AZERBAIJANI FOOTBALL SPECIALISTS BELIEVE ABDULLAH GUL’S DECISION TO VISIT ARMENIA TO BE WRONG

TREND News Agency
Sept 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 September/ TrendNews, corr R. Ergun/ Football
specialists of Azerbaijan protest against Turkish Abdullah Gul’s
visit to Armenia to watch match between Armenia and Turkey within the
selection round of the World Cup 2010, said a opinion poll conducted
by TrendNews among football specialists.

Turkish President’s visit to Armenia is not a right move, Rasim
Kara, Turkish specialist and chief coach of Khazar-Lankaran club of
Azerbaijan said to TrendNews.

"Gul decided to go to Armenia after he thought over it for several
days. I think Turkish President’s decision to visit Armenia is a
wrong decision. Generally, FIFA and UEFA should not allow teams of
states with bad relations to clash," said chief coach.

A match of a selection round will be held on 6 September in Yerevan.

Agasalim Mirjavadov, former chief coach of Azerbaijani national
team and football specialist with Shohrat order said to TrendNews
that Turkish President’s visit to Armenia to watch a football match
is wrong.

"It would better for Turkish team to win over Armenian team in
Yerevan. This match could have been held in other country rather than
Armenia. But unfortunately, it is FIFA and EUFA who are dealing with
these issues," Mirjavadov said.

Though Azerbaijani and Armenian teams were included in the same group
within World Cup 2008, later UEFA decided not to hold this match.