Gerald Asamoah will end his career at the end of this season. The striker, who made 43 appearances for Germany, will play his final game for Schalke’s reserves in the Regionalliga West on Saturday (13:00 CEST) against leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 36-year-old spoke to DFB.de about how he will miss the conversations in the changing room once he retires, a visit from the Chancellor and other strange stories from the changing room over his career, which has spanned almost two decades.
DFB.de: Mr Asamoah, you said that you would miss the conversations in the dressing room once you retired. What is talked about in the changing room?
Gerald Asamoah: Many things, a lot of which can’t be revealed. It’s funny for me to be in the changing room with the younger players. It’s interesting to hear what ideas they have. I remember when I started in Hannover and we goofed around a lot (he laughs). The changing room is just a changing room and it’s where you talk about God and the world.
DFB.de: How have things changed in the changing rooms over the last 15 years?
Asamoah: Back then there were a lot of older guys where as now most of the players are very young. A lot of young players are getting a chance at the moment through the promotion of talent in Germany. Benni (Höwedes) is one of the oldest players at Schalke at the age of 27, whereas before you were one of the youngest at 27.
DFB.de: Which club had the nicest changing room?
Asamoah: Schalke (he laughs). I like it when I feel at home. At Hannover’s old Niedersachsenstadion the changing room wasn’t amazing but I always felt comfortable there.
DFB.de: Which changing rooms are luxurious?
Asamoah: There are nice changing rooms, for example in Hamburg and Munich, where you can sit in a Jacuzzi. But that’s not the deciding factor. You have to feel comfortable. Rot-Weiss Essen in the Regionalliga have a nice changing room even though they are in the fourth division. There are also changing rooms that aren’t as nice but that’s okay too.
DFB.de: What was it like at St. Pauli when you played there for a year? Did the changing room there have a particular charm?
Asamoah: St. Pauli is different. At the training ground no one had their own locker like we did at Schalke. That was unheard of for me. At S04 you didn’t have to bring anything with you to training because you had everything in your locker. I had to adjust in that sense at St. Pauli.
DFB.de: Which team talks will you never forget?
Asamoah: I will never forget those from Rudi Assauer (Schalke manager from 1993-2006), for example when we had played badly. He occasionally came into the dressing room to say hello, mostly on a Sunday with his dog. When we had warmed down, Charly Neumann (team caretaker at Schalke) would make eggs for us. When Rudi was annoyed he would come in and talk to us for a long time.
DFB.de: What was the best party you had in the changing room?
Asamoah: The one in 2001 in Berlin after winning my first DFB Cup was particularly special. I had to go to be tested for doping and I drank a few beers. When I came back, the team had gone. I had another beer with the kit man. We then got went back to the team hotel from the Olympiastadion in a taxi. I got out on the way to celebrate with Schalke fans.
DFB.de: What was it like when the Chancellor visited the changing room?
Asamoah: It was quite spontaneous. She was very nice, she knew our names and spoke to us for a bit. I remember when I was at a meeting in Berlin and I forgot that I was meant to be eating with Angela Merkel. They said “Asa where are you? The Chancellor is downstairs.” Then I thought “Oh no!” When I got down there she was there and all I could say was “I’m very sorry.” It was so embarrassing.
DFB.de: Will it be a sad moment for you to sit in the changing room for the last time as a player in your last game on 23rd May?
Asamoah: When you have a job you love and you have to call it a day then obviously it’s sad and you know that the time has come for me to stop. It won’t be nice but I’m looking forward to what is to follow. It won’t be easy to stop doing something that I have been doing day in, day out but I think I am well prepared.
DFB.de: What do you have planned after you retire?
Asamoah: I will remain at Schalke, which is where I have been a club ambassador for a number of years and I will also work towards my manager’s A licence. I would like to take charge of a team at some point. I’ve seen in the reserves how fun it has been to work with the young guys. Therefore I am excited to pass on my experience.
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Gerald Asamoah will end his career at the end of this season. The striker, who made 43 appearances for Germany, will play his final game for Schalke’s reserves in the Regionalliga West on Saturday (13:00 CEST) against leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 36-year-old spoke to DFB.de about how he will miss the conversations in the changing room once he retires, a visit from the Chancellor and other strange stories from the changing room over his career, which has spanned almost two decades.
DFB.de: Mr Asamoah, you said that you would miss the conversations in the dressing room once you retired. What is talked about in the changing room?
Gerald Asamoah: Many things, a lot of which can’t be revealed. It’s funny for me to be in the changing room with the younger players. It’s interesting to hear what ideas they have. I remember when I started in Hannover and we goofed around a lot (he laughs). The changing room is just a changing room and it’s where you talk about God and the world.
DFB.de: How have things changed in the changing rooms over the last 15 years?
Asamoah: Back then there were a lot of older guys where as now most of the players are very young. A lot of young players are getting a chance at the moment through the promotion of talent in Germany. Benni (Höwedes) is one of the oldest players at Schalke at the age of 27, whereas before you were one of the youngest at 27.
DFB.de: Which club had the nicest changing room?
Asamoah: Schalke (he laughs). I like it when I feel at home. At Hannover’s old Niedersachsenstadion the changing room wasn’t amazing but I always felt comfortable there.
DFB.de: Which changing rooms are luxurious?
Asamoah: There are nice changing rooms, for example in Hamburg and Munich, where you can sit in a Jacuzzi. But that’s not the deciding factor. You have to feel comfortable. Rot-Weiss Essen in the Regionalliga have a nice changing room even though they are in the fourth division. There are also changing rooms that aren’t as nice but that’s okay too.
DFB.de: What was it like at St. Pauli when you played there for a year? Did the changing room there have a particular charm?
Asamoah: St. Pauli is different. At the training ground no one had their own locker like we did at Schalke. That was unheard of for me. At S04 you didn’t have to bring anything with you to training because you had everything in your locker. I had to adjust in that sense at St. Pauli.
DFB.de: Which team talks will you never forget?
Asamoah: I will never forget those from Rudi Assauer (Schalke manager from 1993-2006), for example when we had played badly. He occasionally came into the dressing room to say hello, mostly on a Sunday with his dog. When we had warmed down, Charly Neumann (team caretaker at Schalke) would make eggs for us. When Rudi was annoyed he would come in and talk to us for a long time.
DFB.de: What was the best party you had in the changing room?
Asamoah: The one in 2001 in Berlin after winning my first DFB Cup was particularly special. I had to go to be tested for doping and I drank a few beers. When I came back, the team had gone. I had another beer with the kit man. We then got went back to the team hotel from the Olympiastadion in a taxi. I got out on the way to celebrate with Schalke fans.
DFB.de: What was it like when the Chancellor visited the changing room?
Asamoah: It was quite spontaneous. She was very nice, she knew our names and spoke to us for a bit. I remember when I was at a meeting in Berlin and I forgot that I was meant to be eating with Angela Merkel. They said “Asa where are you? The Chancellor is downstairs.” Then I thought “Oh no!” When I got down there she was there and all I could say was “I’m very sorry.” It was so embarrassing.
DFB.de: Will it be a sad moment for you to sit in the changing room for the last time as a player in your last game on 23rd May?
Asamoah: When you have a job you love and you have to call it a day then obviously it’s sad and you know that the time has come for me to stop. It won’t be nice but I’m looking forward to what is to follow. It won’t be easy to stop doing something that I have been doing day in, day out but I think I am well prepared.
DFB.de: What do you have planned after you retire?
Asamoah: I will remain at Schalke, which is where I have been a club ambassador for a number of years and I will also work towards my manager’s A licence. I would like to take charge of a team at some point. I’ve seen in the reserves how fun it has been to work with the young guys. Therefore I am excited to pass on my experience.
