Simanski: “Giannikis didn’t want me to step into the opponent’s area, I was surprised when he was sent off”

At the end of the regular season in the Super League, Damian Simanski gave an interview to his native Poland, in which he reviewed the entire season.

The international midfielder spoke about his presence at AEK, the Polish national team, the sacking of Argyris Giannikis, the departure of Paolo Souza from the Polish national team bench and AEK’s goals in the playoffs.

He also mentioned the reason he received a red card after the game ended with Asteras in OAKA. Simansky spoke to weszlo.com and said among other things:

For not appearing in the selection of the new Polish national team coach?

“There was no contact with coach Mihniewicz. But I have to keep working. I’m trying as much as I can. At first there was no contact with the new team.

When Paulo Souza came, I was on the list of players watching. Among other things, I was in contact with the staff trainer. I knew they were watching me or the time. Maybe I took the opportunity. Well I got it in September when there was absenteeism. “Every coach is entitled to their own decisions, their ideas and I respect that.”

Has your joint career achieved a high degree of stability?

“I think it looks like it. This season I almost always play in the starting XI. I played less in the last two. I didn’t play with Panathinaikos as I tested positive for the coronavirus. On Tuesday I was already in training and on Wednesday, after one training session, I started PAOK: that’s why I played less than an hour. Before Asteras, the coaches were afraid that I would see a 7th yellow card and I would risk not playing in the first few games of the playoffs, so it was my turn on the bench: “So I won’t start in the playoffs. I I’m a bit unlucky.”

For the reason that he got a red card after the end of the game against Asteras Tripoli?

“I jumped on the ball with an opponent. I put my hand on his shoulder, I had no contact with his head. I won that duel and the referee gave me a yellow card too! I was very angry. After I left the game.” to him and “I asked him if he saw the foul and so on. He was outraged and gave me a second yellow card. For the first time in my career I’ve seen a red card. I’ll rest a game and back to go next.”

For AEK that will start the playoffs in 3rd place and how about this mini-championship?

“We’re a bit disappointed with the season. The team’s potential doesn’t reflect our progress in the league. I think we deserve more, but there’s a problem. And it happens every year. We start well, everything’s great and then something.” That’s how we differ from Olympiacos: they win against lower-ranked opponents even if they don’t play any better And that’s how they escape the table.

There is no stability in the team. We can have a great season, play 3-4 games well and win. And then falling into a hole and not even being able to equalize, a weaker opponent! We’re supposed to control the game and lose with a goal from a set phase. We lost a lot of points because of that. The fight for Europe tickets remains for us. “There’s no point in deluding ourselves that we’re fighting for the championship.”

For the negative results AEK has against Olympiakos and PAOK?

“That’s a place we’re talking about. We won Panathinaikos and Aris at home but we lost away. I thought we were going to have a good season. Those were our assumptions, but unfortunately practice has turned out to be developed differently, and we did.” a similar season to the previous one. “.

For the end of Giannikis, even if its removal was expected?

“After 3-0 at Panathinaikos, Giannikis lost his job. He is a Greek coach who has lived in Germany all his life. He’s a young coach who had a chance with us. His dismissal surprised me. I didn’t know that.” It was going to happen. I went to training and learned everything. It was a club decision and I’m not going to go into it.”

What stage is it at on an individual level compared to last season?

“A lot has changed in my style of play. I’m more of a ‘six’. Giannikis in particular preferred a more defensive behavior on the pitch. You can be a defensive midfielder and attack when you have the chance, but Giannikis demanded that I keep the second line and above all that I am in control.

He even forbade me to continue and run into the opponent’s area. In general, he wanted to exert pressure and at the beginning it was done. It looked good too. But then a lot of forced changes were made in the 11-man squad and our style of play didn’t work properly anymore. Hence the management’s decision to look for a new coach.”

For the exclusion of Velez?

“The whole squad was in the process of restructuring and we had not yet completed the regular preparation program. Some of the eleven players who played back then still play key roles in AEK games. Then some left. Of course, that doesn’t justify us. We did not have the right to expulsion”.

However, in summer you played with Velez in July and the championship started in mid-September.

“That’s why I made such a point that Paulo Souza had me on his radar before his calls in September. At that time I hadn’t played a game for over a month. The Greek league should have started a little earlier but there was some televised litigation”.

When will AEK enter its new stadium?

“The stadium is practically ready. We will play the premiere game to open the new season. Also, they built a training center for AEK U23, which plays in the second division. In addition a modern hotel. Everything looks very good. Nice.” .

For Darko Gevtic?

“We have good contact. Darko speaks Polish. It’s nice to have him with us. He helps us on the pitch. He’s a great player.”

For Yevgeny Sakhov and his support for what is happening in Ukraine?

“I’m sure we’re all with him. His wife just gave birth to a child in Kyiv. Luckily everything went well. We all try to support him. As a Pole, I am proud of what Poland is doing as a country and how it is helping Ukrainians.”

If he thinks about what would happen if he was still an Ahmad Grozny player?

“I am very happy that I got rid of this club. I felt bad before that. And now it would be even harder. But who could have known that something like this would happen? be peace in the world “No one needs war.”

Has his life changed since scoring against England?

“They were wonderful moments. I will never forget them because thanks to my hard work and perseverance I managed to live them. I was always ready and when the opportunity came I didn’t miss it. I’m glad that I lived the time Paulo Souza. I appreciate him and he put a lot of trust in me. He had played for another big Greek club, Panathinaikos, so he knew the level of the Greeks is high and when someone plays a lot, Does he have to be in the national team I’ve had a few coaches in my career and to be honest I haven’t done any better than him in the regular part.

Souza knows things. As for his exit, I don’t want to comment on it, that’s his business. The only thing that bothers me is that after the England game I didn’t play from the start. I think I deserve it. I was left out in October due to injury and I know I would have been given the opportunity then. In November I went in with Andorra for 10 minutes. As for the goal against England, there was a moment of euphoria but I wasn’t resting on my laurels. Immediately after that I scored a goal in a very important game with Panathinaikos. I have an equivalent, good level in my club. “I think I’m going in the right direction and I have no intention of changing.”

When he feels like his ceiling is slowly reaching AEK?

“I’ll be 2.5 years old here in June. I think the first half of the year was very good. Then a worse period started because of my health problems, but after that I got back on a good path and stuff.” The season is the continuation of the first, meanwhile I’ve joined the national team.

After the opening of the new stadium, AEK will be able to show more things in Greece. It’s hard for me to answer your question, we’ll see. There are still two years in the contract, I’m not ruling anything out. “Maybe I’ll stay longer and maybe a club will come and get me higher.”