Happy to Sign Jacquet, and Here’s My Opinion on Manchester City
The coach spoke about signing Jeremy Jacquet: “Of course, I am very happy. He is a big talent, perhaps more than just a talent, but we describe him as such because of his young age. We were not the only club interested in him, and that is a great testament to the people who worked hard to complete the deal. This signing is another example of the model we work with at this club: very talented young players who can help us in the short term and certainly in the long term. We have signed many players like this recently, and the club’s future in the near and medium term is excellent.”
He added about Florian Wirtz’s development: “First and foremost, credit goes to the player himself because he works hard, not only on the field but also in the gym. As a coach, even if he struggles a bit at the beginning, you have to keep involving him because that’s the only way to develop, and he is a clear example of that. He hasn’t developed much with the ball because his talent was evident from the start, but now he has better harmony with his teammates due to playing together frequently. The biggest development I see in him is off the ball, as well as in some other players, and this combination is what makes you ready for the Premier League.”
On the condition of the injured players: “Jeremy Frimpong will definitely not train this week, and therefore will not be available at the weekend. As for Joe Gomez, we have some hope that he will train on Saturday. He won’t be ready to start, but he might be available to help the team if necessary, especially with the current shortage of available defenders.”
He continued about Manchester City: “In the match we played at their ground (a 3-0 loss at the Etihad), we were completely outplayed in the first half for long periods. This match is not a measure of where we have reached in the development of this team. However, we realize the importance of achieving a result on Sunday, and this applies to all league teams as we enter the crucial stage of the season. They are a very strong team, and they even won against the team we defeated last week without their key players, which shows how strong Manchester City is, and they will always remain so.”
On the win against Newcastle in the last round: “We have played better matches than that. The last hour was good, but the first half-hour was not as we wanted, for obvious reasons. If you look at the data, you’ll find that we didn’t play much in the first half due to the frequent set pieces and stoppages, which made it difficult to find the rhythm. I liked the performance in the last hour, but this wasn’t our best level. We played many matches with great football; the problem was that we weren’t always good in the penalty areas, but in the last two matches, we were excellent in both boxes, and people started to notice that our level has improved. The football we offer was, in 95% of the minutes we played this season, much higher than the acceptable level.”
On the team’s level and ability to compete: “We have shown, except for the first half against Manchester City and the first half against Crystal Palace, that we are capable of competing against any team we faced. Unfortunately, we haven’t yet reached the consistency that gives us stable results, but we have proven against all the big names that we are ready to compete. They were the better team, and this time we want to show a different side of our character.”
Regarding Curtis Jones’ continuation and not leaving in January: “He played many minutes, not all of them, but he was also unlucky, as the midfield is the only area where we didn’t witness injuries. Nevertheless, he played many minutes, and that is of course why we kept him. We have many players in this line, but we need these midfielders in different positions as well, and when we need that, the midfield becomes smaller and smaller. Of course, we kept him, and the situation hasn’t changed. For us, he is one of 16 players available in the long term, as well as currently. It would be strange to let go of any player if we only have 16 players.”
On whether the club’s signing of young defenders is aimed at compensating for Virgil van Dijk: “Everything we do here is not rushed; it is always a long-term idea or something that has been thought through thoroughly. Of course, we realize that Virgil will not play for this club for another ten years, but he has a year and a half left on his contract, so he will stay with us during this period, and perhaps longer if he maintains his physical fitness as it is now. As I mentioned earlier, it is a great honor for him at this age to play every three days, not only with his club but also with his national team. We hope he maintains his physical fitness for many years, but this club, we are not naive, we know that there is a promising future without Virgil in the coming years. I assure you that the club, in all its positions, does not only think in the short term but also in the medium and long term when making decisions.”
He concluded about Milos Kerkez’s development: “This is what happens when you continue to involve players who may go through moments when they are not at their best, or matches where they don’t deliver the same level. I think this is natural for young players, and the only thing a coach should do is continue to give them confidence and believe in their abilities because we know well who we signed. We saw this potential, and we knew, and they have already shown, that this potential will emerge with continued involvement.”
