Benfica coach Roger Schmidt made a harsh response to Orkun Kökçü's recent interview.
Schmidt said: "If you do that kind of interview, you can't be part of the team. Impossible. I didn't speak to the player yet, but I'll tell him that he did something absolutely negative for club, team and especially for himself."
Kökçü talked to De Telegraaf and said he's feeling unhappy and annoyed at Benfica. The Turkish player mentioned that Roger Schmidt didn't give him the importance in the team he was promised. Instead, Schmidt made him play as a defensive midfielder, making him do more defensive work than he wanted.
Kökçü said: "I am the type of football player who performs better for the team if given freedom. I want to give much more to the team."
"Just remember how I played much better in the season I was champion with Feyenoord, even in European games. Even during Ramadan, as I am experiencing now, I was playing better than at Benfica."
"Schmidt ties me too much to all kinds of defensive tasks. And that is not positive if you really want to get the most out of my qualities. I am the type of player who finds solutions in the area, who thinks very quickly and makes the team progress."
"Even this season, all my statistics underline that. I can do much more for Benfica and that may be where part of my frustration lies. I was irritated and disappointed with that. It was precisely at these moments that I was sure that I could do a lot for the team."
