 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, 2007 FILA Wrestling World Championships and 2010 European Wrestling Championships, 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships, 2009 Women's Challenge Cup and European Taekwondo Championships in 2007. Since 2011 the city annually hosts WTA tennis event called Baku Cup. The Synergy Baku Cycling Project participates in the Tour d'Azerbaïdjan a 2.2 multi-stage bicycle race on the UCI Europe Tour. Baku made a bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and 2020 Summer Olympics, but failed to become a Candidate City both times. The largest sport hub in the city is Baku Olympic Stadium with 68,700 seating capacity whose construction was completed in 2015. UEFA Europa League Final 2019 was played at the Olympic Stadium in Baku on 29 May 2019 between English sides Chelsea and Arsenal. The city's three main football clubs are Neftchi Baku, Inter Baku and Qarabağ FK of whom first has eight Premier League titles making Neftchi the most successful Azerbaijani football club. Baku also has several football clubs in the premier and regional leagues, including AZAL and Ravan in Premier League. The city's second largest stadium, Tofiq Bahramov Stadium hosts a number of domestic and international competitions and was the main sport centre of the city for a long period until the construction of Baku Olympic Stadium. In the Azerbaijan Women's Volleyball Super League, Baku is represented by Rabita Baku, Azerrail Baku, Lokomotiv Baku and Azeryol Baku. Throughout history the transport system of Baku used the now-defunct horsecars, trams and narrow gauge railways. As of 2011, 1,000 black cabs are ordered by Baku Taxi Company, and as part of a programme originally announced by the Transport Ministry of Azerbaijan, there is a plan to introduce London cabs into Baku. The move was part of £16 million agreement between Manganese Bronze subsidiary LTI Limited and Baku Taxi Company. Local rail transport includes the Baku Funicular and the Baku Metro, a rapid-transit system notable for its art, murals, mosaics and ornate chandeliers. Baku Metro was opened in November 1967 and includes 3 lines and 25 stations at present; 170 million people used Baku Metro over the past five years. In 2008, the Chief of Baku Metro, Taghi Ahmadov, announced plans to construct 41 new stations over the next 17 years. These will serve the new bus complex as well as the international airport. In 2019, the Baku suburban railway opened. BakuCard is a single Smart Card for payment on all types of city transport. The intercity buses and metro use this type of card-based fare-payment system. Baku Railway Station is the terminus for national and international rail links to the city. The Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway, which directly connects Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, began to be constructed in 2007 and opened in 2017. The completed branch will connect Baku with Tbilisi in Georgia, and from there trains will continue to Akhalkalaki, and Kars in Turkey. Sea transport is vital for Baku, as the city is practically surrounded by the Caspian Sea to the east. Shipping services operate regularly from Baku across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnovodsk) in Turkmenistan and to Bandar Anzali and Bandar Nowshar in Iran. The commuter ferries, along with the high-speed catamaran Seabus (Deniz Avtobusu), also form the main connection between the city and the Absheron peninsula. Baku Port was founded in 1902 and since then has been the largest Caspian Sea port. It has six facilities: the main cargo terminal, the container terminal, the ferry terminal, the oil terminal, the passenger terminal and the port fleet terminal. The port's throughput capacity reaches 15 million tons of liquid bulk and up to 10 million tons of dry cargoes. Beginning in 2010, the Baku International Sea Trade Port is being reconstructed. The construction will take place in three stages and will be completed by 2016. The estimated costs are 400 Million US$. From April to November Baku Port is accessible to ships loading cargoes for direct voyages from Western European and Mediterranean ports. The State Road M-1 and the European route E60 are the two main motorway connections between Europe and Azerbaijan. The motorway network around Baku is well developed and is constantly being extended. The Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the only commercial airport serving Baku. The new Baku Cargo Terminal was officially opened in March 2005. It was constructed to be a major cargo hub in the CIS countries and is actually now one of the biggest and most technically advanced in the region. There are also several smaller military airbases near Baku, such as Baku Kala Air Base, intended for private aircraft, helicopters and charters. Qarabag FK History Qarabağ Futbol Klubu, commonly known as Qarabağ (pronounced [ɡɑɾɑbɑ'ɣ]) is an Azerbaijani football club playing in the Azerbaijan Premier League. The club originates from Agdam, a now-ruined ghost town labelled the Hiroshima of Caucasus, but has not played in its hometown since 1993 due to the Nagorno-Karabakh war. The club is now based in the capital city of Baku. Formed in 1987, Qarabağ were founding members of the Azerbaijan Premier League in 1992. One season later, they won their first league championship, becoming the first non-Baku-based club to win the Premier League title. Qarabağ is one of the two teams in Azerbaijan, along with Neftçi PFK which has participated in all Premier League championships so far. Qarabağ plays its matches at the Azersun Arena and Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku, which also serves as the venue for Azerbaijan national team matches. In 2014, the club won the Premier League, their first league title in 21 years. Qarabağ have won the Premier League six times and Azerbaijan Cup six times. Qarabağ became the second Azerbaijani team after Neftçi PFK to advance to the group stage of a European competition, making its first of three consecutive seasons in the UEFA Europa League group stages in 2014–15. Qarabağ is the first Azerbaijani team to advance to the group stage of the higher UEFA Champions League, competing in the 2017–18 season. The club was founded in 1951 as Mehsul after the Aghdam city stadium was built; there then began a serious effort towards the creation of a professional football team. Consequently, Qarabağ FK, playing under the name of Mehsul, took part in the 1966 Azerbaijani championship. That year, the club reached fourth place in the local championship. Qarabağ participated in the local championship for four consecutive years during which second place was their best result (achieved in 1968). After 1968, however, owing to carelessness and a lack of financial support, the team withdrew from the championships for almost ten years. In 1977, the team was reborn under name Shafaq. In 1982 Shafaq was the only representative of Aghdam in football. Between 1982 and 1987, the squad used the name "Cooperative society". In 1988, Qarabağ won the champions title in the Azerbaijan SSR local championship under its current name. On 23 July 1993, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, the city of Agdam was invaded by Armenian armed forces and the team was forced to move from Imarat Stadium to Baku, while the head coach of the team, Allahverdi Bagirov, died in the war. Financial problems plagued the club during the period from 1998 to 2001, and the club went through hard times although it became the first Azerbaijani team to win away from home in a European competition by defeating the Israeli side Maccabi Haifa in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup thanks to a double strike from club legend Mushfig Huseynov. Qarabağ has also represented Azerbaijan in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Cup many times. These problems were alleviated in 2001, when one of the largest holding companies of Azerbaijan, Azersun Holding, starting sponsoring the team. The squad used the name of Qarabag-Azersun for two seasons, but then returned its original name in 2004. Gurban Gurbanov the most successful Azerbaijani manager in European competitions. In 2008, former Azerbaijani football star Gurban Gurbanov was appointed as head coach after the unexpected departure of Rasim Kara to Khazar Lankaran one week before the start of the 2008–09 season. Led by Gurban Gurbanov, Qarabağ have ignored a common strategy in Azerbaijani football: eschewing foreign signings in favour of nurturing local talent. Gurbanov brought with him a tiki-taka style of play, characterised by short passes, long periods of build-up and players interchanging positions. Under Gurbanov, Qarabağ has become one of the most successful Azerbaijani football clubs in Europe (with three consecutive wins) and one which reached the UEFA Europa League play-off-round by beating Rosenborg in the UEFA Europa League, and also eliminated Honka of Finland. The achievements in European competitions marked Gurban Gurbanov as among the most successful Azerbaijani managers ever. In 2010, the club set an Azerbaijani record for the most significant win in a European competition by beating Metalurg Skopje 4–1 in Baku and eliminating Wisła Kraków to reach the play-offs for the second year in succession. In 2011, the club duplicated the same record by beating Banga Gargždai 4–0 in Gargždai. The 2011–12 season ended in disappointing style for Qarabağ, however, as they finished in fourth place, leaving the club without European competition. In 2013, Qarabağ reached Europa League play-off-round for third time in their history. In May 2014, Qarabağ earned its second league title after 21 years. A month later, by beating Red Bull Salzburg, the club became first Azerbaijani side to win in the third round of UEFA Champions League. In August 2014, the club reached Europa League play-off round for the fourth time in last five seasons. In 2014, Qarabağ qualified for the 2014–15 Europa League group stage, becoming the second Azerbaijani team to advance to this stage in a European competition. On 23 October 2014, after defeating Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 1–0, the team became the first Azerbaijani club to win a Europa League group stage match. In 2017, after victory over the Sheriff Tiraspol, Qarabağ qualified for the UEFA Champions League play-off rounds for the first time. In the first leg they recorded a 1–0 victory over Danish side F.C. Copenhagen in Baku. Despite losing 2–1 in the second leg, Qarabağ won on away goals and became the first Azerbaijani team to reach the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. Although a large part of Qarabağ's support is drawn from the local Aghdam population, they remain immensely well supported in the rest of Azerbaijan. This is mainly due to their being the only team to represent the war-torn Nagorno-Karabakh region in the league. The club is a sole remnant of the past and a living symbol of hope and pride for over half a million Azerbaijani internally displaced people. In recent years, thanks to achievements on the pitch, the club has been able to inspire and initiate special youth projects enforcing stability and development in the IDP-settlements near the border of Nagorno-Karabakh. The club have few supporting groups such as Imarat, Qarabağ Ordusu, Boys Qarabağ, and Ladies of Qarabağ. These groups often receive free tickets to Qarabağ's games, which helps Karabakh to have more support from fans. Stadium The Azersun Arena (Azerbaijani: Azərsun Arena) is a football stadium in Yeni Suraxanı, Baku, Azerbaijan, opened in June 2015. The main tenant of the stadium is Qarabağ, who moved from their current home at the Tofig Bahramov Stadium when it was completed. The stadium has a capacity of 5,800 and will be based in Yukhari Surakhani. The stadium opened in 2015. Current Position This last year Qarabag had no problems winning the league, despite having only a caretaker manager in place, we may find it a little easier in Azerbaijan than we did in Russia. The squad obviously looks good for the standard of the league and the two best players are Omar Tsurtsumia and Rati Antidze, incidentally two Georgian players. League Changes We have new leagues to load now. So we unload Estonia, Finland, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan and add Iran and Armenia to Georgia and Russia which will remain loaded. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - June & July 2026 Our first competitive games are under our belt as Qarabag manager as well as a lot of friendlies and everything has been going very well. The main talking point was the Champions League qualifiers where we have to qualify from the very first Qualifying Round. In the first round we played Northern Irish outfit Linfield and beat them handsomely over two legs 11-0. However the next round, I was a little worried as we had to play Malmo FF of Sweden and I would expect them to give us more than a game, especially as I found my feet at Qarabag manager. However to brilliant performances later, we had dumped the Swedish giants out of the Champions League 6-1 on aggregate. We have also had a lot friendlies and performed very well, the only draw being a game against Naft Tehran of Iran. But we have beaten the likes of Hertha Berlin in friendlies which is encouraging for what we might be able to do in Europe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - 2026/27 Season Betting Odds We are favourites for the league this season as I would expect considering the dominance over the past few years in Azerbaijan of Qarabag. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - August 2026 August was a busy month for us as we continued to play in Europe and the Topaz Premyer Liqasi kicked off. In Europe we got a bit of a dream tie as we faced of against old club Dinamo Tbilisi and pitted our wits against our successor Temuri Ketsbaia. Over the two legs not a goal was scored as both games finished 0-0 and eventually we managed to get through on penalties. In the next round we faced Belarussian champions BATE Barysaw. In the first leg at home we managed to get a 3-2 win, a late goal for either side, meaning the game was finely poised but those two away goals for BATE would come back to bite us as we lost 2-1 in Belarus and went on the away goals rule. We do now drop into the Europa League group stages where we have drawn a tough group of Everton, Red Bull Salzburg and Levante. In the league it has been a cakewalk to be honest. With scorelines of 5-0, 5-1 and 8-1, I think there is a bit of a gulf in class, especially when the 8-1 victory came against Qabala our nearest rivals for the league according to the bookies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qabala FK - Transfer Window We did lose Rati Antidze, due to his release clause, but it actually doesn't bother me much we have plenty of cover and we have reinforced the side. Bobal I was okay with letting go, because he is a foreign player and we were reinforcing the backline, so he no longer had a place in the squad, everyone else goes out on loan for first team football. As mentioned we did reinforce the team, the signings are below:- Oleksandr Buza Rasad Azizli Moises Villarroel Tudor Telcean Diogo Roberto Milagres Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - September 2026 Another month in the books and our first group match of the Europa League ended in a narrow defeat to Levante out in Valencia. We picked up our first piece of silverware in emphatic style as we picked up the Azeri Super Cup against Qabala in another destruction, this time 8-0. In the league we have been good, but we just dropped our first points of the season as we drew away to Neftci Baku. We led the game 3-0, but somehow they pulled it back to 3-3 and that is how it ended. Anyway I fully expect at this stage to be lifting the Prmyer Liqasi title at the end of this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - October 2026 Actually not the best month for us as we lost both games in the Europa League which will likely mean we will be going out at the Group Stage, and we lost our ability to score goals at the end of the month despite completely dominating games. We will see if we improve next month. We still lead the league by a fair margin however so at this time, there is no need to start panicking. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - November 2026 A good month for us as we go undefeated across all competitions and get our first win in the Europa League against Red Bull Salzburg, although we are now officially out of Europa League because Red Bull Salzburg and Levante play each other in the final group game and one of them must finish on more than 7 points which is all we can achieve now. In the league we have won all our games but I feel like the rest of the clubs have upped their game a little bit, since we started with the drubbings. The scorelines are closer even if the games aren't stats wise. We now have a very big lead in the league of 14 points to Sabah. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - December 2026 December marks where the winter break begins and it is also where the Milli Futbol Kuboku (Azeri Cup) begins. In the first round we faced Kesla and got through them easily enough, and then in the Quarter Final we faced lower league Samkir, whom we battered 9-0 over two legs to set up a semi final with Nefci over a two legged tie. We had two league games and we won 1 and drew 1. Azeri sides especially in the league have definately adapted to us, putting formations with a back four, two defensive midfielders and two wingbacks at times. No wonder we are having so much of the ball but struggling at times to break teams down. In the Europa League we lost against Everton away 2-0 which ends our involvement in Europe for this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - Transfer Window So the only player to leave was Martin Petrosyan who was surplus to requirements for me and we made some big strides in improving the squad. Sami Zaim Vahid Eftekhari Happy Mashiane Kwesi Opoku Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - February 2027 All games in the league this month and we returned with 3 wins and draw. We did not concede in the whole month. We are now 16 points clear of 2nd place Zira, I think with 9 games to go the title is ours, but can we go undefeated for the 3rd time in our managerial career? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - March 2027 Another month of clean sheets and wins, the final win of the month confirmed us as Azeri champions for the 5th time in row, my first Azeri title. We are 20 points clear in the league with six games left to play. It has not been much of a contest all year, the question remains, will we go undefeated this season? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - April 2027 This month we booked our passage to the Azeri Cup Final by beating Neftci baku over two legs. In the league we were perfect winning all our games. We are two wins wins or draws away from completing our third undefeated season of our career. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - May 2027 The season is over and it ends on a high as we fulfil all our ambitions, as we complete the season with two wins and an unbeaten season. Then we faced Sabail in the Azeri Cup Final and they never stood a chance as we beat them easily 4-0. Not a goal conceded in the final month of the month. We finish on 74 points, that 19 more points that Qarabag won the league with last season. We finish 27 points ahead of Sabah who finish in 2nd place. MOIK are relegated from the divison. A great first season at the club, one we may struggle to better I reckon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Qarabag FK - End of Season 2026/27 Squad Overview Team of the Season All Time Best XI Manager Profile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted January 1, 2020 Author Share Posted January 1, 2020 Qarabag FK - Season 2027/28 Betting Odds We have been made favourites for the league this season at 2-1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerminalPortugal Posted January 1, 2020 Author Share Posted January 1, 2020 Qarabag FK - June & July 2027 It's the start of the new season and the Champions League qualifiers are upon us and we have made it through to the 3rd Round by beating Pristina and FK Astana. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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