Pre-Season Interview | Hakan Hayrettin
With a new season approaching, Ally Murty had a chat with Hakan about our game against Wingate and what to expect this season.
It was oh-so close for the Hamlet on Saturday afternoon. Despite a brace from Luke Wanadio, it was Wingate & Finchley who came out on top after substitute, Ryan Lowe popped up in injury time to seal the victory and break Dulwich hearts.
“I didn’t expect to be 1-nil down after 5-10 minutes. It was a clumsy goal to concede”, Hakan admits.
“After, we had 80-90% of the ball but we didn’t really capitalise on it. I think it’s going to be a theme to our season where teams are going to drop off against us. I don’t think they’d want to press high against us because they know we can unlock the door. If I’m being honest, we didn’t really play as well as we did in pre-season”.
Hakan adds, “I want to come away from the thing of having to score two three goals away from home just to win a game of football. You score two goals away from home, you deserve to win the game.
Unfortunately for us again, we shot ourselves in the foot. With a minute to go, we conceded from their goal kick. We’ve got to defend better”.
Despite the disappointment north of the river, Hayrettin remains optimistic about the season ahead. He’s only all too aware that we’re a ‘scalp’ for a lot of teams. You’ve got to have a special DNA to play for this football club. There were 350 supporters at Wingate and 250 were probably from Dulwich”.
Hakan cautions against this when Hendon arrive to Champion Hill tonight. “They’re playing on a fantastic surface with a big crowd so we have to be prepared for that”.
Hakan delivers a rallying cry to the players. “It doesn’t matter who the opposition is for me. It’s what we do that’s the most important thing. “Have we got that desire and that determination and the enthusiasm to turn things over? We did for long periods of the season last season and we have to again if we want to be in the hunt to get promoted… and more so”.
Hakan celebrated a year in post in March. It was important for him to get his second full pre-season under his belt in order to progress the project he’s building at the club.
“I meticulously spent a lot of time as soon as the season finished, recruiting, getting things right on and off the pitch. I think we’re going to be in for a healthy season. What I won’t accept is people not willing to run and work as hard as they possibly can for the cause.
That is a no-no for me because you don’t need talent for that. We have to match [teams’] hard work and enthusiasm. I’ve always been like that as a player and as a coach and a manager.
We can accept people missing chances but – it’s the attitude towards the job at hand which is important. There’s no substitute for hard work. The harder you work, the more difficult you’re going to be to beat.
Let’s take Arsenal for instance. They work ever so hard with and without the ball and they nearly won the league doing that. Why can’t we?” Perhaps the Men’s team can take inspiration from the Women who famously put the ‘champion’ in Champion Hill last season. “I’m so proud of our women’s team and I’ll be there for the game against Norwich. I definitely take inspiration. I know them personally and I go and have a laugh and a joke with them –
If they can do it, we’ve certainly got to go and do it. I’m sure they’ll do well again. There’s no substitute for team spirit and togetherness”.
On that togetherness, Hakan is excited for some of Dulwich’s new signings to “sample the atmosphere… once they get used to it, they’ll raise the bar of expectation, personally for themselves.
Hayrettin reflects on his nearly 18 months at the club. “It’s very important that people go to work with a smile on their face and I love it. I love the place and everything it stands for and I love the people. We have a head and everyone fills down.
Everyone is all hands-on-deck, working as hard as they possibly can to make sure that on and off the field, it’s a fantastic place to come and enjoy. It’s an amazing football club – one in a million.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. We’re blessed and privileged to represent this fantastic football club”.
I think we can all agree on that.
We wish Hak and the team all the best tonight. Let’s bring it home!
