Fenerbahçe Star Tadic: “We’re Prepared for AZ Alkmaar Challenge”

When asked about Jose Mourinho, Tadic responded, “I had already heard a lot about Mourinho. I had many friends who worked with him, and now I am experiencing it all firsthand. He’s doing his best to prepare us. He has a high level of social intelligence and talent. There are many positive things I could say about him.”

Ahead of Fenerbahçe‘s Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar, Dusan Tadic answered questions from the press.

Tadic, expressing his opinion that the Dutch League is stronger, said, “When I lived here, the Dutch league was ranked 5th in terms of points, while Turkey was around 12th or 13th. But now, Turkey is in a better position, at 8th or 9th place. The Dutch league is more tactical, and teams there prefer possession and controlling the game. In Turkey, however, the physicality and intensity are higher, and emotions play a bigger role. That’s a good thing, but tactically speaking, I’d say the Dutch League is stronger.”

Tadic also shared his happiness about Ajax‘s recent performances, adding, “Ajax is in a good situation. They beat one of their biggest rivals. They have a new coach and are progressing well. I’m happy for them and hope they continue successfully. AZ Alkmaar has one of the best young teams in the league, with a good coach. They are a team that tries to play football and dominate the game. It will be a good match.”

“ONE OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST CLUBS”

In response to a journalist’s question, “If you think the Dutch league is better, why did you choose Turkey?” Tadic explained, “Honestly, I had a good time in the Netherlands. I played for Groningen, Twente, and Ajax. I experienced everything there, and it was time for me to move on. I chose Fenerbahçe because it is one of the biggest clubs in the world with a very strong fan base. I had no doubts about choosing this place. Fenerbahçe is a huge club that wants to win trophies. The Turkish league is also progressing. If you look at the last two years, I think this development has been strikingly positive. High-quality players are coming in, which is a positive sign.”

“A GREAT PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HIM EVERY DAY”

Lastly, speaking about manager Jose Mourinho, Tadic said, “Working with Jose Mourinho is fantastic. He is one of the world’s greatest managers and has won every trophy there is. We are learning a lot from him. Working with him every day is a great pleasure. Every coach has their own approach. I had already heard a lot about Mourinho. I had many friends who worked with him, and now I am experiencing it all. He’s doing his best to prepare us. He has a high level of social intelligence and talent. There are many positive things I could say about him.”