Nuri Şahin makes statement on Antalyaspor's Israeli players: 'They also have a country'

In the 12th week of the Süper Lig, Antalyaspor defeated MKE Ankaragücü 4-0 away from home.

"I CONGRATULATE OUR PLAYERS"

Speaking at the press conference held after the match, Antalyaspor Manager Şahin stated that they had left a difficult match behind, saying, “It was a fantastic evening for us. We started the match brilliantly and finished it very well. Despite the injuries and the Kosovo-Israel national team match situation, my team performed magnificently. Today, Antalyaspor perhaps gained another great player from the youth academy in Ege. We want to continue on our path if our injured players return after the international break. Ankaragücü is also a very difficult opponent, a very good opponent. A team with a fantastic coach. I think we dominated them within the 90 minutes today. I congratulate my players.”

"PERHAPS WE PLAYED OUR BEST FOOTBALL THIS YEAR"

Stating that they started preparations for MKE Ankaragücü shortly after the Beşiktaş match, Şahin said, “Like every team, we have our weak points. Our duty as coaches is to show our players the weaknesses that Ankaragücü has. We played in the areas we wanted. Perhaps we played our best football this year. I don't think it was very easy, but I think we deserved the win.”

"MY PLAYERS ARE NOT JUST PLAYERS, THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS"

Stating that Naldo has been away from the pitch due to the loss of his child, Şahin mentioned that the Israeli athletes playing for Antalyaspor held talks with the Israel Football Association due to national team matches, and included the following remarks:

“I am a coach, but I also have to lead this group. My players are not just players, they are human beings. Both of my players, thank goodness, love Antalyaspor very much. They love Antalya very much, but at the end of the day, they also have a country. They also have a faith. Everyone is free in this regard. My players never said, 'I don't want to play.' We made a joint decision. By talking to both the Israel Football Association, the Turkish Football Federation, and our players. There is no need to look too much at the past. What they have done today is important. They have been working with incredible dedication since the day they arrived. They have increased our quality incredibly.”

News Source: İHA