By Mark Baber
September 16 – Manchester United have announced a new initiative which will see the club partnering with the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) and supporting a Manchester United Soccer School in Azerbaijan.
The new deal sees AFFA becoming United’s first Official football Federation and Football Development Partner and club sponsor mobile operator Bakcell will collaborate to promote and develop youth football in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani children will learn to play the ‘United Way’ with Soccer Schools coaches trained to teach according to the philosophy developed in Manchester.
United’s Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold said: “This exciting initiative will link the club to a national football federation for the first time. Azerbaijan is a burgeoning football nation and is home to over a million Manchester United followers, so founding this relationship with the help of our friends at Bakcell is a fantastic development.
“Manchester United is synonymous for developing some of the best young talent, and through this new relationship we can help by lending this expertise to a whole new generation of footballers.”
AFFA President, Rovnag Abdullayev said: “The commencement of the Manchester United Soccer School, with the support of Bakcell, in Baku is a pivotal event in the country’s footballing history.
“I hope the work to be done by Manchester United Soccer School in Azerbaijan will have a positive effect in a short time span, and children that study here will be able to contribute to the future of Azerbaijani football.”
Bakcell CEO, Richard Shearer added: “The launch of the Manchester United Soccer School in Azerbaijan, the first in the whole region, is the result of attention paid to the development of children’s football in our country.
“Taking into consideration the interest in football and serious potential of Azerbaijani children, Bakcell – being the people’s mobile operator, is proud to be implementing successful projects, aimed at developing children’s football, and showing that our company will continue to do important work in this direction.”
Football is the most popular sport in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis have a special place in the hearts of English football fans ever since Azerbaijani referee Tofiq Bahramov (better known as the “Russian linesman”) awarded a controversial goal to the national team in the 1966 World Cup final against Germany.
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