Will Xherdan Shaqiri make it at FC Basel? blue Sport spoke to various Swiss journalists at his first press conference. Opinions differ.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Xherdan Shaqiri is back at FC Basel and immediately gives his first media conference.
- The midfielder has triggered a veritable euphoria in Basel, but can he live up to the high expectations?
- blue Sport spoke to various Swiss journalists. Not all of them are completely convinced that Shaqiri can take FCB to a new level.
Oliver Gut, Basler Zeitung
"You can be a little skeptical about whether it will work if you look at his last three years in Chicago. They didn't just go well. There's no doubt that he'll have some magic moments when he plays. This person can handle the ball. But he is not necessarily synonymous with sporting success. Especially not when he has played an important role in a team. He was actually always successful when he was between number 12 and 18 in a team. It becomes a question of fitness and willingness. I wouldn't bet all my money on him living up to expectations.
Shaqiri can make a difference athletically if he has the team behind him. If he displays a manner in the dressing room and on the pitch that has the support of the team. But if his team-mates feel they only have to run for him, or if he wants extra sausages in the dressing room, then things can quickly become difficult. A Fabian Frei or a Taulant Xhaka see themselves in roughly the same segment, even if they know that Shaqiri has had the bigger career. They still won't put up with everything and be his servants. But the way Xherdan looks now, I don't think these are his expectations either."
Yannick Fuhrer, Tele Basel
"When he's fit, I have a lot of faith in Shaqiri. He is a player who is made for moments of genius. He's someone who wants to become a top performer and I'm confident that he will. A figure like Shaq is also important off the pitch. Especially because Fabian Frei or Taulant Xhaka no longer have the role they had last season. And people know Shaqiri - even as a young player or foreign player. You listen to someone like that in the dressing room."
Marcello Capitelli, Radio SRF Regionaljournal Basel
"He certainly brings a huge amount of experience to this team, which is certainly an advantage. I don't think he'll tear the whole league apart, but he's just someone who can decide a game with one action and so he can get important points for FCB. The euphoria he has triggered alone makes him important. Especially now that Fabian Frei and Taulant Xhaka are a bit sidelined. That's why it's important to have someone like Shaqiri, who is and must be a role model for the young players."
Niels Sörensen, BZ
"The euphoria is certainly great, it's great for the fans. Even if there has been speculation about his fitness, he will certainly still have his moments in the Super League when he can show off his left foot. You have to give him two or three games now to see how it works out. But thanks to him, there's certainly a spirit of optimism at FCB now."
Nils Hänggi, 20 minutes
"I think he can fulfill expectations. He has a lot of experience, you can feel his anticipation. He is very motivated and has already talked about the title several times during his presentation. I think he can bring a lot to the team. Of course there is a lot of pressure, the fans see him as a messiah. But he seems very relaxed, if anyone can handle pressure, it's basically him. Of course, there's also a certain amount of fall, if he doesn't play so well in the first three games by Shaqiri's standards, then there will certainly be criticism. But the FCB fans certainly have a lot of patience with him."
