Turkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella and Ferdi Kadioglu preview their UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final with Netherlands
Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany
UEFA
05/07/2024
Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany
UEFA
05/07/2024
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00FOREIGN MINISTER CAVUSOGLU Good afternoon, everybody.
00:25Welcome to the press conference of Turkey.
00:27Apologies for the delay due to a flight.
00:30We have here head coach Vincenzo Montella and player Ferdi Cariolou.
00:34We will start with questions for the player first,
00:37so if you can raise your hand, wait for the microphone to arrive
00:41and then ask a question for the player, please.
00:43If we can start here in the centre, in the third row.
00:48In the centre.
00:53Question probably in Dutch, if possible.
00:57Ferdi, how is it for you to play?
00:59Can you tell us something about what we can expect in the stadium tomorrow
01:03regarding the fans?
01:12It's going to be a very special game for me.
01:17My mother is Dutch, my father is Turkish.
01:21It's going to be a special game for my family.
01:24I think we can expect a lot of fans from our Turkish side.
01:30Just like all other games, it feels like a home game.
01:35Next question here in the front row.
01:40Ferdi, good luck.
01:42Of course, all of Turkey's hearts are with you,
01:45but the punishment given to Meri is perhaps one of the most important issues
01:48on the agenda of Turkey.
01:50What would you like to say about this?
01:52How did it affect you?
01:54Perhaps we can consider this issue as an element that will motivate you more.
01:59What impact will it have on you? Thank you.
02:01What would you like to say about Meri's absence?
02:21We find it completely unfair.
02:23I think our other players will feel it in a good way.
02:32Ferdi, good day.
02:34You're looking forward to this game, but there's a lot going on after this duel.
02:40How do you look forward to tomorrow's game?
02:42Have you received a lot of messages from the Netherlands?
02:46Yes, of course.
02:48For me it's a special game.
02:50It doesn't matter to us what happens.
02:52For us it's an extra motivation.
02:56We'll be ready tomorrow.
03:00The atmosphere will change.
03:02I don't know if the punishment can still be given,
03:05but we'll have to wait and see.
03:07Have you received a lot of messages from the Netherlands?
03:09I've received a lot of messages.
03:11My friends and family will come to support me tomorrow.
03:14It's going to be great.
03:18Ferdi, how much of your preparation has been influenced by Demiral?
03:24How would you like to describe the strength of this team?
03:32Of course it's a shame that he was suspended.
03:35But we have a very good selection.
03:38Someone else would fill in for him.
03:47The Netherlands has a lot of individual qualities.
03:50Mrs. Ko is doing a great job in this tournament.
03:54I've played with him, so I know what he's capable of.
03:58The Netherlands is very strong on the ball.
04:01But I think that we can make it very difficult for the Netherlands.
04:08It's going to be a great match.
04:12I wish Ferdi the best of luck tomorrow.
04:15You continue to collect scores in terms of stability and performance.
04:19The statistics in the Austrian match are also very interesting.
04:23What do you see when you compare Ferdi with the Dutch national team five years ago?
04:31What do you see when you compare Ferdi with the Dutch national team five years ago?
05:01Ferdi is a totally different player. I played in a different position.
05:04I was playing for the Netherlands.
05:08I made the decision two years ago to play for Turkey.
05:12I didn't regret it one time.
05:15I'm very proud to wear the Turkish national team jersey.
05:20In the second row here, please.
05:24Ahmet Selim, Turkish news.
05:26Ferdi, you're having a very successful tournament.
05:28You scored even in the last minute.
05:30You're in our minds with the dribble.
05:32On the one hand, you got out of injury.
05:34Can you tell us a little bit about your physical condition?
05:41Yeah, it's a small problem before the tournament.
05:44But nothing special.
05:46We didn't want to take risks.
05:48I'm feeling very good at the moment, so I'm ready.
05:54Ferdi, a question from the Netherlands.
05:57I spoke to your former coach, Erwin van der Looy.
06:00He said you wouldn't be in the Dutch national team.
06:02What do you think of that?
06:05It doesn't really matter anymore.
06:07I made the decision two years ago to play for Turkey.
06:10I'm glad I'm here now.
06:19Erkut Öztürk, the Turkish national team.
06:21First of all, we wish you success for tomorrow, Ferdi.
06:24When we look back at the last five games,
06:27if you were to rank 11th,
06:29if you were to rank 11th in terms of performance,
06:32would you put yourself on the left back?
06:43Yeah, the coach is putting me there,
06:45so I will put myself also there.
06:49Okay, third row there.
06:54Ferdi, you answer questions in English.
06:58You don't speak Turkish at all, or just a little bit.
07:01How is it in the training camp,
07:03when the coach gives an explanation of the tactics?
07:08I feel more comfortable speaking in English.
07:11During training or discussions, I don't have a problem with it.
07:16We take one more question for the player here on the left.
07:19Hi, Calum from International.
07:21There are a lot of Turkish fans in the Netherlands,
07:24in the movement, and they are ready for it.
07:27Do you get that?
07:29That massive support.
07:31How do you feel about that?
07:33Of course we get it.
07:35They are our 12th man.
07:37It really feels like a home game,
07:40so that's fantastic.
07:42Hopefully they will support us tomorrow,
07:45like they did in all the other games.
07:50Okay, if you could raise your hands
07:52for any more questions for the coach now.
07:58In the front row here, please, in the white shirt.
08:04Coach, we wish you success.
08:06Turkey is behind you.
08:08Everyone is looking forward to this game.
08:12I would like to start by asking you
08:14what you think about Mery's absence.
08:17Mery is not going to play.
08:19You have a full squad in this game.
08:21How does this affect your game?
08:23What do you think about that?
08:25Also, how do you feel about Mery's absence?
08:29Thank you very much.
08:34First of all, we think it's unfair.
08:37Because it wasn't a political move,
08:42as it was interpreted.
08:45So there was a disagreement in that sense.
08:49It's certainly not a disqualification
08:51that slows down Turkish pride.
08:53In fact, in this case,
08:55it's being fed even more.
08:57It was a symbol of pride,
08:59of Turkish pride in the world.
09:01So it has to stay that way.
09:03I'm sure that tomorrow
09:05this pride will be even stronger
09:07on the pitch, with the players,
09:09on the pitch and at home
09:11with our Turkish fans.
09:17Next question in the second row here.
09:19Gentleman.
09:21Ahmet Selim, Kula Habertürk.
09:23We had different tactics against different teams.
09:27We had special preparations.
09:29How did we prepare for the Netherlands tomorrow?
09:32Could you tell us about your thoughts on the opposition?
09:41It's still different.
09:46Every game is different.
09:48Every strategy is different.
09:50Every game has different players.
09:52I've been criticised a lot in recent months.
09:55I've never played with the same formation.
09:59You never have the same 11 players
10:01that you have in your head
10:03at this moment, for 40 days,
10:05in the best physical and mental conditions.
10:09And in terms of disqualification.
10:11So we've always changed.
10:13Everyone feels at ease when they're on the pitch.
10:15Everyone knows what they have to do
10:17when they're on the pitch.
10:19This is a source of pride for me.
10:21They've all been good so far.
10:23Those who came on,
10:25those who played at the start,
10:27those who played in the second half,
10:29and so on.
10:31As a coach, I'm proud of that.
10:33As a coach,
10:35I had to do that.
10:37At this level, at the end of the season,
10:39there is no longer
10:41an ideal 11-man starting line-up.
10:43It doesn't exist.
10:51Good luck for tomorrow.
10:53We're in the final stages.
10:55What are your feelings
10:57about being in the final?
10:59We're close to the final.
11:01What do you think?
11:09We have to take one step at a time.
11:11We have to set goals
11:13that are close to us.
11:15We shouldn't think beyond that.
11:17We have to play a quarter-final.
11:19We have to be confident,
11:21confident,
11:23and humble.
11:25Humility is key,
11:27as is the way we manage our emotions.
11:29We're the youngest team in the tournament.
11:31Very few players have played
11:33at this level before.
11:35That will be key.
11:37We have to think about
11:39tomorrow's game
11:41and try to win it.
11:53It's fine, right?
11:55Can I ask a question in Italian?
11:57Yes.
12:23We know that in Italy
12:25you have to be ready for everything.
12:27You have to accept criticism.
12:31I've already given my definition
12:33of criticism in the past.
12:35There are the right ones,
12:37which sometimes make me reflect.
12:39There are the right ones,
12:41which make me smile
12:43and motivate me even more.
12:45There are both.
12:47If you can't stand
12:49criticism,
12:51you can't do anything about it.
12:53I've never been conditioned.
12:55It's just an understanding.
12:57I don't have time to answer
12:59other questions.
13:01I have a few messages
13:03from my coach,
13:05but I don't have much
13:07on a human level.
13:13A question here from the right-hand side, please.
13:15A question here from the right-hand side, please.
13:17Good luck for tomorrow.
13:19Even though Bellingham
13:21made a difficult move,
13:23he didn't get a penalty,
13:25but Meryem Kemal got a penalty.
13:27The UEFA has a plan
13:29against Turkey and the Turkish national team.
13:31Are you worried about tomorrow's
13:33refereeing?
13:35I'd like to know if the referee
13:37will be affected by this.
13:39Thank you.
13:41A question here from the right-hand side.
13:43A question here from the right-hand side.
13:45A question here from the right-hand side.
13:47You don't work with the referee,
13:49do you?
13:51No.
13:53I don't answer that.
13:55I don't watch other teams.
13:57I watch only my own team.
14:03A gentleman in the front row
14:05with the blue shirt, here, please.
14:07Sorry.
14:13I had a problem
14:15with my interpretation earlier.
14:19The Turkish supporters
14:21have been remarkable
14:23here in Germany.
14:25They seem to be
14:27so behind you.
14:29Holland always have
14:31a lot of fans.
14:33But do you think it will be like
14:35another home game
14:37tomorrow?
14:39How will that affect
14:41both teams, but particularly
14:43your team?
15:05This closeness,
15:07this passion,
15:09this correctness.
15:11I know there are a lot of fans in Holland,
15:13but I haven't seen
15:15a lot in this sense.
15:17I'm sure our fans will feel
15:19like they did in November,
15:21when we played here against Germany.
15:25The stadium was
15:27mostly Turkish.
15:29Lady in the second row,
15:31here, please.
15:59Thank you.
16:09It's very simple.
16:11I grew up in a small town
16:13in the province of Naples.
16:15At the time, there was
16:17a lot of racism
16:19against that land,
16:21both dialectically and
16:23prejudicially.
16:25I've found
16:27a lot of similarities
16:29with the mentality
16:31in Turkey.
16:33I feel at ease.
16:35I'm back to my childhood.
16:57Will there be any problems
16:59in terms of motivation?
17:01Because I want to say
17:03that what we achieved
17:05and the way we went
17:07attracted the attention
17:09of some people.
17:11For two days,
17:13we saw pressure
17:15from the German press
17:17to punish Merit Emiral.
17:19Will there be any problems
17:21in terms of motivation?
17:23Do you have any messages
17:25for the fans?
17:29The fans
17:31have to be themselves,
17:33as they have always been.
17:35They have to show
17:37Turkish pride,
17:39passion and support,
17:41as they have done
17:43in difficult times.
17:45The players have to know
17:47how to manage
17:49the emotions of the game,
17:51regardless of internal
17:53or external factors.
17:57You have to play emotionally
17:59and prepare emotionally.
18:01It's good for those
18:03who are used to playing
18:05and preparing
18:07for certain matches.
18:09It's good for those
18:11who are used to it.
18:13We have to be able
18:15to manage the emotions
18:17and turn them into energy
18:19on the pitch.
18:21We have to be patient
18:23and that's an advantage.
18:51You showed us
18:53that you have changed a lot
18:55and that you have
18:57achieved results.
18:59Was your initial plan
19:01to play a three-man defense?
19:03Or did we see
19:05Kaan's three-man defense
19:07after the goal?
19:09I wonder
19:11if your plans
19:13will put you in a difficult position
19:15tomorrow,
19:17especially
19:19with Demiral.
19:21We have three players
19:23who have been disqualified
19:25with Demiral.
19:27It hasn't been a constant
19:29so far,
19:31but the players
19:33who have replaced
19:35the starting line-up
19:37have done well.
19:39I can't say anything
19:41about that,
19:43so I'm quite calm.
19:45As for the three-man defense,
19:47we have the chance
19:49to play
19:51a three-man defense
19:53or a four-man defense,
19:55especially if Kaan is on the pitch.
19:57I can only say
19:59that nothing will happen
20:01tonight.
20:03Kaan will start the game
20:05and then we'll see.
20:17Vahittin Cicek, TV Net.
20:19There was a lot of criticism
20:21for not having a four-man defense
20:23in the group games,
20:25but after the Austrian game,
20:27most people said
20:29that the coach knew
20:31that the team didn't have
20:33a four-man defense.
20:41I don't understand.
20:43We've always asked...
20:45Ah, OK.
20:49The best attacker is the space.
20:51The best attacker is the team's balance.
20:53The best attacker is to understand
20:55what's best for the team.
20:57That's the coach's job.
20:59I was the attacker
21:01so I'm a bit contradictory
21:03in that sense.
21:05We have a team
21:07that is mainly offensive
21:09on the pitch with the U11s.
21:11That's what the numbers,
21:13the goals and the actions
21:15tell us.
21:17I could go on forever.
21:19Starting with the U13s,
21:21it's more offensive than defensive
21:23in my opinion.
21:25The right-back is more offensive
21:27than defensive.
21:29The wingers are more offensive
21:31than defensive.
21:33The midfielders are more
21:35offensive than defensive.
21:37I've never been conditioned
21:39to that.
21:41We've also played with the
21:43attacker.
21:45Tosun hasn't played much
21:47but he's scored.
21:49We have various options
21:51and we use them
21:53according to the situation.
22:01Transition.
22:03What the coach wanted
22:05to say from the start
22:07is that even if we look like
22:09the U11s,
22:11we need to be able to
22:13make the players play
22:15in the best conditions
22:17and be balanced.
22:19When you look at the
22:21wingers,
22:23even they are
22:25offensive-oriented.
22:29We've played with the
22:31forwards and scored goals
22:33but everyone
22:35is offensive-oriented.
22:37As a team,
22:39we're more
22:41offensive-oriented.
22:51How do you evaluate
22:53the change of the national team
22:55between the first and
22:57the last game?
22:59What do you like the most?
23:01Thank you.
23:05What do you like the most
23:07between the first and the last game?
23:09The wins, of course.
23:13It's a united team
23:15that gets on well together.
23:17It's a team that applies
23:19themselves on the pitch
23:21according to the coach's
23:23instructions.
23:25That's the biggest pride.
23:27They always give their all.
23:29They know what to do
23:31at every moment.
23:33It depends on the opponent
23:35and the situation.
23:37It's a team
23:39that has a spirit.
23:41It's the most difficult
23:43thing to build.
23:45It's the thing I see
23:47off the pitch
23:49that makes me proud,
23:51regardless of the results.
23:53We've seen that
23:55they're determined by
23:57the smallest details.
23:59It changes the coach's
24:01attitude.
24:03Final question, please.
24:05Montella,
24:07we remember you as a player.
24:09You're a great left-back.
24:11You mentioned your role as a forward.
24:13I wanted to ask you
24:15about Mancino,
24:17the left-back of Arda Golera.
24:19Does he remind you of someone's left-back?
24:21What level are we at?
24:23He's a talent.
24:25Maybe he's a bit softer than me.
24:27He's softer than me.
24:29He's a player
24:31that needs to
24:33play continuously.
24:35He didn't have much luck
24:37during the season.
24:39It wasn't easy.
24:41But we see that he plays more
24:43and he improves
24:45in terms of performance
24:47in the game itself.
24:49I hope he can
24:51play continuously
24:53because he's a talent
24:55that can go anywhere.