Semih Kılıçsoy, who has returned to Beşiktaş, confessed! "The world revolved around me."

Semih Kılıçsoy, who played on loan at Cagliari last season and recently returned to Beşiktaş, spoke to the media. The young soccer player made some noteworthy comments about his time in Italy and his goals for the new season.

Here are Semih Kılıçsoy’s comments:

“Our coach has certain expectations of us—things like attacking soccer, pressing high up the field, and a fast-paced game. We’re getting used to it; our training sessions are both intense and fast-paced, yet enjoyable. Right now, everything is going well with the coach. I get tired, but it’s a good kind of tired—it’s doing us good. We feel better every day; our bodies feel revitalized. Our coach is very ambitious, and he clearly shows this drive during training—his drive really rubs off on us.

ITALY HAS CONTRIBUTED THE MOST TO MY MENTAL STRENGTH

Italy was a different experience for me—I didn’t go to an easy league, but a tough one. Going there really helped both my game and my mental toughness. I regrouped and strengthened my mental game; I improved my soccer and became a different kind of player. I’ve improved a lot compared to the last year I was there—it was a positive and unique experience for me. I played against big teams in a major league. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do well here this year.

EXPECTATIONS AND PRESSURE WERE HIGH

The season before I left Beşiktaş didn’t go as I’d hoped. Statistically, I hadn’t performed poorly. For a young player, I scored 4 goals and had 6 assists—including penalty kicks—but the expectations on me were too high. There was a lot of pressure on me. I thought a short break would be good for my personal development, and it really was. I missed this place a lot, too. I’ve come to appreciate its value all over again. No matter what happens, I feel right at home here.

HAVING 10 COACHES IN 3-4 YEARS ISN’T A GOOD THING

I’ve been playing professional soccer for 3–4 seasons and have worked with 9–10 coaches—which isn’t actually a good thing. Every coach wanted something different from me. Some coaches used me in the center and directed me toward the goal; others had me play on the wing and cut inside; and there were those who used me on the line. Just as I was getting fully used to one coach’s system, another coach would come in, and this time I’d have to try to adapt to his style of play. Then he’d leave, and someone else would come. So we couldn’t really adapt to anything. Because of that, I wasn’t able to develop myself much either. Of course, as a young player, I made my share of mistakes—it’s not like I didn’t—but I learned from everything. Those two or three seasons were a huge learning experience for me.

THE CLOSER I AM TO THE GOAL, THE BETTER I FEEL

I see myself as a number 9. I can play as a lone striker or a partner up front. When I first made the first team, I was playing on the left wing as a second striker. Back then, Cenk was there—we played side by side. I’m not a player who stays on the wing a lot. The closer I am to the goal, the better I feel. I can also play as a right or left winger, a forward, or a second striker. But I feel more comfortable in the center—that’s where my strengths lie. I’m more effective in areas close to the goal.

THE WORLD WAS TURNING AROUND ME

I performed well in my first season. In my second year, I moved to left wing and started the season with two assists in the first two games; the team was doing well, but then I was suddenly benched. I’m a young player—I know I can be benched; I’m playing for a big club. At Beşiktaş, I might sit on the bench, I might play in the starting 11, or I might not—but I didn’t even know why I wasn’t playing. When I asked, “Why aren’t I playing?” I didn’t get a clear answer. Of course, things like that take a toll because I’m a young player—I haven’t experienced much yet. In soccer, I’d only seen the good side; my first year started off with nothing but positive experiences. Then there was a downturn; we were mentally worn down. There was pressure both inside and outside the team. Our fans had high expectations, so there was some pressure from them as well. I also put pressure on myself, but I’m glad I went through those times because it was a great experience for me—I matured a lot. I matured at a young age. In my first year, so to speak, the world revolved around me. When the exact opposite happened in my second year, that became a learning experience for me. I look at it from the positive side. Because I’ve matured in every sense—in my approach to life, in soccer, and mentally, I’ve become much stronger.

PEOPLE FORGET I’M 20

In terms of experience, I think I’m beyond my years. Thanks to what I’ve been through—and thankfully, I’ll turn 21 in August—I’ve played over 110 matches. That includes the Super League, Serie A, the National Team, the Europa League, and the Conference League. Sometimes people forget I’m 20—I’m still a young player, and we’ll continue to develop. We’ve made mistakes, but it’s important to learn from them.

I DON’T BELIEVE THOSE WORDS

I don’t believe my performance dropped during Ramadan. It was tough when I first went to Italy. Because, as I said, it’s a tough league, and I had an adjustment period. Life is different. The grueling training sessions, the different training pace… The first two or three months were my adjustment period. Then I started playing, and I played well—I scored some great goals. I don’t know why I wasn’t playing in the last few weeks either. I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses, and I don’t want people to keep talking as if the problem is always with others. I also don’t believe the claims that my performance dropped after Ramadan. I played matches throughout Ramadan. There were matches where I played well—let’s just say that was my coach’s choice. The Cagliari fans loved me. I think I played well even in the big matches where I didn’t score. They’d tell me, “You’ll play this week,” but I wasn’t even coming off the bench. I was returning early from the national team. Without taking any time off, I’d fly back to Cagliari from the U-21 national team on three separate flights—they’d say I’d play in the next match, but I didn’t. In the last few weeks, they’d say things like “you’ll play,” but I didn’t—I guess that was the coach’s decision.

I NEED TO DO MORE FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM

Our national team was successful on its way to the World Cup; it had been years since we’d qualified, and we put on a great performance leading up to it. The results at the World Cup didn’t turn out the way we wanted. Of course, I would have liked to be there too. That means I need to do more to earn a spot on the team, and I’m well aware of that. This year is the one where I’m most determined—I especially wanted to be back here. This year, I’ve made it my mission to break free from my limitations.

SCORE ONE GOAL, AND EVERYTHING CHANGES

Competition is great. When I was 17 or 18, I had Cenk and Aboubakar ahead of me. On the wing, there were Radyo, Ghezzal, Muleka, and Rebic. Competition is great—it helps us grow. What matters here is trusting your own talent and hard work. It was the same at Cagliari. When I first arrived, I didn’t play at all. I was the third-string striker, waiting on the bench. Opportunity comes—you score one goal, and everything changes. It’s the same here—I don’t shy away from competition; I trust and believe in myself. I did it at 17, and I’ll do it again—I’m the same player, and mentally, I’m even better. I’ve been through a lot to get here, but I’ve gained experience.

WHEN THE COACH IS THIS DETERMINED, WE CAN’T SLACK OFF

Our coach wants us to play a high-pressure game. He wants us to press high up the field and attack constantly. We’re launching another attack before we’ve even caught our breath. So this is a great opportunity for us—the attacking style of soccer our fans want is actually Beşiktaş’s game. Our coach is very ambitious, and that drives us too. Everyone supports each other on the field, and we’re doing well right now. With our coach being this driven, we can’t just stand still on the field either. We’d feel bad if we didn’t—there’s actually a sense of obligation here. No matter how tired we get, as long as our coach is that driven, we have to do something.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS STUCK TO ME

In the new season, I first want to showcase my own beautiful style of play—there are certain perceptions people have about my game. There are some things that have stuck to me, and I want to dispel them through my play first. I want to show people once again that I’ve improved; goals will come, assists will come, and as a team, of course, we’ll become champions and, God willing, win trophies.

I STRUGGLED TACTICALLY

The thing that caught my attention the most between Italy and Turkey is the difference in tactics. When I first went there, I struggled tactically. I also found the pace of training very challenging. As for the referees, just like in our country, there can sometimes be reactions—these are just part of the nature of soccer. The most significant differences, as I mentioned, are the tactics and the pace of the league.

MARTINEZ IMPRESSED ME

I faced some great players in Serie A. As a forward, Lautaro Martinez really impressed me. Going there and playing against teams like Inter, Milan, Juventus, Roma, and Lazio was a great experience for me. No matter how you look at it, those were Champions League-level matches. I play those kinds of matches today—I’ve played in beautiful stadiums against big teams, and it was a great experience for me.

I LIVE IN THE MOMENT, I DON’T DREAM ABOUT THE FUTURE

I love living in the moment. I don’t make plans or daydream about the future. I’m focused on what this year will bring, acting accordingly, and enjoying the moment. I don’t have any plans for the future right now. God willing, I want to be successful here this year; I want to prove myself again, play well, and contribute to the team with goals and assists.

I’M NOT A COLD PERSON—I JUST DON’T SHOW MY EMOTIONS

I’m actually a fun person. My teammates and those who know me well are aware of this. I’m straightforward with others—I’m exactly who I am. I keep my distance from people I don’t know, but once we’re in the same environment and get to know each other, I’m a fun and enjoyable person to be around. I might seem cold, but I’m not like that on the inside. I just don’t show my feelings very much—I’m level-headed because I also enjoy spending time on my own, being alone, and so on. I’m a fun person; I have a good time, I laugh, I spend quality time with my friends, and they love me too.”