How Potter chooses to fill his 4–4–2 formation in Saturday night's World Cup qualifier against Switzerland remains to be seen. With both Lucas Bergvall and Hugo Larsson leaving the squad, it is reasonable to believe that Ayari will keep his place.
Things have gone well in the club team, but the coach decides, he says.
How did you react to Dahl Tomasson being fired?
It's a shame, of course, because he was a good person. But now there's someone new here and I'm very happy that he's leading us.
However, Ayari was so involved in the situation of the Dane and the national team that he swore in Latin in a post on Instagram.
"Aut viam inveniam aut faciam," he wrote when Dahl Tomasson had to leave. This roughly means "I will either find a way, or create one."
Come back stronger
The expression he used is attributed to Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who marched across the Alps with his elephants nearly 2,250 years ago.
I meant what it said. I felt it fit. There was nothing more to it than that we will come back stronger.
He also contacted Dahl Tomasson and thanked the Dane for giving him the chance and for the time together.
Are you interested in Latin proverbs?
"I like historical stuff. I watch some movies and read a little," says Ayari.
“Smart football players”
What does it take for the national team to come back stronger?
Just go out and drive. We are smart footballers. If we play one way with Jon and another way with Potter, it shouldn't take us that long to understand. At some point in our careers we have played the way we are going to play. It will be a test against Switzerland, to see how quickly we have absorbed all the information. We know that on a good day we can beat any team.
Your impression of Graham Potter so far?
"A very good person. I spoke to some people at Brighton who were there when he was there and they said first of all that he is a fantastic person and a great coach," Ayari said.
The World Cup qualifier against Switzerland will be played at the Stade de Genève with kick-off at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday.
