Khazar Lankaran FK (Azerbaijani: Xəzər Lənkəran Futbol Klubu) was an Azerbaijani football club based in Lankaran that last played in the Azerbaijan Premier League during the 2015–16 season.
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| Full name | Xəzər Lənkəran Futbol Klubu | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Gəmiçilər (The Shipbuilders) Dəniz piyadaları (The Marines) Ağ-yaşıllar (The Green-whites) | ||
| Founded | 20 April 2004 | ||
| Dissolved | 2016 | ||
| Ground | Lankaran City Stadium, Lankaran, Azerbaijan | ||
| Capacity | 15,500 | ||
| Owner | Armin Rezanezhad | ||
| League | Azerbaijan Premier League | ||
| 2015–16 | 10th (relegated) | ||
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Since the summer of 2016 the club has concentrated on youth football.[1] It played in the Azerbaijan Premier League for twelve-seasons, winning the title once, and the Azerbaijan Cup three times.[2][3] Khazar were also a member of the European Club Association, an organization that replaced the previous G-14 which consists of major football clubs in Europe.
History
editEarly years (2004–2012)
editThe club was founded in 2004 by Azerbaijani entrepreneur Mubariz Mansimov and dubbed by the local media as "Caucasian Chelsea" because of its strong financial position.[4][5] Under Agaselim Mirjavadov club won Premier League title during the 2006–07 season and the Azerbaijan Cup twice. Khazar also won the CIS Cup in 2008, defeating Pakhtakor Tashkent in the final.[6][7]
After Fabian Veldwijk's appointment, a string of Romanian players and footballers were signed from Liga I, but the club did not find success in European cup competition.[8][9] On 4 December 2013, Khazar announced that Veldwijk had been sacked by the club due to a run of poor performances.[10][11]
Recent years (2014–2016)
editIn July 2014, the club under Yunis Huseynov earned their first win in European competition by beating Nõmme Kalju.[12] In March 2015, former Liverpool striker John Toshack was appointed as new manager after signing two-year deal with the club.[13][14] In 2015–16 season, Khazar finished in 12th place, the club's lowest finishing position to date.[15] Khazar Lankaran once again featured in European competitions during the 2015–16 season, featuring in the UEFA Europa League, where they were knocked out 3–0 on aggregate after suffering their heaviest European defeat ever, losing 8–0 to Maccabi Haifa.[16]
Following the Professional Football League of Azerbaijan's decision to deny Khazar a licence for the 2016–17 season, the club announced their withdrawal from professional football.[1]
League and cup history
edit| Season | League | Azerbaijan Cup | Top goalscorer | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div. | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Name | League | |||
| 2004–05 | 1st | 2 | 34 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 68 | 15 | 78 | Semi-finals | Samir Aliyev | 20 | |
| 2005–06 | 1st | 7 | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 27 | 18 | 36 | Semi-finals | Samir Aliyev | 4 | |
| 2006–07 | 1st | 1 | 24 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 50 | 16 | 56 | Winners | Zaur Ramazanov | 20 | |
| 2007–08 | 1st | 4 | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 44 | 16 | 52 | Winners | Zaur Ramazanov | 11 | |
| 2008–09 | 1st | 4 | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 49 | 21 | 50 | Quarter-finals | Ivan Tsvetkov | 15 | |
| 2009–10 | 1st | 4 | 42 | 18 | 17 | 7 | 48 | 25 | 71 | Runners-up | Mario Sergio | 9 | |
| 2010–11 | 1st | 2 | 32 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 38 | 18 | 60 | Winners | Winston Parks | 8 | |
| 2011–12 | 1st | 2 | 32 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 44 | 28 | 59 | Quarter-finals | Branimir Subašić | 6 | |
| 2012–13 | 1st | 8 | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 40 | 37 | 40 | Runners-up | Dimitris Sialmas | 6 | |
| 2013–14 | 1st | 6 | 36 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 44 | 49 | 49 | Semi-finals | Mbilla Etame | 11 | |
| 2014–15 | 1st | 7 | 32 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 35 | 46 | 32 | Quarter-finals | Galin Ivanov | 6 | |
| 2015–16 | 1st | 10 | 36 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 16 | 51 | 15 | Quarter-finals | Rahid Amirguliyev | 4 | |
European history
edit- As of 17 July 2013
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | UEFA Cup | 1Q | FC Nistru Otaci | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | |
| 2007–08 | UEFA Champions League | 1Q | NK Dinamo Zagreb | 1–1 | 1–3 (aet) | 2–4 | |
| 2008–09 | UEFA Cup | 1Q | Lech Poznań | 0–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | |
| 2010–11 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Olimpia | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 (a) | |
| 2011–12 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | |
| 2012–13 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Nõmme Kalju | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | |
| 2Q | Lech Poznań | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | |||
| 2013–14 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Sliema Wanderers | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
| 2Q | Maccabi Haifa | 0–8 | 0–2 | 0–10 |
Crest and colours
editThe club's crest includes stockless anchor with a football ball. The badge shaped like traditional compass with white-green background elements.
Shirt sponsors and kit manufacturers
editKhazar's traditional kit is composed of white shirts, green shorts and white socks. The club's kits are manufactured by Puma and sponsored by Palmali, a multinational shipping company in Istanbul.
Stadium
editFırtınalar Meydanı (Arena of Storms) | |
| Location | Lankaran, Azerbaijan |
|---|---|
| Owner | Khazar Lankaran |
| Operator | Khazar Lankaran |
| Capacity | 15,000 seated |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2005 |
| Opened | 11 August 2006 |
| Construction cost | $15 million |
| Tenants | |
| Khazar Lankaran (2006–present) | |
Khazar Lankaran's home ground is Lankaran City Stadium. It has a capacity of 15,000 and is the third largest stadium in Azerbaijan. The stadium also known as Fırtınalar meydanı (Arena of Storms), named after club's local supporters Fırtına fan group.[17][18]
On 17 July 2009, UEFA approved stadium for the usage during international football matches.[19] The stadium hosted its first senior international match on 5 September 2009, between Azerbaijan and Finland.[20]
Supporters
editKhazar is one of the best supported clubs in Azerbaijan, having the highest attendance after FC Kapaz in the Caucasus region. Supporters of Khazar Lankaran are drawn from all over the Southern Region and beyond, with supporters' clubs all across the world.[21] The club's supporters are also known as the Fırtına(Storm) the first established independent fan club in Azernaijan. Fan club's first president Ravan Bashirov also been appointed as vice- president of Khazar Lankaran FC. .[22][23]
Rivalry
editThere is often a fierce rivalry between the two strongest teams in the Azerbaijan Premier League, and this is particularly the case in Azerbaijan, where the game between Khazar Lankaran and Neftchi Baku is known as Böyük Oyun (The Great Game).[24][25][26]
Honours
editNational
edit- Azerbaijan Premier League
- Winners (1): 2006–07
- Azerbaijan Cup
- Azerbaijan Supercup
- Winners (1): 2013
Regional
editIndividual records
editLists of the players with the most caps and top goalscorers for the club, as of 30 August 2014 (players in bold signifies current Khazar player). Zaur Ramazanov is the club's all-time top scorer with 33 goals in 69 games.[27]
| Player | Period | Appearances | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zaur Ramazanov | 2005–08; 2011 | 69 | 33 |
| 2 | Ivan Tsvetkov | 2008–10 | 50 | 22 |
| 3 | Rahid Amirguliyev | 2006–present | 189 | 20 |
| 4 | Mario Sergio | 2008–10 | 58 | 18 |
| 5 | Oktay Derelioğlu | 2004–05 | 17 | 16 |
| 6 | Branimir Subašić | 2011–13 | 51 | 14 |
| 7 | Rashad Abdullayev | 2004–09 | 116 | 12 |
| 8 | Mbilla Etame | 2013–14 | 35 | 11 |
| 9 | Allan Lalín | 2009–11 | 43 | 11 |
| 10 | Sadio Tounkara | 2011–present | 81 | 11 |
| Player | Period | Caps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahid Amirguliyev | 2006–present | 189 | 20 |
| 2 | Radomir Todorov | 2007–10; 2012–13 | 136 | 1 |
| 3 | Kamran Agayev | 2006–13 | 122 | 0 |
| 4 | Alim Qurbanov | 2004–12 | 121 | 11 |
| 5 | Rashad Abdullayev | 2004–09 | 116 | 12 |
| 6 | Elnur Abdullayev | 2011–present | 109 | 10 |
| 7 | Adrian Scarlatache | 2011; 2012–2015 | 96 | 11 |
| 8 | Sadio Tounkara | 2011–present | 81 | 11 |
| 9 | Adrian Piț | 2011–14 | 75 | 8 |
| 10 | Emin Quliyev | 2005–09 | 70 | 10 |
Notable managers
editThe following managers have all won at least one trophy when in charge of FK Khazar Lankaran:
| Name | Period | Trophies |
|---|---|---|
| Agaselim Mirjavadov | 2007–09 | Azerbaijan Premier League, Azerbaijan Cup (2), CIS Cup |
| Mircea Rednic | 2010–11 | Azerbaijan Cup |
| John Toshack | 2013 | Azerbaijan Supercup |
In popular culture
editA number of television programmes have included references to Khazar Lankaran over the past few decades. In the sitcom Aramizda Galsin, the character Jasarat is a Khazar supporter.[28] Khazar have also featured on several occasions in meykhana.[29][30]
References
edit- ^ a b "Statement of Khazar Lankaran FC". lankaranfc.com. Khazar Lankaran. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ "Хет-трик ХЛ, черный покер Интера". Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ^ Ibrahimov, Erkin. "Xäzär beat İnter to win Azerbaijani Cup". UEFA.
- ^ Наставник сборной Молдавии отрицает переход в "кавказский "Челси" (in Russian)
- ^ Кавказский "Челси": миф или реалность? Archived 13 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
- ^ "Хазар" выиграл Кубок Содружества (in Russian). Trend News Agency. 27 January 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
- ^ Лянкаранский Хазар выиграл Кубок Содружества! (in Russian). Bakililar.az. Archived from the original on 31 January 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
- ^ "Azerii au dat afara toti strainii. Veldwijk, pe faras!". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
- ^ "Probleme mari pentru Veldwijk in "Tara Focurilor"". Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ ХЛ отправляет Редника в отставку. Azerisport.com (in Russian). Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ "ŞOK! ŞOK! ŞOK! Fabian Veldwijk istefa verdi". fanat.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ "Xäzär Länkäran earn maiden European win". UEFA. Uefa.com. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
- ^ Тошак возглавил "Хазар-Ленкорань". Footballtop.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ Джон Тошак возглавил азербайджанский футбольный клуб. ua-football.com (in Russian). 8 March 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ ""Xəzər Lənkəran"a açıq məktub". futbolpress.az (in Azerbaijani). 7 February 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ "Men in Black: an historic 8:0 for Maccabi Haifa against Khazar Lankaran". Maccabi Haifa's Official Site. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ "Fırtınalar meydanı"nda qol şousu Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in Azerbaijani)
- ^ "Fırtınalar meydanı" niyə dolmur... Archived 5 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine (in Azerbaijani)
- ^ Azərbaycan – Finlandiya oyunu Lənkəranda keçiriləcək Archived 19 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine (in Azerbaijani)
- ^ affa.az:Azərbaycan – Finlandiya oyunu Lənkəranda keçiriləcək (in Azerbaijani)
- ^ Khazar Lankaran FC’s Baku Fan Club Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "FIRTINA" Fan Club Archived 1 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Azerbaijani)
- ^ “Xəzər Lənkəran”a zərbə yox, dəstək lazımdır! Archived 1 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine (in Azerbaijani)
- ^ Раиль МЕЛИКОВ: «Это главное дерби Азербайджана и его невозможно сравнить с другим матчем» Archived 1 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine(in Russian)
- ^ “XƏZƏR-LƏNKƏRAN”-"NEFTÇİ" DERBİSİ İTV-dən YAYIMLANACAQ Archived 24 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine(in Azerbaijani)
- ^ pfl.az:50 saat qalmış Archived 11 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine(in Azerbaijani)
- ^ "Azerbaijan Premier League Stats". PFL.az. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
- ^ ""Aramızda qalsın"da "Böyük oyun" həyəcanı – VİDEO". korner.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Xəzər Lənkəran"ın qapıçısından bədahətən meyxana". avropa.info (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Meyxana ustası: "Xəzər Lənkəran"da türk futbolçular çox olmalıdır"". sportarena.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 9 November 2014.
External links
edit- Official website Archived 1 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine