Toni Kroos full of praise for Real Madrid newboy Güler
The Turkish teenager has impressed the veteran players during his first few weeks at the club, especially for his keeness and desire to improve.
Arda Güler has left a good impression during his first pre-season with Real Madrid. Toni Kroos, one of the veteran players in the squad has noticed the teenager’s work ethic and eagerness and has been impressed with what he has seen so far. Güler has yet to make his debut with the first team - he was on the bench for the team’s first summer friendly against AC Milan and his missed the next game, against Manchester United, due to twinges in his right leg. However, Kroos has already predicted a golden future for him at Real Madrid.
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On the podcast Einfach mal luppen, which he shares with his brother Felix, Toni dedicated the following words to the former Fenerbahçe player: “It has to be said that he has great talent for his age. He has an excellent left foot, which I’m sure he will use to great effect. He has a great shot, he is very good technically, especially working within small spaces. I think he’s a pretty good and smart signing, especially for the future,” the German enthused.
Talent alone not enough
However, Kroos also wanted to make it clear that sometimes talent alone is not enough to stand out among the elite. “He definitely brings a lot and that will help him to being successful here. He’s very keen. But on the other hand, you also have to be a little careful with so many expectations placed on young players. We’ve seen it happen with other players who unfortunately didn’t live up to their promise. And especially in this club, there are other issues that determine whether someone is successful or not. It’s not just about having talent, technique or shooting ability,” he added.
But for now, Güler has the curiosity to learn, which sets him apart, in Kroos’s opinion, from other youngsters he has worked with: “He is one of those talented young players who will ask: ‘How do you do that?’ He wants clues and advice. There are many 18-year-old players who think they are already very good and don’t need advice at all. But he has that learning mentality.”
Kroos concluded: “There’s so much to take into account - like physical strength. How to deal with setbacks. How injury prone a player is and also, how to deal with the pressure of playing at a club like this. You need personality to succeed in a team like this and everything I have mentioned are questions that I myself can’t even begin to answer. That’s why I’m careful about dishing out praise, but I think he has a special talent as a footballer”. And someone like Kroos who has won it all, knows better than most.