Istret Ajdarevic about the new role as a TV expert
He has gone from playing football to talking about football on TV.
But Astret Ajdarevic is not ready to end his football career.
– It’s very difficult. I don’t want to stop, says the 32-year-old.
After winning SM gold in 2019, Astrit Ajdarevic broke the contract with Djurgården in August of the following year. He then signed with Acropolis in the Super One, but only lasted eight matches for the midfielder who withdrew due to injuries.
Although it has been more than a year since he played his last game, Ajdarevic is not ready to say goodbye to football.
– If something pulls me back, I still have an incredible amount to offer. Shall I sit here and say I haven’t completely given up? 100%, otherwise I’m lying. I’m not quite at home yet. The decision to stop doing something you’ve done your whole life is still a big one. It’s strange to talk about. I tried not to talk about it when people ask.
Is it hard?
– Fuck hard. Incredibly difficult. I don’t want to stop. Especially when you feel like you still have a lot in you. The problem is that I chose to take root in Stockholm, and I don’t want to move anymore. That’s why it took place in Akropolis after Djurgården. I had other clubs interested, but I couldn’t stand the move anymore.
Will you still be in Allsvenskan?
– Yes, I could have done it with one leg. No, I’m just kidding. But I had one hundred percent. Swedish football knows what quality I have, and what I can give the team. Unfortunately, today’s football and coaches are very special. Too many people are very nervous and don’t like outstanding people. This is where I may differ from the others. I was called a selfish and a fool, but I always played with the team. I just got this seal for my jaw, nothing else.
‘Different with coaches’
There has been a lot of speculation about what really happened at Djurgården. Ajdarevich himself is not ready to say everything yet.
There is a time and place for everything. will also come. We parted ways, Djurgården and I as a club. There is absolutely no grudge between me and Boss and Henkie. It is a nice and beautiful association. We can do the second again when I feel ready.
But did that happen with coaches?
– Implemented. It would be foolish to deny that. Obviously it was cut. When it’s a certain way the first year and a completely different way the second year, I don’t really buy that. But now is not the time to talk about that. I respect Djurgården and as long as they are coaches, I want the best Djurgården player to win all the matches they can win.
How long do you follow them?
– Every match. For me, they are still the best team in Sweden besides Hammarby.
Who will win the gold medal?
– He’s among the three who are there now. Broadly speaking, Djurgården and Hammarby are the best teams, play the best football and have a clear idea. Heiken has stepped in as an outsider and he’s impressive, but will he hold up in the long run? we will see.
‘Experts today are very critical’
Ajdarevic joined Seamore in December 2020. But on Wednesday, he made his debut as a Champions League broadcasting expert.
But if the TV job is the future or if his football career is definitely over, he doesn’t know.
– Future and future, I do it now and I think it’s fun. I say what I think and think and don’t hold back. But I am trying to give a different point of view. The problem with many experts is that everything moves from day to day. A good player can’t be a bad player next weekend. If a player is bad in four, five, or six matches, you can start to criticize them very hard. But today’s experts seem to be very critical of getting likes. I’m very careful when I criticize, but if the player doesn’t deliver over time, they’ll get shit.
Who do you think will win the Champions League?
– Paris Saint-Germain. It looks like they got to the defensive end together and they have these three who are going to make a difference this year. Messi is angry this year after all the bullshit he got last year, you can see. Neymar started very well, Mbappe and Mbappe. It’s just a matter of keeping it damage-free.