Wikipedia

Mergen Orazov

In this name that follows East Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Guwançmyradowiç and the family name is Orazow .
Mergen Orazow
Personal information
Full name Mergen Guwançmyradowiç Orazow[1]
Date of birth (1988-02-22) 22 February 1988 (age 37)[2]
Place of birth Bekrewe, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union
Team information
Current team
 Dainava (manager)
Managerial career
Years Team
2021–2022 Ahal
2023–2025 Turkmenistan
2025– Dainava

Mergen Guvanchmyradovich Orazov[3] (Turkmen: Mergen Guwançmyradowiç Orazow)[4] is a Turkmenistani football manager who manages the DFK Dainava in Lithuanian A Lyga.[5][6] Orazov is a UEFA Pro License coach.[7][8] He is former professional footballer and futsal player.

Career

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Early years

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Orazov was born in Bekrewe, now part of Ashgabat. Orazov began playing football at an early age and at seven years of age, he was enrolled in the Ak Guş football team.[9] At 16, he joined the youth team of Ashgabat's Nisa Aşgabat. Soon he began to be involved in the game and for the main team of the club. After graduating from high school, however, he enrolled at the Pennsylvania State University and went to the United States.[10]

Soccer playing career

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In 2005, Orazow joined Penn State Nittany Lions in the United States.[11][12]

Futsal playing career

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Upon his return to Turkmenistan, Orazow took up professional futsal. As a member of the club Arvana Ashgabat he became the champion of Turkmenistan five times.

International futsal career

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Five times he played for the Turkmenistan national futsal team in the final tournaments of the AFC Futsal Championship.

Futsal coaching career

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After concluding his professional playing career, Mergen Orazov became the head coach of the futsal club Köpetdag. Under his leadership, the team achieved notable success, winning the Turkmenistan Futsal Super League twice, including the 2020 season, in which he was also named Best Coach.[13][14]

In 2019, he also led Köpetdag to victory in the inaugural Turkmenistan Futsal Super Cup.[15][16]

Soccer coaching career

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His coaching career began in Aşgabat, where he worked as an assistant at the football club FC Altyn Asyr. He later went on to manage the team FK Köpetdag Aşgabat.[17]

In 2021, he was appointed manager of Ahal, helping them win the league, their first league title.[18][19][20][21] Ahal also won the Turkmenistan Cup and the Football Federation of Turkmenistan Cup. He was named the best coach of Turkmenistan in 2022.

In 2023, he was appointed manager of Turkmenistan.[22][23][24][25]

On 24 June 2025, Lithuanian A Lyga club DFK Dainava announced the appointment of Mergen Orazov as their new head coach.[26] Later that day, he made his debut in an A Lyga match against FK Banga Gargždai (2:1),[27] leading DFK Dainava to their first victory of the 2025 season.[28][29]

Honours

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Ahal

Personal life

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Graduated from Pennsylvania State University (US) with a degree in Business Management.

He speaks Turkmen, English[32] and Russian fluently.

References

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  1. ^ "Mergen Orazow - Soccer Stats, Profile & Career Info | Global Sports Archive".
  2. ^ "Mergen Orazov | A lyga | Aukščiausia Lietuvos futbolo lyga".
  3. ^ "Mergen Orazow - Soccer Stats, Profile & Career Info | Global Sports Archive".
  4. ^ "Mergen Orazow - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  5. ^ Vitols, Janis (2025-06-24). "Official: DFK Dainava names Mergen Orazov as new manager - Baltic Football News". Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  6. ^ Vitols, Janis (2025-06-24). "New era begins in Alytus: Dainava claim first win of the season under coach Orazov - Baltic Football News". Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  7. ^ fm99 (2025-06-24). "DFK "Dainava" pristato naująjį vyriausiąjį trenerį – Mergen Orazow". fm99.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  8. ^ "Türkmenistanly tälimçi Litwanyň "Daýnawa" toparyna tälim berer – TURKMENISTAN AND WORLD NEWS" (in Turkmen). 2025-06-25. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  9. ^ "Главный тренер сборной Туркменистана по футболу проходит стажировку в академии «Вильярреала»". 26 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Главный тренер сборной Туркменистана по футболу проходит стажировку в академии «Вильярреала»". 26 April 2023.
  11. ^ "К отборочным матчам ЧМ-2026 по футболу сборную Туркменистана будет готовить новый главный тренер". turkmenistan.gov.tm. 6 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Talent, Depth Highlight Penn State Men's Soccer Incoming Recruiting Class". Penn State Athletics.
  13. ^ "К отборочным матчам ЧМ-2026 по футболу сборную Туркменистана будет готовить новый главный тренер". turkmenistan.gov.tm (in Russian). 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  14. ^ "Завершилась Суперлига Туркменистана по футзалу-2020". 8 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Копетдаг" в драматичном матче выиграл первый Суперкубок Туркменистана по футзалу
  16. ^ Мерген Оразов: «У „Копетдага“ сегодня был очень достойный соперник»
  17. ^ "DFK "Dainava" pristato naująjį vyriausiąjį trenerį – Mergen Orazov – DFK Dainava".
  18. ^ "In the application of the national team of Turkmenistan, half of the players of "Akhal" - who is in the team of the new coach". orient.tm (Archived). Archived from the original on 2023-03-25.
  19. ^ "Мерген Оразов: "У "Копетдага" сегодня был очень достойный соперник"". turkmenportal.com. 10 March 2019.
  20. ^ "ОПРЕДЕЛЕНЫ ИМЕНА ЛУЧШИХ ФУТБОЛИСТОВ И ТРЕНЕРА ВЫСШЕЙ ЛИГИ ТУРКМЕНИСТАНА". salamnews.tm.
  21. ^ "Футбольный клуб "Ахал" впервые в истории стал чемпионом Туркменистана". central-asia.news.
  22. ^ h. j, Salam (30 March 2023). "МЕРГЕН ОРАЗОВ — САМЫЙ МОЛОДОЙ ГЛАВНЫЙ ТРЕНЕР СБОРНОЙ В СНГ". SalamNews. salamnewws.tm.
  23. ^ "Pan-gon's boys up against Orazov's tactical mystery". thevibes.com. 22 March 2023.
  24. ^ ""kalah perlawanan pertama, bagus untuk Turkmenistan" - Mergen Orazov". YouTube. 23 March 2023.
  25. ^ "Мерген Оразов возглавил сборную Туркменистана по футболу, туркмено-китайское сотрудничество в космической сфере, Демирёллары запустило новое мобильное приложение для покупки билетов на поезда и другие новости". yerzemin.com.
  26. ^ "DFK "Dainava" pristato naująjį vyriausiąjį trenerį – Mergen Orazov". dfkdainava.com (in Lithuanian). DFK Dainava. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  27. ^ "DFK Dainava vs FK Banga Gargždai - June 24, 2025 - Topsport a Lyga 2025 - Soccer | Global Sports Archive".
  28. ^ ""Dainavos" vairą perima strategas iš Turkmėnistano".
  29. ^ "Dainava - Banga | A lyga | Aukščiausia Lietuvos futbolo lyga".
  30. ^ "«Ахал» выиграл чемпионат и Кубок Туркменистана по футболу". 27 December 2022.
  31. ^ "«Ахал» выиграл чемпионат и Кубок Туркменистана по футболу". 27 December 2022.
  32. ^ "Mergen Orazov: "Norime pakreipti sezoną" (2025-06-24)". YouTube. 24 June 2025.
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