Glasner confirms Kostic will be in weekend squad: "For me, it's more important what someone says to my face."
Eintracht Frankfurt head-coach Oliver Glasner made clear that the topic of winger Filip Kostic's recent antics was "over and done" in his own personal calculus.
The Serbian will definitely be in the squad to face Stuttgart on Sunday after agreeing to agreeing to host a barbecue event for his teammates.
Glasner shed light on the current situation and answered other questions about tactics and his new transfers at a Friday presser.
SGE trainer Oliver Glasner arrived at his Friday press conference well prepared to answer questions about the rumors circulating about Filip Kostic's potential punishment after his controversial training boycott during the weekend preceding the transfer deadline.
The Serbian will definitely be in the squad to face Stuttgart on Sunday after agreeing to agreeing to host a barbecue event for his teammates.
Glasner shed light on the current situation and answered other questions about tactics and his new transfers at a Friday presser.
"I will certainly not ban him from the squad," Glasner noted, "He came back yesterday. We talked to him after our training session. With that the topic is over and done with us. Everything has been cleared up. Myself and the team expect nothing more from Filip Kostic than to be Filip Kostic."
With the topic of a suspension off the table, Glasner was asked about the rumor that the club imposed a fine in the amount of €100,000 on the wantaway winger. This was initially reported by Germany's main sporting tabloid, which also cited insider sources to claim that the team council voted on this reprimand.
Glasner refuted the report.
"I want to make one thing clear: Neither the team nor the team council never pushed for a sanction," Glasner said, "Filip will pay for a barbecue for the squad. That we all get together is more important than anything else."
Asked about Kostic's curious instagram post in which the Serbian claimed that some owed him an apology, Glasner couldn't help but crack a smile when answering.
"That's one of the reasons I'm not on social media," Glasner said, "For me, it's much more important what someone says to my face and what I say to others' faces."
After discussing Kostic, Glasner also fielded questions about the club's new acquisitions and how he planed to integrate them into the squad. Signs that the SGE gaffer was leaning towards the 4-4-2 he talked about earlier in the week were apparent.
Rafael Santos Borré is actually available for the starting XI despite playing for the Colombian national team last night. The 25-year-old flew back to Germany via a private jet. Glasner also said that new acquisitions Krisitijan Jakic and Sam Lammers were ready to debut.
"Both have made a very good impression and have been integrated into the squad quickly," the coach confirmed, "They are candidates for the starting XI."
Asked about starting Lammers alongside Borré in a 4-4-2, Glasner refused to rule it out.
"They don't even know each other yet," he conceded, "It's not ideal, but that's the way out is. Sometimes you don't even have to know each other well and it still works."
🎙️ #Glasner:
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht) September 10, 2021
„Wir haben gestern noch mal mit Filip Kostic gesprochen. Die Inhalte bleiben natürlich intern. Aber das Thema ist nun für uns erledigt. Er ist Teil von Eintracht Frankfurt. Und wir alle erwarten nun, dass Filip Kostic Filip Kostic ist.“
––––––#SGE #SGEVFB