Published14. March 2024, 1:40 p.m.
Football: The advent of Derek Kutesa
The Servetti winger was called up to the Swiss team for the March gathering. The 26-year-old Genevan can celebrate with qualification for the Conference League quarter-finals on Thursday (6:45 p.m.).
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Valentin Schnorhk (Plzen)
In the Super League, Derek Kutesa showed off his dribbling skills to achieve his best season in the Servette jersey.
BASTIEN GALLAY / GALLAYPHOTO
It is undoubtedly only the most attentive of Servetti supporters who must have noticed the change: since the start of 2024, their number 17 has changed its name. On the back of his garnet jersey (or gold or pink, it depends), Kutesa became “Dereck”.
Nothing transcendent: his first name became his “artist name”. A need, perhaps, to write his destiny a little more, even if it means provoking it under another name. Even if for everyone, and for Murat Yakin first and foremost, it remains Derek Kutesa, and it was under his complete demonimation that he appeared for the first time on a list of the Swiss team, this Thursday morning .
The 26-year-old from Geneva will therefore be part of the twenty-six players selected for the training course in Spain next week, prior to the friendly matches in Denmark (Saturday 23) and Ireland (Tuesday 26).
For Kutesa, the moment becomes intense, perhaps the most important of his career: before “touching the equipment” on Monday, he must also help carry Servette FC to the Conference League quarter-finals on Thursday (6:45 p.m.) facing Viktoria Plzen. Before an important Super League trip to Lucerne on Sunday.
Reims, a small failure
This is a form of accomplishment for the garnet winger. With a delay, perhaps: in 2019, it was with the reputation of the best dribbler in the Super League with Saint-Gall that he attempted the big leap abroad. It was in Reims, in Ligue 1.
He was not yet 22, but after having already spent time in Basel (where he finished his training after leaving Servette in 2015) and Lucerne, he seemed to be ready to take the next step.
Everything hadn’t been so obvious. In two seasons in Champagne, he was most often content with the role of rotation player (48 appearances, 3 goals, 4 assists). Before being loaned for the 2021-22 season to Zulte Waregem, in Belgium, for mixed performances (31 matches, 4 goals, 4 assists). His blocked future in Reims sounded like a small failure. So, the Servettian house appeared to be a good point of recovery, with a contract until 2025.
His best season
Good luck to him. The operation is conclusive. The return season, under Alain Geiger, was promising and confirmed the player’s qualities. The second, with René Weiler, in a Servette that walks on water, finally validates expectations: Dereck Kutesa is one of the most offensively active players in the Super League. And the regularity in his performances speaks for him, even if his choices of play can sometimes cause a certain irritation.
Still, statistically, Kutesa is undoubtedly having his best season. There is the very raw data: the one who has played 43 of the 44 matches played by Servette since July has already scored six goals and given six assists. And those advanced, which testify to his impact: his breakthroughs are very often at the origin of scoring chances, he is the player in the championship to find the most dangerous passes in the game and he is also one of those who touch most often the ball in the opponent’s area.
Yakin observed him
Mentioned for several weeks, this call-up to the Swiss team was therefore becoming more and more anticipated. Murat Yakin notably traveled to Praille for the victory against Stade Lausanne Ouchy on February 4, notably with the aim of observing it with his own eyes.
It is therefore not surprising that Kutesa is one of the two new arrivals on this list with the Valaisan from Toulouse Vincent Sierro: “Kutesa and Sierro have each had very good performances in club, they have even stood out on the international scene , greeted the coach on Thursday. They are two experienced players, whose profile and character will fit well into the team.”
It will happen quickly. But in the meantime, “Dereck” has a very important deadline to address this Thursday evening in the Conference League. Better to celebrate two major events than just one.