Here is the full german interview - http://www.goal.com/de/news/834/eng...-lieben-mesut-özils-stil?ICID=SP_HN_HP_RI_0_3
There is a short version of it in English (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3277...-freund-on-Woolwich-bale-his-tottenham-future) but I decided to translate since it is a very interesting interview.
Interviewer: Steffen, what was that picture with the teletubbies costume about?
Freund (laughs): I lost a bet to my family and had to put to it on. I didn't expect it to go "viral". It was at the darts world championships.
Interviewer: What about your dart skills?
Freund: I'm not too good at it, but I've become quite a fan of the sport and Phil Taylor. It's amazing how big this sport in England is.
Interviewer: Just like football...
Freund: I love the atmosphere, it is great working in the Premier League. Tottenham is one of the biggest clubs and the supporters are great. Our new stadium will be finished by the 17/18 season. I've started here as a footballer, worked as a co-trainer and become sporting/technical director. It has been a great time, for example when we lost the derby to Woolwich. I thought: "Don't leave the stadium, the fans are going to be furious." But they didn't boo, they applauded. It doesn't matter if you lose, as long as you give everything.
Interviewer: What is the biggest difference to the Bundesliga?
Freund: The English are more relaxed! In North London, most of the people are very hardworking, even though money is a bit short. But there is no envy. They love the football and their team. They don't moan about negative runs as quickly as Germans do.
Interviewer: What does a German footballer need, to be sucessful in England?
Freund: There is a love-hate mentality between these two countries. They know we have (Germans) world class players. Even as a rival, I like Özil and Mertesacker at Woolwich. It has been a tough time for both, since the media in England can be very harsh. They have been criticized alot. The most important thing to be sucessful is passion.
Interviewer: David Ginola often called you "Work" (as in a very hard worker). Your playing style even got you a place in the Spurs-Hall of Fame.
Freund: Yes, I never got tired of running (for Ginola). The four and a half seasons at Tottenham have really been up-and-down: We won the League Cup and lost in the FA Finale. I got injured (cruciate rupture) and came back, but I just couldn't score a goal. The only thing I hit that time, were the corner flags. I have become an icon of English football by that time.
Interviewer: After your player career, you returned to Tottenham, when you left the DFB (he coached the youth teams) in 2012. How did you adapt?
Freund: It is hard to go from youth to the top level. Alot of people underestimate this fact. It is completely different to work with an A-team. At Spurs, I started as an assistant, working under AVB and Sherwood. I have learned alot: Andre trusted me since he never played professional football and me and Tim were like best friends. They were extremely different coaches.
Interviewer: After the Germans won the World Cup, german punditry has become even more "important"...
Freund: Yes. The English respect the Germans for their incredible success, as we have a alot of talented players. The communication between the DFB, the youth and the top clubs is incredible. The end product was the World Cup. England were disqualified early on and the FA finally reacted.
Interviewer: How?
Freund: They started to develop their own philosophy. Gary Neville, the assistent of Roy Hodgson has been working very hard on this. I don't know about the details, but I am soon going to read it. It is based on the Spanish, French and German football. It is the first step into the right direction, but the Premier League clubs need to starting changing in order to make this project happen.
Interviewer: What do you exactly mean?
Freund: The PL receives alot of money, especially through the television deals. They don't need to worry about money as much as in the Bundesliga. Even a relegated side is rewarded with 50 million pounds. If they need a new player, they are just going to buy a finished player from Spain or Germany. That's how the managers think and work. The youth players are hardly getting a chance to prove themselves.
Interviewer: Is there a mistake in the "system"?
Freund: I wouldn't call it a mistake. The Premier League is the by far interesting league in the world. The PL makes about 1,5 billions through sponsorship, marketing and television, the Bundeslia only 700 million - and we're talking about the World-Cup league. The clubs in England want to be prepared for every situation though. I don't understand, how QPR are allowed to have a 40 players in a first team squad.
Interviewer: Are there enough talents in England?
Freund: Sterling, Kane, Berahino or Shaw showed it, they are can be big players. The English U17 are the current european champions. There are alot of great players in that team, for example Josh Onomah. I hope, the coaches will see that aswell. Onomah needs first team action now.
Interviewer: How did "mega-talent" Gareth Bale develop in England?
Freund: He's exceptional. He almost has the perfect genetics, his body is build for professional football. I was amazed about his freekick technique. I remember his freekick against Liverpool in 2012, when Reina was standing completely wrong and the ball took an "unbelieveable" dip. We all though it was deflected, but it wasn't.
Interviewer: How is Bale as a person?
Freund: His character is special for a sportsman. He doesn't do the talk, but shows it on the pitch. His runs are just phenomenal, he really is a footballer from another dimension (laughs).
Interviewer: Is he worth the 100 million Real has paid for him?
Freund: l will answer this question from the view of a buisness man. Madrid won two titles through him, the Copa and the Champions League. His kit is selling well and I would say, that he definitely is worth his money. He was a big loss for us, but it is almost impossible to keep players like him. Right now, we are sixth and we need three points to reach fourth. That's where want to be at the end of the season.
Interviewer: As a director, are you still in touch with the first team?
Freund: Not as much, I am not working in training but in White Hart Lane. I am an ambassdor.
Interviewer: Your contract is running out. Coach or Manager?
Freund: I think I am capable of both. I know how football in the european top leagues works. You need to be realistic. Can I afford this player? Is he worth the risk? It's not easy, I can assure you that, but I gained alot of experience from my time here and in the DFB. Matthias Sammer (director of Bayern Munich) has teached me, even though he can a bit hard to work with.
Interviewer: So how do your future plans look?
Freund: I think I am leaving this summer. I don't know if it will be Germany or England. There have been talks, but nothing more. I have to be convinced of the club I will be working for.
Interviewer: Or even both? Alot of people are working that way in England.
Freund: England is developing. I have to admit that Wenger is doing his job brilliantly, even though media and the fans are always turning against him. I still think, that a coaching staff is more useful.
Interviewer: So, in conclusion, what do you exactly mean?
Freund: You need a reliable staff. Football is getting more and more complicated, you have to fulfill alot of tasks to keep the club running. You need "personalities". Just look at Munich: Rummenigge, Sammer and Guardiola, all working in the roles which they are best in. I hope England will head in the same direction. They have the money to do so.
I will really miss Steffen Freund. I only saw a couple of games of him in our colours, sadly. My dad (who is a Schalke fan), always told me about him. He never gave up, he kept running and always has been fully dedicated to the club he's been playing for. Even when he left Schalke to join Dortmund, he has never been called a traitor. I still watch him on Puls 4 (Austrian TV) as a pundit and on Projekt Profi (german documentary about 4 youth players breaking into the Bundesliga) and he is one of the few German players and coaches I really admire. Completely different from the cocky coaches in the Premier League, the La Liga and the Bundesliga (for example Mourinho, Hecking or Redknapp) or the stubborn ones (van Gaal, Emery or AVB). I was disappointed when Sherwood got appointed as coach after AVB has been fired. I think Freund was not ready to take over the club just yet and didn't want to take over all the responsbility and I respect him for that decision. I don't think it will take too long until he finds a new club. Just really sad to see him go, but I wish him the best of luck and I want us to win the league cup for him.
There is a short version of it in English (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3277...-freund-on-Woolwich-bale-his-tottenham-future) but I decided to translate since it is a very interesting interview.
Interviewer: Steffen, what was that picture with the teletubbies costume about?
Freund (laughs): I lost a bet to my family and had to put to it on. I didn't expect it to go "viral". It was at the darts world championships.
Interviewer: What about your dart skills?
Freund: I'm not too good at it, but I've become quite a fan of the sport and Phil Taylor. It's amazing how big this sport in England is.
Interviewer: Just like football...
Freund: I love the atmosphere, it is great working in the Premier League. Tottenham is one of the biggest clubs and the supporters are great. Our new stadium will be finished by the 17/18 season. I've started here as a footballer, worked as a co-trainer and become sporting/technical director. It has been a great time, for example when we lost the derby to Woolwich. I thought: "Don't leave the stadium, the fans are going to be furious." But they didn't boo, they applauded. It doesn't matter if you lose, as long as you give everything.
Interviewer: What is the biggest difference to the Bundesliga?
Freund: The English are more relaxed! In North London, most of the people are very hardworking, even though money is a bit short. But there is no envy. They love the football and their team. They don't moan about negative runs as quickly as Germans do.
Interviewer: What does a German footballer need, to be sucessful in England?
Freund: There is a love-hate mentality between these two countries. They know we have (Germans) world class players. Even as a rival, I like Özil and Mertesacker at Woolwich. It has been a tough time for both, since the media in England can be very harsh. They have been criticized alot. The most important thing to be sucessful is passion.
Interviewer: David Ginola often called you "Work" (as in a very hard worker). Your playing style even got you a place in the Spurs-Hall of Fame.
Freund: Yes, I never got tired of running (for Ginola). The four and a half seasons at Tottenham have really been up-and-down: We won the League Cup and lost in the FA Finale. I got injured (cruciate rupture) and came back, but I just couldn't score a goal. The only thing I hit that time, were the corner flags. I have become an icon of English football by that time.
Interviewer: After your player career, you returned to Tottenham, when you left the DFB (he coached the youth teams) in 2012. How did you adapt?
Freund: It is hard to go from youth to the top level. Alot of people underestimate this fact. It is completely different to work with an A-team. At Spurs, I started as an assistant, working under AVB and Sherwood. I have learned alot: Andre trusted me since he never played professional football and me and Tim were like best friends. They were extremely different coaches.
Interviewer: After the Germans won the World Cup, german punditry has become even more "important"...
Freund: Yes. The English respect the Germans for their incredible success, as we have a alot of talented players. The communication between the DFB, the youth and the top clubs is incredible. The end product was the World Cup. England were disqualified early on and the FA finally reacted.
Interviewer: How?
Freund: They started to develop their own philosophy. Gary Neville, the assistent of Roy Hodgson has been working very hard on this. I don't know about the details, but I am soon going to read it. It is based on the Spanish, French and German football. It is the first step into the right direction, but the Premier League clubs need to starting changing in order to make this project happen.
Interviewer: What do you exactly mean?
Freund: The PL receives alot of money, especially through the television deals. They don't need to worry about money as much as in the Bundesliga. Even a relegated side is rewarded with 50 million pounds. If they need a new player, they are just going to buy a finished player from Spain or Germany. That's how the managers think and work. The youth players are hardly getting a chance to prove themselves.
Interviewer: Is there a mistake in the "system"?
Freund: I wouldn't call it a mistake. The Premier League is the by far interesting league in the world. The PL makes about 1,5 billions through sponsorship, marketing and television, the Bundeslia only 700 million - and we're talking about the World-Cup league. The clubs in England want to be prepared for every situation though. I don't understand, how QPR are allowed to have a 40 players in a first team squad.
Interviewer: Are there enough talents in England?
Freund: Sterling, Kane, Berahino or Shaw showed it, they are can be big players. The English U17 are the current european champions. There are alot of great players in that team, for example Josh Onomah. I hope, the coaches will see that aswell. Onomah needs first team action now.
Interviewer: How did "mega-talent" Gareth Bale develop in England?
Freund: He's exceptional. He almost has the perfect genetics, his body is build for professional football. I was amazed about his freekick technique. I remember his freekick against Liverpool in 2012, when Reina was standing completely wrong and the ball took an "unbelieveable" dip. We all though it was deflected, but it wasn't.
Interviewer: How is Bale as a person?
Freund: His character is special for a sportsman. He doesn't do the talk, but shows it on the pitch. His runs are just phenomenal, he really is a footballer from another dimension (laughs).
Interviewer: Is he worth the 100 million Real has paid for him?
Freund: l will answer this question from the view of a buisness man. Madrid won two titles through him, the Copa and the Champions League. His kit is selling well and I would say, that he definitely is worth his money. He was a big loss for us, but it is almost impossible to keep players like him. Right now, we are sixth and we need three points to reach fourth. That's where want to be at the end of the season.
Interviewer: As a director, are you still in touch with the first team?
Freund: Not as much, I am not working in training but in White Hart Lane. I am an ambassdor.
Interviewer: Your contract is running out. Coach or Manager?
Freund: I think I am capable of both. I know how football in the european top leagues works. You need to be realistic. Can I afford this player? Is he worth the risk? It's not easy, I can assure you that, but I gained alot of experience from my time here and in the DFB. Matthias Sammer (director of Bayern Munich) has teached me, even though he can a bit hard to work with.
Interviewer: So how do your future plans look?
Freund: I think I am leaving this summer. I don't know if it will be Germany or England. There have been talks, but nothing more. I have to be convinced of the club I will be working for.
Interviewer: Or even both? Alot of people are working that way in England.
Freund: England is developing. I have to admit that Wenger is doing his job brilliantly, even though media and the fans are always turning against him. I still think, that a coaching staff is more useful.
Interviewer: So, in conclusion, what do you exactly mean?
Freund: You need a reliable staff. Football is getting more and more complicated, you have to fulfill alot of tasks to keep the club running. You need "personalities". Just look at Munich: Rummenigge, Sammer and Guardiola, all working in the roles which they are best in. I hope England will head in the same direction. They have the money to do so.
I will really miss Steffen Freund. I only saw a couple of games of him in our colours, sadly. My dad (who is a Schalke fan), always told me about him. He never gave up, he kept running and always has been fully dedicated to the club he's been playing for. Even when he left Schalke to join Dortmund, he has never been called a traitor. I still watch him on Puls 4 (Austrian TV) as a pundit and on Projekt Profi (german documentary about 4 youth players breaking into the Bundesliga) and he is one of the few German players and coaches I really admire. Completely different from the cocky coaches in the Premier League, the La Liga and the Bundesliga (for example Mourinho, Hecking or Redknapp) or the stubborn ones (van Gaal, Emery or AVB). I was disappointed when Sherwood got appointed as coach after AVB has been fired. I think Freund was not ready to take over the club just yet and didn't want to take over all the responsbility and I respect him for that decision. I don't think it will take too long until he finds a new club. Just really sad to see him go, but I wish him the best of luck and I want us to win the league cup for him.
ochsulk:
