Left foot forward

Posted Friday, October 21, 2016 by werder.de

Left foot forward

Trust' is one of the words that journalists discussing Izet Hajrovic have found themselves using quite a lot in the last few weeks. The Bosnian is grateful for the chances that new head coach Alexander Nouri has given him in the first team, and that he has been able to repay that to both the new man in charge and his team mates. That being said, Hajrovic's renewed confidence is not just evident in his performances, but shows in his positive manner and good humour away from the pitch. "I just feel very happy for myself and for the team," said the 25-year old in his conversation with WERDER.DE. It was not something he had expected.

Hajrovic's spent last season on loan at Spanish side SD Eibar, who had just achieved promotion to Spain's top division. However, his time in the Iberian Peninsula did not bring the success for which he had been hoping. He was given just 172 minutes of playing time through the whole season – which has already been topped by the 309 minutes he has collected in his five appearances Werder so far this season. "to play to my highest level, I just need that rhythm and regular game time," he said of the difficulties he had faced in the previous campaign.

Hajrovic made an impression on first viewing, but it was in the second that he really made clear the impact he can have in his second outing with his sensational long-range strike against Mainz 05. Since then, there has been no looking back for the Bosnian. After his time in the wilderness, Hajrovic went from zero to 100, as it were, despite still being short of game rhythm.

Does Hajrovic believe there to be further reason for his upward curve? To Hajrovic, the influence of the team's 4-1-4-1 setup and Nouri's tactics cannot be doubted. "For me, it is important that our current setup relies on contributions from the wings. It lets me play to my strengths and play to my best level." Hajrovic firmly believes his best position to be on the wing in a four-man midfield arrangement.

One of his greatest strengths is his left foot. His primary position is down the right hand side, though in his own words, his right foot is "only used for getting on the bus." While something of an overstatement, it is clear to see that the technical winger prefers his rather impressive left foot. "As a left-footer on the right, you have a lot of options once you cut into the central areas. I can decide whether to play the ball short, take off myself, or switch to the other wing," said Hajrovic on the benefits of his favoured position. His recent form shows that the advantages of placing him there go for the team as well as the player himself.