You have already scored eight goals this season. Which was your
favourite?
“This season? Against Mainz. Yeah, against Mainz. Gonzo played the ball
into me and I hit it. The goalkeeper was beaten. He was expecting me to
aim for the near post but I put it in the far corner.”
Were the goals you scored against Dortmund special?
“Definitely. They are one of the big clubs. It’s always emotional when you
score against big clubs like them. It always feels great to score against
them.”
Could you talk us through your goals against Dortmund please?
“At Dortmund, I scored a penalty first. And for the second one, we started
to press them. I was pressing them high. At the same time, Orel stole the
ball off them. I immediately made a run into the box and he passed it to
me. I controlled it on my thigh and shot. That was my second goal.”
You wear the number 14 shirt. Is that a special number for you?
“Yes, it is. Lots of great players have worn the number 14. Some truly
great players. That inspires me. The player who inspires me a lot is
Aubameyang.”
Your team has been very successful with Pellegrino Materazzo as head
coach. What is it like working with him? What sets him apart as a coach?
“First of all, he is a good person. He gets on well with everyone. He is
someone who has truly helped me a lot. Particularly on my positioning and
my way of playing. And if I make a mistake, he talks me through it
afterwards in training. He tells what I need to do better. He is helping me
a huge amount on my positioning and everything. I come from Africa and
my tactical awareness was not that well developed. He explained all of
that to me – how to position myself on the pitch. He has really helped me
to adapt.”
What is Materazzo’s most important characteristic?
“His preparation for matches. The way he prepares us for games. We look
at how the opposition play and their weaknesses that we can exploit. He
does that very well and it helps us a lot as a team.”
You are the youngest team in the league and have been called the ‘young,
wild ones’. What makes you so special as a team?
“The fact that we listen. The fact that we are concentrated. We have some
experienced players in the squad as well. They help us to reach the next
level. They have played a lot of matches and so that helps.”
How much potential does VfB Stuttgart have given their young squad?
“We have to focus on maintaining our current level and we’ll see what
happens in the future. We need to keep going.”
You moved from Ligue 2 in France to a team in Germany that would go on
to get promoted to the Bundesliga. Did you ever imagine you would be
beating teams like Borussia Dortmund and fighting for European
qualification?
“In my head, I was always expecting it to be a difficult move. I was
moving to a league that I did not know. I needed to adapt first of all. I
needed to adapt fully to the league and I knew it would be difficult. I
never thought it would be easy for me. From the moment I arrived, I
simply focused on working hard. If you work hard, the results follow.”
What are the main differences between Ligue 2 in France and the
Bundesliga?
“It’s just the level of work. I like working hard. If you work hard, you get
your reward. I work very hard. I feel comfortable here. The group has
been very welcoming. That has allowed me to adapt quickly on the pitch.”
Is it harder to score goals in France or in Germany?
“No, I would say it is much harder here in Germany than in France. The
games are much easier in France. It is much harder here – everyone
attacks and everyone defends. You have to work hard. I never worked as
hard in games in France as I do now in Germany.”
Lots of young players have joined the Bundesliga from France of late. Why
is it that players like yourself, Marcus Thuram and Moussa Diaby have
been able to make their breakthrough here in Germany?
“It comes down to the individual’s state of mind. It depends on your state
of mind. I know myself and I am someone who always has a positive
outlook. Regardless of my situation or my difficulties, I always keep
fighting.”
How is the Bundesliga different from the various national leagues you
have played in during your career?
“Ligue 2 was calm. There was always lots of space. When I arrived here in
Germany, I was forced to adapt. Players here are much more physical. I
had to adapt defensively as well. I had to work very hard to adapt to the
new league.”
Did you follow the Bundesliga when you lived in DR Congo and in France?
“Of course, yes. Everyone in Africa watches the big leagues. It is a league
I have followed since I was a young boy. I always said to myself, ‘why not
develop in one of the big leagues like the Bundesliga?’ I have always
thought highly of it. I am here today, and I had to work hard to get here.”
What memories do you have of your time as a young player starting your
career?
“In Africa, the pitches are not good. They are impractical, nothing like the
ones here. We played in the sand. So it was difficult to control the ball.
But when you put us in good conditions, we are able to really push on and
develop as players. Because it is really difficult as a player in Africa. We
played on mud; it was tough.”
Who have been the key people in your professional journey as a
footballer? How were you first scouted?
“When I was in Africa, I saw Nicolas Anelka from time to time. My agent
and my coach helped me as well. But when I first arrived in France from
Africa, he [Anelka] was the first person to really tell me what I had to do
to progress. He played a big role in my career and I am truly grateful for
everything he did.”
Who is your idol in football and why?
“When I was really small, I watched Ronaldinho a lot. But as time went
by, and as I started to play more and more myself, I looked up to
Aubameyang.”
How come you are so quick as a player and so dangerous in front of goal?
Is it innate?
“No, I haven’t always been this quick. It is truly the result of hard work
and putting in the effort all the time. That is how I became quick.”
You are only 21 years of age and yet have made significant progress
already as a player. What elements of your game would you like to
improve?
“In my head. And also my first touch is not great sometimes. That is
where I need to improve.”
The Congolese national team have become very interested in you
following your performances this season. Do you dream of representing
your country in an Africa Cup of Nations or even a World Cup?
“I would say yes. For the moment, I am not focused on the national team
– I am concentrated on the team here. And on putting in good
performances here. I am not focused on the national team right now.”
There is talk of administrative problems preventing you from joining the
Leopards. Is a resolution possible and when can fans of the DRC expect to
see you in the shirt?
“I don’t think there are any obstacles. If they asked me to come and
defend the colours of my nation, I would do so. There are no obstacles.”
“It is always nice to have your hard work recognised. But you can’t stop
there – you need to keep working hard. In the hope of picking up more
awards in the future.”
To what extent did your club help you in winning Rookie of the Month?
“I would give all of these trophies to my team. Because it is thanks to
them that I have these awards. I do not play by myself. They help me a
great deal.”
