The EURO 2016 qualifier against Georgia was the last time Ilkay Gündogan’s played 90 minutes in a Germany jersey, before his long injury lay-off. Following his return to full fitness, the 26-year-old is now back in the Germany squad. In the 8-0 victory over San Marino and the 0-0 draw with Italy, Manchester City’s new signing assumed the positions of Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos. He has not returned to the team to be in the boss in midfield, however, as he explains in an interview with DFB.de.
DFB.de: Ilkay Gündogan, you played well in both the games against San Marino and Italy. Are you optimistic that even after Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos return, you will still be involved in the midfield?
Ilkay Gündogan: I’m not here to be the boss in midfield. A regular place in the starting eleven comes with time. Due to my injury, I have never really been able to secure my breakthrough into the Germany team, as I had wished. I’m now just thinking about the here and now. I have returned and feel in good shape.
DFB.de: What role do you want to have in the national team going forward?
Gündogan: I want to play an important role in the team. I have an aspiration to be able to show the best football I can and continue helping the team. I’m on the right track, but still have a long way to go.
DFB.de: The young players in the squad also seem to be on the right track, with Serge Gnabry and Yannik Gerhardt to name just two. How would you assess the team interaction until now?
Gündogan: I think it has been really positive. We had eleven players on the pitch who have not played with each other a great and haven’t had too much time to train together. I think we did well considering all that. You have to give a huge compliment to the young players as well. It shows their quality, how they were able to play so confidently in Milan against very good opposition. It was a successful evening for us.
DFB.de: In terms of success, what is your take on the year as a whole for the national team. How has the team developed?
Gündogan: We have dominated and won all of our World Cup qualifiers so far. It’s important for us to secure qualification as early as possible. We are on the right track to achieving that goal. Obviously we had hoped to perform better at the European Championships in the summer, but defeats and setbacks are all part of football too. That’s now in the past and….
DFB.de: … go on
Gündogan: … we developed even further as a side after the tournament. Joachim Löw and the coaching staff managed to integrate new and young players, who have a lot of quality. If everyone can stay fit, then we will have more success in our future international games.
[mmc/vs]
The EURO 2016 qualifier against Georgia was the last time Ilkay Gündogan’s played 90 minutes in a Germany jersey, before his long injury lay-off. Following his return to full fitness, the 26-year-old is now back in the Germany squad. In the 8-0 victory over San Marino and the 0-0 draw with Italy, Manchester City’s new signing assumed the positions of Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos. He has not returned to the team to be in the boss in midfield, however, as he explains in an interview with DFB.de.
DFB.de: Ilkay Gündogan, you played well in both the games against San Marino and Italy. Are you optimistic that even after Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos return, you will still be involved in the midfield?
Ilkay Gündogan: I’m not here to be the boss in midfield. A regular place in the starting eleven comes with time. Due to my injury, I have never really been able to secure my breakthrough into the Germany team, as I had wished. I’m now just thinking about the here and now. I have returned and feel in good shape.
DFB.de: What role do you want to have in the national team going forward?
Gündogan: I want to play an important role in the team. I have an aspiration to be able to show the best football I can and continue helping the team. I’m on the right track, but still have a long way to go.
DFB.de: The young players in the squad also seem to be on the right track, with Serge Gnabry and Yannik Gerhardt to name just two. How would you assess the team interaction until now?
Gündogan: I think it has been really positive. We had eleven players on the pitch who have not played with each other a great and haven’t had too much time to train together. I think we did well considering all that. You have to give a huge compliment to the young players as well. It shows their quality, how they were able to play so confidently in Milan against very good opposition. It was a successful evening for us.
DFB.de: In terms of success, what is your take on the year as a whole for the national team. How has the team developed?
Gündogan: We have dominated and won all of our World Cup qualifiers so far. It’s important for us to secure qualification as early as possible. We are on the right track to achieving that goal. Obviously we had hoped to perform better at the European Championships in the summer, but defeats and setbacks are all part of football too. That’s now in the past and….
DFB.de: … go on
Gündogan: … we developed even further as a side after the tournament. Joachim Löw and the coaching staff managed to integrate new and young players, who have a lot of quality. If everyone can stay fit, then we will have more success in our future international games.
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