I will give Mohammed Salah freedom to operate – Trabzonspor new coach Thomas Reis

Trabzonspor head coach Thomas Reis has revealed his plan to get the best out of Mohamed Salah as he prepares to work with the Egyptian superstar at the Turkish club.

Reis recently agreed to a two-year contract with Trabzonspor after leaving Ludogorets, and he has already held discussions with Salah about the club’s plans and his role in the team.

Speaking at his introductory press conference, Reis said he would give Salah the freedom to express himself in the attacking third while ensuring the entire team contributes defensively.

“I have already spoken with Mohamed Salah, and any coach would love to work with a player like him. However, we will not win matches just because of Salah, but the team must show a collective performance from all the players on the field. I will also ask him for defensive duties, as I always ask all the team’s players to do that,” Reis said.

The German tactician believes Salah’s experience, quality and creativity can make a major difference for Trabzonspor, but insists the team must create the right conditions for the forward to operate effectively.

“He is a role model for everyone, and this is evident in his constant readiness to fulfill his defensive duties, reflecting his great desire to achieve success with Trabzonspor,” he added.

Reis explained that one of the key aspects of his approach will be to ensure Trabzonspor defend collectively, win the ball back quickly and play with the intensity required to supply Salah in dangerous positions.

“If we succeed in defending well as a team, recovering the ball quickly, and playing with great energy and activity throughout the match, we will succeed in getting the ball to Mohamed Salah without forcing him to run a lot or feel fatigued, and indeed we will benefit greatly from his individual solutions and creativity when the ball reaches him,” Reis stated.

Te Trabzonspor boss also intends to give Salah considerable freedom in the attacking line, allowing the Egyptian to use his movement and creativity to influence matches.

“I will give Mohamed Salah freedom in the attacking line, and if we succeed in controlling the game, organizing ourselves well, and having the ball with us during possession and creating danger to the opponent, it will help him to show his distinctive attacking abilities without exhausting his energy,” he said.

Reis and Salah have already discussed the situation at Trabzonspor, with the coach keen to build a team capable of supporting the forward and allowing him to make the most of his attacking qualities.

The German coach will now look to implement his ideas as Trabzonspor prepare for their next Turkish Super Lig assignment against Galatasaray on Saturday.

The fixture, which comes in the sixth round of the league campaign, will provide an early opportunity for Reis to begin putting his plans into practice as he looks to build a team around collective strength while maximising Salah’s influence in attack.