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Köln head coach Lukas Kwasniok lost his patience when a journalist attempted to lure another sensational quote about Said El Mala at his Thursday pre-match press conference. Throughout the course of the entire season, Kwasniok’s comments on the 19-year-old have made for good copy. The Kölner head coach nevertheless grew tired of being forced to make news. There was quite the poignant moment at the presser.
Said El Mala prepares to face his old club
Köln prepare to welcome fierce rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach to the RheinEnergieStadion this weekend. The “Rhein-derby” between the two club’s currently counts as the fiercest rivalry in the German top flight at this point in time. With Schalke still in the 2. Bundesliga, the classic “Revierderby” with Borussia Dortmund remains on hold. Köln-Gladbach is as big as it gets in the Bundesliga.
El Mala receives the chance to play against his old academy side for the second time this year. Revenge will certainly be on the teenage talent’s mind. It was none other than current Gladbach head coach Eugen Polanski who deemed El Mala to be unfit to eventually rise to the BMG first team. El Mala started against Gladbach back in early November. Kwasniok yanked the youngster early after an ineffective first 45 minutes.
Kwasniok’s challenge to journalists
Kwasniok answered a total of seven questions about El Mala at the 30-minute-long press conference. The first two related to El Mala’s fitness for the forthcoming Bundesliga fixture. After fielding five questions about El Mala’s non-nomination for the German national team and rumors of a transfer to Brighton this summer, Kwasniok finally lost it.
“As you’ve all noticed, I’ve been sticking to the correct words this whole time,” Kwasniok answered in response to the seventh question. “Pretty soon you’re going to get me. You want to catch me with a provocative quote. Everybody’s trying to bait me. Lille [the 1. FC Köln press officer] probably needs to shut this [press conference] down.“
“All of you reporters, it’s your job to stir things up and I understand that completely,” Kwasniok continued. “If I wish to express this in plain language, it’s simply perverse what’s going on with 18-and-19-year-old footballers these days; the kind of pressures they’re subjected to. And I think we’re robbing them of all the joy in doing what they love.
“Said likes to play football and loves to dribble,” Kwasniok concluded. “And you may have noticed in the last few games that he’s been working hard, but dribbling less. All of you bear some responsibility for taking that away from me. That’s my personal opinion.“
