Vogts losing respect in Baku
Azerbaijan Coach, Berti Vogts, was greeted by his Association President, Rovnag Abdullayev, following Azerbaijan's 2-1 defeat in Kazakhstan, according to a report on the website of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan [AFFA]. The pair met at the Airport Hotel in Baku where the President arrived "to express his displeasure" at the performance in Kazakhstan and "set targets for future matches".
After the meeting the 1974 German World Cup winner declined to give much away about the conversation.
"What were Rovnag Abdullayev and I talking about? I don't think I can make it public," the German coach told a press conference in Baku.
"I can say that he and the vice president are right. It was an emotional conversation. And I can understand them. AFFA and the clubs have invested a great deal in football over recent years. We want something to show for it."
A good display in the Euro-2012 qualifier against Germany on Tuesday appears essential if Vogts is to remain Azerbaijan's coach.
"If that's what AFFA decides, then I'm ready to quit. I can leave for Istanbul right away”, Vogts told the press conference, hinting at the offer he's rumoured to have received from the Turkish Football Federation to coach their national team.
Some of the younger Azerbaijani journalists are running out of patience. At the end of the press conference, a group of journalists presented Vogts with a toilet roll to show "the worth of his three years in charge of the national team", it was also reported.
"I am upset with the defeat in Astana”, Vogts acknowledged at the press conference. “We made two serious errors and missed scoring opportunities as a result. You can't make these errors at international level. I expected more from the players. If we want to win these games, we have to fight for the full 90 minutes."
The victory brought Kazakhstan their first points in the Euro-2012 qualifying campaign.
"I feel shame because my team failed to show what they can do. I feel shame because the team did not fight for the full 90 minutes," Vogts said.
"My work is to share my experience with the young players. They have to show what they've been taught in training but they don't. We haven't seen it. "Why can't the players perform to their full potential with me? I'm wondering about this. But don’t forget who led the Azerbaijani national team to its first away victory," Vogts said, referring to the 2-0 away win in Liechtenstein in a World Cup qualifier in 2009.
"We've got the match with Germany to come. The team is preparing for the home game and we'll try to show what we can do in a game against a strong opponent," Vogts said.
In 2008 Berti Vogt’s recovered from the disappointment of being fired by the Nigerian Football Association to take over the national Coaching role with Azerbaijan for the 2010 World Cup campaign.
Perhaps the appeal of playing his homeland in the World Cup campaign added interest to the position. But it could be short live as Joachim Loew’s side arrive for the return game unbeaten in their 6 matches.
Azerbaijan are also in the same qualifying group are also Russia, Finland, Wales and Liechtenstein.
Now Vogts can only hope their second qualifying home game will produce a surprise result similar to their first Group A match when they beat Guus Hiddink’s Turkey 1-0 in Baku - thanks to Rashad F. Sadygov's 38th-minute strike.
However current form suggests otherwise and in the first leg Vogts endured a miserable return to Germany last September when his team lost 6-1 in Cologne.
If he loses on Tuesday , he may indeed be off to Istanbul to replace Hiddink – who is expected to join Chelsea.
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