Basel's record player Fabian Frei returned to his youth club Winterthur a few days ago. In the football talk Heimspiel, Frei makes no secret of the fact that he had imagined his departure differently.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- FCB record player Fabian Frei is a guest on the football talk show Heimspiel and talks about his departure from Basel, which he had imagined differently.
- Frei explains that he didn't move to Winterthur because of a lack of playing minutes. "But because I had the feeling that there were always discussions about me that I didn't understand," says the 35-year-old.
- At the same time, Frei is looking forward to his new role: "I'm really happy that I still got the chance at Winti, which is not something to be taken for granted."
Fabian Frei has made 543 appearances for FC Basel in his career, more than any other player in FCB kit. At the start of the season, the 35-year-old will lead his team onto the pitch as captain. At this point, there was nothing to suggest that his days in Basel were soon numbered. But after the 2:3 defeat against Lausanne-Sport at the start of the season, the alarm bells are already ringing in Basel and Frei only comes off the bench in the games that follow.
Frei is still struggling to make sense of it all. In his eyes, you don't let anyone play from the start in the first game if you're not planning to play them. "I don't think FCB thought during the summer break that we didn't want to continue with him in the long term. Maybe they were looking for someone to blame for the first game. And maybe that was me. Of course, in hindsight, I would have liked to have been told two or three months ago: Hey, look. The contract is being extended, but we don't actually want that. I think we would have found a solution then, definitely."
Why Frei left FC Basel
Was Frei unable to cope with the reserve role? Frei denies it: "I didn't leave because I wasn't happy with my minutes, but because I had the feeling that there were always discussions about me that I didn't understand. I had the feeling that it might be better for the club if I left." It's "not a good feeling" when you walk into the dressing room and have the feeling that something is up in the air. "That's why Winti is great for me. I was really looking forward to the last three training sessions, it was mega nice."
Frei was bothered by the fact that he kept hearing that he couldn't be happy with his role. "But nobody spoke to me. Otherwise I would have told him: Hey, it works for me. I come into every game, we win the games, that's okay. But they always assumed, because I'd always played before, that it must be a problem for me. And that kind of hit me, because I thought, just talk to me, ask me how it is."
Frei would have liked a better finish
Frei cannot say whether he would have stayed at FCB if he had known before the season that he would no longer be playing so often. "But then you could have clearly said before the last game of last season: One way or another, we'll do it. And if I had left, then you could have said: So, let's do a finish for you in the last game. I would have liked it to be a nicer finish."
But he doesn't feel bad about it. "I'm really happy that I still got the chance at Winti, which is not a given." Frei says of his relationship with David Degen: "I haven't seen him since Monday. I'll shake his hand and wish him a good game on October 26 at the latest (Winterthur play Basel that day). Nothing more, nothing less."
Admir Mehmedi criticizes FC Basel
blue Sport expert Admir Mehmedi criticizes FC Basel for their handling of Fabian Frei in no uncertain terms. Frei is "not just any player", but a "record player". In Mehmedi's opinion, they should have sat down in April or May to plan the future.
Ultimately, the former national team colleague believes that Frei's move to FC Winterthur is "a win-win situation for both".
