Sasha from Shamkir: The Forgotten King of Azerbaijani Football
In the 1990s, when Azerbaijani football was still finding its post-Soviet identity, one man in a small western town dared to dream big. His name was Shahbaz Suleymanov, but everyone knew him simply as Sasha from Shamkir — the man who…
In the 1990s, when Azerbaijani football was still finding its post-Soviet identity, one man in a small western town dared to dream big. His name was Shahbaz Suleymanov, but everyone knew him simply as Sasha from Shamkir — the man who turned a struggling local team into a two-time national champion.
A successful entrepreneur who once ran a cognac factory and maintained business ties with Russia, Suleymanov was known not just for his ambition, but also for his generosity. Players and staff remember him as a man who never hesitated to help, whether it was covering meals, phone bills, or adding a little extra money on good days.
“He had a giving hand,” recalled one former player. “You never had to ask for your salary. Whatever he gave, you were happy with.”
Credits
Words
Fuad Alakbarov