Xabi hat einen sehr interessant zu lesenden Artikel für The Player's Tribune geschrieben, in dem er seine Gedanken zum Start bei uns in der Saison 22/23, die letzte Saison und seine Kindheit ausbreitet: link
Ein paar coole Auszüge:
I am sure after that result at Frankfurt, there were many people who were thinking, “Why have we hired this guy from Real Sociedad B?”
I don’t blame them. Lucky for me, we had an amazing group of players and staff who stuck together and believed in me and in our vision. But if I am honest, that day, when I walked back to the tunnel, I had the thought that every young manager has: “What am I doing? How did I get into this crazy profession?”
Well, actually, it is in my blood….
[...]
My journey here to Leverkusen, and my journey to becoming a football manager, is something that I can only fully appreciate now that this incredible season has come to an end.
Was it perfect? No, not perfect.
We lost a game. I wish we could play it again.
But it was certainly magical.
To be completely honest, when I got the phone call a year-and-a-half ago from Simon Rolfes asking me if I was interested in coming here, I had no idea about this word, “Neverkusen.”
I was naive, in a good way. I had never been a manager in the top division. I had been coaching young players at Real Sociedad’s second team, in my hometown, completely out of the spotlight. All I knew of Bayer Leverkusen was from my time as a player, and I knew that they had a great stadium and were always playing in Europe. Then of course, I had a look at the squad, and I said, “Wow. OK. There is something interesting here.”
[...]
At the end of that season, I asked many of our players who had offers from other clubs to stay. I said, “Please just trust me. If you come back, we will have a great season.” Some needed more convincing than others, because it was a risk, let’s be honest. But in the end, they all trusted me, and you can see the results.
[...]Over the first few months, I could see everyone coming together and trusting one another. But for me, the goal that made me really start dreaming a bit was Jonas Hofmann’s against Köln. Because it was not Jonas’s goal, it was a total team move.
[...]
You know, it can be very hard to find something that you love when you are done playing football. Something that can replace the joy that you have when you are playing in front of 50,000 fans. For me, I simply traded football for football. I live it in a different way now, and I am very happy. Happy to be teaching what I know. Happy with my players. Happy with our fans. Happy with everything we have achieved together.
And I am happy we never have to hear the word “Neverkusen” ever again.
[...]
So … “what’s next?”
A title defence.
The Champions League.
More history? Hopefully. More memories? For sure.
Until next season,
Xabi
Wahnsinnstyp.
