Press Conference: Jose Mourinho Evaluates Adana Demirspor Victory

Fenerbahçe started the first week of the Super Lig with a win against Adana Demirspor. Fenerbahçe’s head coach, Jose Mourinho, evaluated the team’s first victory in the Super Lig.

Jose Mourinho’s statements are as follows:

MOURINHO: “THE TEAM PHYSICALLY DROPPED”

“The only thing missing today was goals. Looking at the game we played in the first 60-65 minutes, the result should have been different. We missed many chances. We didn’t execute the right things in the final third. After a certain point, the team physically dropped. Saint Maximen and Irfan Can Kahveci are not in a condition to play 90 minutes. We deserved the victory.”

“A GOOD THING FOR TURKISH FOOTBALL”

“When you have 2 players available for a position, making substitutions is easier. For example, En-Nesyri can come in for Dzeko. In some situations, you need to adapt in terms of positioning. For example, Szymanski played as a midfielder, though he is a more offensive player. Later, Bartu came in, which I think is good for Turkish football because he is a talented young player. We are not afraid to give them playing time; he will get more. We also have Yusuf and Oğuz. I think it’s good for Turkish football.”

“I LEARNED A LOT”

“There were two games in two days. On Friday evening, there was the Galatasaray – Hatayspor match. Tonight, we played. I learned a lot. The information I was given during this process was great, but now I understand it better.”

“THE SCORE COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT”

“I have never lost my first league match. Nothing has changed in 24 years. I only started two seasons with a draw, and I won the Champions League those seasons. If we had drawn today, it could have been better, but joking aside, winning was important. We actually started to break the game early. Everyone saw how we started with high energy; we tried to break the game early. At halftime, I said our opponent would try to continue the game 1-0 until the last minute. In the final stages, our energy went down, so I made changes. This is the situation we are in. Maximin is not in a condition to play 90 minutes; he was the most troublesome player for the opponent. At a certain point, we played for 3 points. The score could have been different.”

“IT TAKES COURAGE TO PLAY A 15-YEAR-OLD GOALIE”

“I congratulate my colleague; it takes courage to play a 15-year-old goalkeeper. He has that courage. I also congratulate the young player. He played his first match at Kadıköy, under 90 minutes of pressure. I congratulate him as well.”

“THE YELLOW CARD GIVEN TO ME WAS FAIR”

“After the match, I shared my thoughts with the referee. A coach of a lower-potential team will try everything. I can’t blame or criticize him. They can do different things to achieve results. They play defensively, waste time, or fake injuries. I don’t criticize this. People are paid to get results. Smaller teams need points to stay in the league. That’s football. I don’t find it surprising. Referees need to protect the game; that’s their responsibility. This is my opinion. If you give 1-2 yellow cards for time-wasting in the first 20 minutes, the game would change. This happens not only in Turkey but everywhere. The goalkeeper gets a yellow card in the 88th minute for wasting time, but never in the 15th-20th minute.

If referees gave yellow cards in the 15th-20th minute, the game would take a different turn. It would be completely different. I don’t know if people accept my opinion or not. Based on my 25 years of experience, this is my opinion. The referee was generally positive. The yellow card he gave me was fair. Both of my feet were on the field. It was the right decision. I have no problem with that. We are one of the strongest teams in this league. Opponents will play defensively when they come here. That’s football. Some teams want points to become champions, some for Europe, and some to stay in the league. That’s how football works.”