Aleksandar Mitrovic shoots Fulham to rally after falling out of favour at Newcastle. He says “sky Sports” about his outstanding form that he has learned from his “stupid mistakes”, and like a countryman Slavisa Jokanovic helps him to channel his aggression…
“So much going on in my head,” Aleksandar Mitrovic says sky sports. The Serb throws his mind back to the drama of transfer deadline day, when he proposed to move a loan to his former club Anderlecht collapsed at the 11th hour, threatening to leave him in limbo to play for Newcastle in a World Cup year.
Mitrovic says the stress of the flight back from Belgium with his future unresolved and “pressure” ticking period, but on a Sunny afternoon in South West London, three months later, he’s grateful. If all went as planned, he never would have sent opportunistic message Slavisa Jokanovic who brought him to Fulham.
“It is worth emphasizing,” he says with a smile. “One hundred percent”.
All the tension melted away now. The tattooed 23-year-old has a reputation as a hot head, but in a small copse on the shore of one of the educational places in Fulham motspur Park training ground where he had just collected the sky bet championship player of the month award, he seems completely at ease. Mitrovic could not get a game at Newcastle, but he scored nine goals in his first 11 starts for Fulham.
His latest, the first clinical finish which secured a late 1-0 victory at Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, put Fulham in the distance automatic the action. On Tuesday evening, they leapt above Cardiff with another victory over reading. Fulham at the extraordinary 20-game unbeaten run. Premier League is within reach.
Aleksandar Mitrovic was in March, the player of the championship sky bet in a month
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“I hope that will continue in the same spirit, and the team will continue this form,” says Mitrovic. “We still have a few games, but they are all finals. We need that mentality to continue in the same spirit and try to put pressure on Cardiff. We have some hard games but they, too, so it’ll be interesting.”
Mitrovic, a £13m signing from Anderlecht in 2015 has not started a League game for nine months in Newcastle. He insists that his relationship with Rafael benítez is still hearty, but the emphasis on tactics and defense did not suit him. For instantaneous Fulham, who scored more goals than any other championship team since the beginning of the new year, it feels a lot more comfortable.
“I really like the way the team plays and players that they have,” he says. “It’s a nice style and a good team to me. I think this is a good team for any striker. I thought I could enjoy this style and I’m very happy to be on the field and score goals to try to do the best I can to help the team achieve what we want from this season.”
Does he have any regrets about Newcastle? “I would never say I wish I was there but I regret, because I have not played as much as I could and maybe I should have scored more. There are many things that I wanted to do what I do, so of course, I’m sorry, but I still enjoyed my time there, and I’m still a player, “Newcastle” so we’ll see what happens.”
At the moment, however, his attention to Fulham. Mitrovic has already relished the services provided by new teammates Stefan Johansson, Tom Cairney and Ryan gets – “I think he’s a player who is going to play in top, top club,” he says of the last, but the most important influence is undoubtedly Jokanovic, which he knew from his childhood days in club Partizan Belgrade.
“He was a major player in Serbia and now he is one of the best managers in Serbia”, – said Mitrovic. “He looks strong, but he is a true gentleman and a really nice guy. I spoke with him a few times and in the end we came together and I am very happy. I really like to work with him and play under him. He never gave up on me and Fulham”.
It comes to “faith, trust and game time,” according to Mitrovic. “This is important if you are a striker. I can say that he felt confidence in me. If you really feel the confidence from the Manager, it is much easier to play. That’s what I’m feeling right now. I know he believes in me and I know what he wants from me. My job is to do and do it well. I hope that will continue in the same spirit.”
Key sky Bet championship match between Fulham and reading
Mitrovic gave Fulham the attacking coordinator was not there before and has already scored more than any of the other strikers the club has managed all season, but he is no less popular among fans for his full-blooded style, as his target. Since its debut, it was three orders, bicep-flexing celebration against “Sheffield United” and more fouls than any other player, Fulham.
However, his aggression did not spread. Mitrovic is explosive, instinctive striker, whose violent and Maverick, the character has already landed him five career red cards at the age of only 23 – including two in one season at Newcastle – but still at Fulham he managed to keep his temper in check.
As Jokanovic helped?
Mitrovic smiles, and makes a calming motion with his hands. “He tells me, ‘use your head and keep calm,” he says. “He tells me to stay focused and not waste energy on things that are not important.”
Not removing the natural aggression that makes him such a handful for defenders, but it’s just a matter of dealing with it. “I’m very low and I want to win every game,” he says. “It’s my way. That’s how I played my whole life. This is how I see football and all. I’m a winner and I will try to do everything to win the game.
“I made some stupid mistakes, but I tried to learn from their mistakes. It is not always possible to direct anger in the right direction, but I try to focus on the team and do my job. That is, to stay on the field and score goals to help to create space. I want my passion, but I need to control it. I try to use it on aim and in the team.”
Great shape Mitrovic suggested links with the Premier League “West ham United” and “Everton”, but he did not rule out will remain at Fulham, but he’s sure to leave Newcastle.
“I am 100 percent focused on Fulham and upcoming games,” he says. “I hope that we have raised, then the World Cup, then I need to relax a bit, we will see what happens. But I am 100 percent with my head. I want to return to Fulham because they gave me the opportunity to come here to play games and be a part of this wonderful club. I will do everything I can to help the team get promoted”.
All the stress, pressure and uncertainties of the days are still fresh in memory, but it would be foolish to bet against him.
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