Jimmy Durmaz Opens Up About Departure from AIK: “It Was Wrong from the Beginning”

Published 2024-02-15 07.47

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Expectations were high, both from AIK’s fans and Jimmy Durmaz, 34, himself.

Now he breaks the silence about the breakup.

– It’s just to say it as it is, it was a good farewell for everyone, says Durmaz to Sportbladet from Ankara.

After eleven seasons abroad, Jimmy Durmaz wanted to return home, to end his career with several successful years in the Allsvenskan.

In AIK, he also got the chance to play together with his brother, Elias, who is eleven years younger.

There were only a couple of training matches together in AIK during 2023.

Now both have ended up in Gençlerbirligi, table nine in the Turkish second division.

After three training sessions together, the brother duo played ten minutes together in the league loss, 0-1 against Eyüpspor, on Monday evening.

“Wrong from the start”

– It goes very fast in football. What works in one place doesn’t work in another, says Jimmy Durmaz. Here I got into it straight away, gained a lot of confidence. It feels good on the pitch.

How disappointed are you that it turned out the way it did for you in AIK?

– Very sad. I came in with high demands on myself, AIK hoped for a lot. I’ve tried to keep my spirits up, not whining. I have no hard feelings. Sometimes it just doesn’t work.

Why didn’t it work in AIK?

– It was wrong from the beginning. I didn’t get started. The team didn’t work. I don’t blame anyone else, he says on the other end of the mobile phone call from the Turkish capital.

– When I got in better shape towards the summer with Brännan (Andreas Brännström), he had to leave. I went in and out of the team. I got no rhythm in my body.

How did the discussions with Henning Berg go?

– We had no problems with each other, it was a very good relationship. He said he thought I was one of the Allsvenskan’s best in my position, but he preferred other players based on the situation AIK was in.

Busy autumn

Gnaget finished eleventh, three points from the qualifying spot. Durmaz only made three shorter innings in the final ten innings during the fall.

– I was available all the time. I was healthy and injury free. When the plans got heavier in Sweden, I felt a little of my previously operated hip, but that was all.

On January 23, it became clear that Jimmy Durmaz left AIK and broke the contract that was written over 2+1 years.

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full screen Photo: Stefan Holm

According to Sportbladet’s information, the former national team midfielder was redeemed for just 500,000 kroner.

– We really parted as friends and made the best of the situation. It was a good talk with Henning (Berg), with Thomas (Berntsen), with the players.

There were supporters who believed that you cost AIK many millions.

– I had a contract that had easily become a three-year contract, but it didn’t feel right to do it when I felt I needed to get out of there to continue my career in a better way elsewhere, says Jimmy Durmaz.

– It took less than 24 hours to agree. Berntsen and I solved it quickly. I’m pretty sure that AIK is also happy with that solution. It was a good farewell for everyone.

Aims at coaching training

What is your ambition now?

– It is to play at a high level for at least a few more years. I could write a long contract. I want to see how it works so we wrote for 1.5 years. As soon as I got here I got to play straight away. I have started two and jumped into two games. Gençlerbirligi trusts me a lot.

The Ankara club was the first stop in the midfielder’s foreign career when he left Malmö FF in the summer of 2012.

The career took the BK Forward product on to Olympiakos, Toulouse, Galatasaray, Karagümrük, 49 A caps, EC and WC finals.

– I have a lot to say about in Gençlerbirligi both on and off the field. When they called me, they said “Come home and help us”. We are going back to the first league. Everything works fine for me here. The atmosphere around the club, how you are treated. If you feel good, you perform better. I feel very well in Turkey, he says from the hotel where he and little brother Elias stayed, but where they are moving to separate apartments within the next few days.

What do you do when you stop playing?

– I have had some thoughts about attending the coaching training. I also had that in AIK. Here I support both the coach and the sports director. It is good to gain insight and learn to facilitate taking the step to what I want to do when I quit. Gençlerbirligi have said they will help me enter the coaching training.

“AIK? Aim for top-5”

Have you completely dropped AIK or are you following them in pre-season?

– I still talk to many of the boys. I have a good relationship with several. I saw the first game during the camp in Spain (against Backa Topola). It looked all right even though they were cod. At times it was good. I’ve kept a decent eye on their transfers.

What do you think of the sale of Jonah Kusi-Asare to Bayern Munich?

– It is a good sale for AIK, it stabilizes the economy. They got paid very well for a young player who hasn’t shown much yet at Allsvensk level. Jonah has greater development potential at Bayern Munich than he would have had if he had remained in Sweden. There, more resources are placed on him. Hopefully he makes a trip like Alexander Isak.

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fullscreen Brothers Elias and Jimmy Durmaz together in competitive match with Gençlerbirligi on Monday evening.

– Jonah is very special, purposeful, calm. He is 16 years old but he is like a 25-year-old on the sidelines.

What is realistic to believe about AIK in Allsvenskan 2024?

– Most of the starting eleven and the squad remain. Martin (Ellingsen) and Coulibaly are good new signings.

– Bersant Celina is, in my eyes, one of the best players in Allsvenskan. AIK haven’t seen the best of him yet. He can carry AIK far.

– With that squad, I think AIK should aim for the top five in the Allsvenskan. They need a good start.

Got it wrong last time

Will you play in Sweden again?

– Oh, now I have to look after myself. A few years ago I said that I had moved home for good, that I would never move out again. Now I’m here again, haha.

– I don’t know what will happen in six months. But to 99 percent, I will end my career here in Turkey, says Jimmy Durmaz.

2024-02-16 02:05:20
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