Astrit Selmani has had a tough start to the season.
After restoring order and consulting with his assistant, referee Marti Cifuentes called the AIK player to one side and issued a red card to the player.
– I work in my country and he works for him, he tells Sportbladet.
Street Salmani Recruited for big money to Hammarby last season from Varberg, the striker then scored nine goals in 26 games.
But this season has been more difficult and has scored zero goals so far under new coach Marti Cefuentes.
And in today’s home derby against AIK that finished 3-3, the 25-year-old had to start on the bench and was only substituted in the 76th minute as he had to play outside.
– I have to play in a position above as an outside player, like a left-back, not me. It’s tough when you don’t know what to do on the defensive, especially when you’ve trained for it, a very frustrated Salmani tells Sportbladet.
– You don’t always agree. I’ve known for a while that I’m going to start on the bench.
Were you enemies about more things?
– No, we’ll see. I only focus on the next match.
Did anything happen this week?
– No, I work on my account and he works on it.
Do you have a dialogue?
– I don’t know what to say, it’s sad because you want to play a match like this. He makes the decision and then I’ll buy him.
What explanation did you get?
– You can take that with him.
How frustrated are you?
I’ve been in such situations before and I know how to get out of them.
Hammarby coach Marti Cifuentes said Salmani had to start on the bench.
We have tough competition in the team and many good players. I was an important player for us, but in this match I chose other players. It also comes down to tactical reasons. But we’ve played a lot of games in a short time now too and I believe a lot in our young players. Then Joel Nelson, Boubacar Trawale or Denis Widgren weren’t with us today either and that says a lot about how tough the competition we have in the team, he says.