Jose Mourinho Talks Squad Depth and Key Players in Post-Match Press Conference

After winning 3-1 against Gaziantep FK in the 14th week of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Fenerbahçe reduced the point difference to 3 with the leader Galatasaray. Following the match, Fenerbahçe’s head coach Jose Mourinho made statements.

Mourinho on Galatasaray’s Management’s Statements:

“I find it ridiculous that Galatasaray’s side is talking. We know what happened in their match yesterday. They are used to creating extreme pressure. I don’t think the referee affected the game today. The mistake he made occurred when the score was already 3-1. VAR exists to assist referees. We had to win today with the performance we showed. We made a strong start in the first 15 minutes, but in the next 30 minutes, we weren’t good, and the opponent was in the game. There are two young coaches, Arda Turan and Selçuk İnan. They play good football and don’t fear big teams. I congratulate both of them. Both are Galatasaray legends and will coach Galatasaray in the future.”

Mourinho on Beşiktaş:

Mourinho, who watched Beşiktaş’s match against Göztepe from the stands, expressed his satisfaction with the way they played, saying, “I like the way they play. I think they are the best team in Turkey in terms of counter-attacking football. I think it will be a tough match, but it will also be a tough match for them.”

Mourinho on Squad Depth:

Mourinho emphasized that with a broader squad, you need to use your players. “A busy calendar is something every team playing in Europe faces. We previously had the situation of playing consecutive away matches in Europe and the league. This time we played at home, which gave us the opportunity to rest. You need to use the players you have and trust them, like we did today. The bench was great today. I had many options. Cenk Tosun was unlucky not to get playing time, but Becao was lucky to score and stay on the field. When you have a bench like this, as a coach, you are happy. You don’t fear the busy schedule.”

Mourinho on Criticism:

“People are still attacking me. Please give me a little credit and time. Don’t do what you did to Giovanni van Bronckhorst to me. A coach can’t work miracles in 2-3-4 months. Van Bronckhorst was doing a good job. The results of the last period do not reflect the situation. Consistency is needed. So give me time. Let me work peacefully. Even if there’s no peace, I enjoy what I do.”

On Gaziantep FK’s David Okereke:

Mourinho congratulated Okereke for his goal and mentioned that it was the third time a player had scored against his teams, saying, “Venezia, Cremonese, and Gaziantep, three different teams have had players score against me.”

On the Opponent’s Time Wasting:

“Maybe I would have done the same thing if I were in their position. In the end, you want the result. When you’re on the weaker side, you can do such things. This team wants to play. In the first half, the game stopped a lot. The referee only gave 4 minutes of extra time in the first half. If the referees give the necessary time, I don’t think it will be an issue.”

On Oğuz Aydın:

“Oğuz is a very valuable player for us. We work hard every day. This is part of my culture as a coach. The Zenit match was important for me. The players gave me the message that they are ready for competition. With all due respect to Vincenzo Montella, the team that lost out on him at the last moment was unlucky. His foot was already in another club. We got him at the last moment. After 4-5 months, he’s reached a very good level. He is a very valuable player for us, and I’m very happy for him.”

On the Upcoming Derbies:

“We will spend less money on flights and hotels. We will stay at our training facilities every week. A derby is a derby. The Beşiktaş match will always be a derby. Matches against Eyüpspor and Başakşehir will be tough. Selçuk İnan, Arda Turan, and Çağdaş Atan are very talented coaches. Matches against them will be difficult.”