Palut defends Mostafa Mohamed and explains his limited playing time at Konyaspor

İlhan Palut has defended Mostafa Mohamed, who has been away from Konyaspor’s starting XI, and said his limited playing time does not reflect a fitness problem. The coach instead points to the effort the striker puts in during training and matches, which is appreciated by the technical staff.

Mostafa Mohamed joined Konyaspor at the beginning of the current season. Since that move, he has rarely been named in the starting line-up. Palut has nevertheless rejected the idea that this means his player is not ready. “I would be unfair if I said Mostafa Mohamed is not ready; he works very hard and I respect that, whether he gets little or a lot of playing time, it is the same to me,” the coach said.

That backing does not mean the coach is satisfied with the current situation. Palut said he expects a higher level from the striker in the period ahead, while expressing confidence that Mohamed can make a major contribution to the team. He also said the player’s limited number of appearances was not, in his view, the result of any major shortcoming on Mohamed’s part. “I expect him to produce a better level and I trust that he will be able to deliver a very important performance for the team,” Palut said.

The coach also intends to speak directly with his striker to help him maintain his confidence. “I will also speak to him personally, because in such circumstances we must first support the player psychologically and avoid damaging his morale. He is an extremely valuable player for us,” he said. His message combines an expectation of improvement with a desire not to undermine Mohamed during a spell of reduced playing time.

Konyaspor have 8 points and sit fourteenth in the Turkish league after their latest win. The club hopes to improve its position in upcoming matches. Against that backdrop, Palut has publicly reaffirmed his support for Mohamed while asking him to raise his level and contribute more to the team.