NEC captain Tjaronn Chery told a press conference ahead of the Europa League match against Levski that he hopes Dusan Tadic will soon return to his former level.
So far, Tadic has made only a limited impact at the Nijmegen club. He has provided 3 assists in 12 appearances but has yet to score for Dick Schreuder's side.
Tadic also spoke to NU.nl about his love for Ajax and his team-mates' 'shortcomings'. "I regularly make preparatory runs and don't get the ball. Or I don't get it back after a few touches. Apparently, my brain works too quickly. I find it difficult; I'm often battling with myself, and then my mind is in turmoil," Tadic said.
Later, Tadic told ESPN that he had meant well, and Chery believes him. "I know Dusan as a footballer and as a person. He's no different from me. He came to NEC to raise the level. It's no different for me and other players in the team. Ultimately, I understand what he means."
Chery still expects more from Tadic, who has yet to reach his former level since returning to the Eredivisie. "Of course, you can see he has a lot of quality. He's exceptionally strong on the ball and often finds the right solution. He's not yet the Dusan Tadic we know from Ajax, but that will come soon. Then he'll be important for the team and lift us to a higher level," Chery said.
Since the Serbian's arrival, little has changed for Chery. "No, in the end I'm still playing the way I played last year. In the same position. I also played with different players last year. Noé (Lebreton, ed.), Bryan (Linssen, ed.] and a few other players played alongside me behind the striker."
"I think it's only a good thing that we have a lot of options in a lot of positions," he continued. "Yes, if you play with good players in a position like that, it can only be good."