Mirjalol Kushakovich Qosimov (Uzbek: Mirjalol Qoʻshoqovich Qosimov, Russian: Мирджалол Кушакович Касымов; in English also: Mirdjalal Kasimov or Kasymov) (born 17 September 1970) is a former head coach of the Uzbekistan national football team. He also played for the national team as a playmaker in midfield. Qosimov is currently the manager of AGMK.

Mirjalol Qosimov
Personal information
Full name Mirjalol Kushakovich Qosimov
Date of birth (1970-09-17) 17 September 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+12 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
AGMK (manager)
Youth career
Pakhtakor Tashkent
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986 FShM Moscow 1 (0)
1987–1988 Pakhtakor Tashkent 22 (1)
1988 Dinamo Minsk 1 (0)
1988–1991 Pakhtakor Tashkent 96 (12)
1992 Spartak Vladikavkaz 25 (3)
1993 Pakhtakor Tashkent 21 (12)
1994–1996 Alania Vladikavkaz 64 (25)
1997–1999 Pakhtakor Tashkent 33 (28)
1999 Alania Vladikavkaz 12 (2)
2000–2001 Krylia Sovetov Samara 45 (6)
2002 Al-Shabab Dubai (4)
2002–2003 Pakhtakor Tashkent 21 (12)
2003–2004 Alania Vladikavkaz 24 (3)
2005 Mash'al Mubarek 21 (6)
International career
1986–1987 Soviet Union U18 31 (3)
1990–1991 Soviet Union U21 3 (0)
1992–2005 Uzbekistan 67 (31)
Managerial career
2007–2008 Bunyodkor
2008–2010 Uzbekistan
2010–2014 Bunyodkor
2012–2015 Uzbekistan
2017–2018 Bunyodkor
2019– AGMK
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Qosimov finished his career in 2005 with Mash'al Mubarek, which plays in Uzbek League (Uzbek: O'zbekiston Oliy Ligasi). He played a vital role in Mash'al becoming runners-up during the 2005 Uzbek national football club championship, which was the club's best ever finish. 2005 he decided to finish his career. Kasimov previously starred for Pakhtakor Tashkent and Alania Vladikavkaz in Russia. With 210 goals in his playing career, he is a member of Club 200 of Berador Abduraimov and Gennadi Krasnitsky club. He is one of the most successful and famous players of Uzbek football of the modern period.

Qosimov was the first Uzbekistani and the second Asian player after South Korean Cha Bum-Kun to have scored in UEFA competitions, UEFA Cup. On 12 September 1995, in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup, he scored for Alania against Liverpool.[1]

International career

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In 1987, Qosimov got his first international experience as a member of the Soviet U-17 football team and won with the national USSR team the FIFA U-16 championship in Canada, becoming one of the rising stars of the tournament.[2] One year later, 1988 Mirdjalol with USSR U-18 won the European U-18 Football championship title[3]

In 1994 Uzbekistan won the Asian Games and he was selected as the best midfield player in Asia; in 1993, 1998, 2001 and 2004 he was named the best football player in Uzbekistan. Kasimov captained the Uzbek national team for a long time in the 2000s. His last international match in the national team was against the Bahrain national football team in the World Cup 2006 qualifiers in Tashkent.

He played his final match in professional football on 2 June 2007 at MHSK Stadium in Tashkent against a combined team of European and Asian stars. The match brought together famous players such as Iranian Ali Daei, his counterpart Alireza Mansurian, and ex-Qatar international Mubarak Mustapha, his former trainer from Alania, Valeri Gazzaev, Russian footballers Viktor Onopko and Andrei Karyaka.[4] It was the last match in his bright career that lasted more than 20 years and 67 appearances in the uniform of the national team and 31 goals.[5]

Managing career

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He started his trainer career as coach of Mash'al Mubarek, his last player station, where he retired as player. In 2006, he became co-trainer to Rauf Inileev of the Uzbekistan national and Uzbekistan Olympic football team. In December 2007 Kasymov was appointed as coach of Bunyodkor.[6] In 2008, he managed to bring his club to the semi-final of the AFC Champions League in the club's first appearance in this tournament, which is considered to be the best international performance of Bunyodkor's history actually. Bunyodkor won in quarterfinal of tournament in two leg matches Saipa. On 25 September 2008 Brazilian legend, Zico was appointed as the new coach of Bunyodkor, Kasimov remained adviser-coach at club side.

On 16 September 2008, he became head coach of the Uzbekistan national football team for the qualification stage of the 2010 World cup. On 6 April 2010 he was replaced by Vadim Abramov as national team trainer. After Luiz Felipe Scolari left Bunyodkor in May 2010, Qosimov was named coach of the club again.[7]

The authoritative football news website Goal.com named Qosimov as Best Coach of Month (May 2012) for the successful play of Bunyodkor in the AFC Champions League in that month.[8]

On 4 June 2012, Qosimov was appointed as the new head coach of the Uzbekistan national football team for the second time after Vadim Abramov resigned from his post (lost 0-1 against Iran at home).[9][10]

On 3 January 2013, IFFHS published its list of The World's best National Coach 2012 and Qosimov ranked 14th in the list among 17 coaches with 6 points, followed by Oleg Blokhin and the current coach of Switzerland, Ottmar Hitzfeld.[11][12] In monthly survey Coach of the Month by Football Federation over the 2012 Kasymov was named best coach 6 times. UFF named Kasymov Coach of the Year on 21 January 2013.[13]

Qosimov resigned his post as Bunyodkor's head coach on 5 April 2014 to concentrate on his work in the national team.[14] He also led the U-23 national team for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

On 22 December 2018 Qosimov was appointed as head coach of AGMK to prepare team for upcoming 2019 Uzbekistan Super League and qualification matches of 2019 AFC Champions League. On 12 February 2019 in 2nd preliminary round of 2019 AFC Champions League AGMK won Istiklol by 4:0. But in next play-off round one leg match on 19 February 2019 lost to Al-Nassr 0:4 und failed to qualify to group stage tournament.

Honours

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Player

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Club

Soviet Union U18

Uzbekistan

Individual

Manager

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Bunyodkor

AGMK

Individual

Statistics

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Player

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Mirjalol Qosimov as Alania Vladikavkaz player performed 3 international appearances in UEFA tournaments. In the UEFA Cup season 1995–96 Kasymov played twice in a match against FC Liverpool won by albion team with 2–1 and scored an only goal of his team.[15] In UEFA Champions League season 1996–97 qualifying round he played in a match against Rangers F.C. on 7 August 1996 won by Rangers with 3–1.[16]

Club Season League Cup CL and UEFA Cup Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Alania 1992 25 3 25 3
1994 25 4 2 1 27 5
1995 22 10 11 1 2 1 25 11 11
1996 17 11 6 1 1 1 0 19 12 6
1999 11 2 1 1 12 2 1
Total 100 30 18 5 2 3 1 108 33 18
Krylia Sovetov 2000 23 5 3 1 24 5 3
2001 22 1 6 2 1 24 2 6
Total 45 6 9 3 1 48 7 9
Alania 2003 8 1 1 8 1 1
2004 16 2 5 1 1 17 3 5
Total 24 3 6 1 1 25 4 6
Career total 169 39 33 9 4 3 1 181 44 33

Statistics accurate as of match played 12 November 2004 in Russian Premier League.[17]

International goals

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Scores and results list Uzbekistan's goal tally first.[18][19]

Notes

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  1. ^ This match was annulled by FIFA as a World Cup Qualifier (and later replayed) but counts as a friendly for the Uzbek FA.

References

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  1. ^ "1995-96 UEFA CUP, Spartak-Alania Vladikavkaz - Liverpool. www.lfcineurope.com
  2. ^ "Canada 1987: USSR best by far"
  3. ^ Soviets savour U18 success
  4. ^ Прощальный матч Мирджалола Касымова, 4 June 2007 (in Russian) Archived 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ^ Mirdzhalal Kushakovich Kasymov - Goals in International Matches.
  6. ^ "Касымов – тренер "Курувчи" , 05.12.2007 (in Russian).
  7. ^ "Luiz Felipe Scolari resigns as Bunyodkor coach". UzDaily.com. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  8. ^ "Goal.com's Asian Best XI for May". Goal.com. 2 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  9. ^ Мирджалол Касымов возглавил национальную сборную Узбекистана (in Russian). the-uff.com. 4 June 2012. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  10. ^ "Vadim Abramov resigns as Uzbekistan coach" (in Russian). UzDaily.com. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  11. ^ "IFFHS: The Worlds best National Coach 2012". IFFHS. 3 January 2013.
  12. ^ "Миржалол Касымов – в списке лучших тренеров мира". gazeta.uz. 4 January 2013.
  13. ^ Санджар Турсунов и Мирджалол Касымов названы лучшими в 2012 году (in Russian). gazeta.uz. 21 January 2013.
  14. ^ "Mirjalal Kasimov resigns as Bunyodkor head coach". UzDaily.com. 5 April 2014.
  15. ^ "UEFA 1995/96 Spartak (Alania) Vladikavkaz - Liverpool FC". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Rangers - Alania Vladikavkaz -3:1, 7 August 1996". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Mirjalol Kasymov Profile and Statistics" (in Russian). Sport Express.
  18. ^ Mirjalol Qosimov Player info at uzfootball.uz
  19. ^ Mirdzhalal Kushakovich Kasymov - Goals in International Matches
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