Özil on playing in Gelsenkirchen: "I’m looking forward to going back to the stadi...
Mesut Özil helped Arsenal finish second in the Premier League in
2015/16 and was named their player of the year. The Germany star
remains a favourite in London but has now turned his attention to new
targets. The European Championship is on the horizon and is raring to
go. The 27-year-old spoke to DFB.de about the Gunners, the recent training camp and Die Mannschaft’s upcoming game against Hungary.
DFB.de: Mr. Özil, is time slowing down for you?
Mesut Özil: Why would it?
DFB.de: You’ve previously said that as you get closer to major tournaments, the days feel longer...
Özil: It feels that way. The players can’t wait for it to
finally get under way so we can show our potential. We want to be
successful.
DFB.de: What are you doing to speed things up?
Özil: It’s good that we have a lot of training sessions
planned still. I enjoy going out onto the pitch and doing fitness work. I
spend my downtime with the rest of the lads. It certainly isn’t boring
because I’m really excited for the tournament. It can’t come quick
enough.
DFB.de: You didn’t play in Augsburg yesterday, opting to stay behind in Ascona. Is regeneration your main aim currently?
Özil: I played a lot of games for Arsenal. Consequently, the
head coach allowed me to use the first few days for regenerative
purposes, although I’m still taking part in team training.
DFB.de: Arsenal came second in the table. Would you consider that a success?
Özil: I guess so. Tottenham lost heavily on the final weekend
of the season and we got to overtake them thanks to a victory. It was
certainly a nice end to the campaign. Finishing second was great, but
obviously it would have been better to win the league.
DFB.de: Leicester City finished above you. Arsenal beat them twice in 2015/16, including a 5-2 romp
before Christmas…
Özil: ...at that point no one would have believed that they
would win the league! Everyone was surprised. They deserve a lot of
credit – they were consistent throughout the season and fully deserved
to win the title.
DFB.de: The Arsenal fans named you their Player of the Season. How proud does that make you feel?
Özil: I’m proud that I helped the team do well this term and
claiming the award just shows that the fans value my efforts. It’s nice
to receive credit for it. However, I wouldn’t have been able to win it
without the help of my teammates and colleagues.
DFB.de: Would you say that this was your best season for Arsenal?
Özil: Definitely. My first year was tough at times and then
the second one was injury hit. I was able to complete a full pre-season
this time around and that certainly helped me perform as well as I did
this term.
DFB.de: You recorded 19 assists, one fewer than Thierry
Henry’s record of 20 within a season. What would breaking that record
have meant to you?
Özil: I don’t play football for personal records. I just want
to be successful with my teammates. If I do that and break records in
the process, then obviously it’s great, however, that’s not my main
goal.
DFB.de: So you wouldn’t swap any of your six goals to level or even break Henry’s tally?
Özil: No. There’s not much I’d change about last term. I was
fit, played well in a lot of games and was
consistent. That’s the main
thing as far as I’m concerned.
DFB.de: After the season you visited a refugee camp in Jordan. How did that come about?
Özil: Originally I was invited to Dubai by Fly Emirates.
However, I know Price Ali, president of Jordan’s FA, well and after
speaking to him I decided to go to visit the cap.
DFB.de: What was that like?
Özil: It was really interesting, but also pretty sad. I don’t
want to talk a lot about it to be honest. It was a private trip and I
want to keep it that way – I’m not looking to share my experiences that
widely.
DFB.de: After that you went on a pilgrimage to Mecca...
Özil: Yes I did, but once again I won’t want to talk about.
We’re preparing for the European Championship and football is my main
priority.
Özil: "The coach allowed me to use the first few days for regenerative purposes...
DFB.de: On Saturday, Die Mannschaft face Hungary in
Gelsenkirchen, which acts as a double home game for you in effect. How
special is that game going to be for you?
Özil: It’s always special for me. I have great memories there;
it’s my home city after all. I was brought up there and I still have
friends and family in the city. My first experiences of professional
football game in the city. I was a Schalke fan and remain one to this
day. I’m looking forward to going back to the stadium and seeing the
fans again – it’s always nice.
DFB.de: After that game the EUROs will be just around the
corner. Which teams do you think will challenge for the title alongside
yourselves? What do you make of England, for example? You must know a
lot of the players well…
Özil: I know a fair bit about them for sure, but primarily
from a distance. I know that they have a good mix of young and
experienced players. They also have a lot of spirit, which is an
excellent quality. You could see that when we played them in Berlin
recently. We went 2-0 up but ended up losing the game. Their mentality
is spot on.
DFB.de: Who else do you think stands a chance?
Özil: There are a few others but France catch the eye. They’re
playing at home and will have their fans supporting them at all times. I
have seen some of their games and look pretty good. However, we also
know our own strengths and that we can beat anyone on our day. It all
comes down to us. If we reach our potential then anything is possible.
CREDIT TO:http://www.dfb.de/en/news/detail/oezil-on-the-euros-it-all-comes-down-to-us-147198/p/3/
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