It has been an eventful few weeks for Mesut Özil following his switch from Real Madrid to Arsenal in what was one of the biggest transfers of the summer. In an interview with reporter Steffen Lüdeke for DFB.de, the 24-year-old discusses his first impressions of his new club and his expectations for the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in Cologne against Republic of Ireland on Friday (live on ARD, 20:45 CET) and in Stockholm against Sweden on Tuesday (live on ZDF, 20:45 CET).
DFB.de: On Monday you met up with Sami Khedira again, a friend from your time in Madrid. Did you have much to catch up on? After all, you won’t have seen each other for a few weeks…
Mesut Özil: It’s not like I wouldn’t have kept in touch with him after leaving Madrid. We’ve kept in touch and communicate a lot via email, text message and telephone, so he knows how I’m getting on in London, and I know what he’s up to in Madrid. But of course it’s always better to catch up in person, so I was looking forward to seeing him again in Düsseldorf, and not just him, but my other team-mates from the national team too.
DFB.de: How much notice did you take of what was said about you in Madrid after the transfer? For example, Jose Mourinho was singing your praises, saying: “There isn’t another player like Mesut, not even a poor imitation.”
Özil: I know what I’m capable of, and the people who work with me and have worked with me know that too. I like compliments like that; I’m very flattered by them and very grateful for them. But I don’t need compliments as my self-belief doesn’t come from what others say about me.
DFB.de: You’ve already mentioned that the main reason for your transfer is that you feel Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has faith in you. Did it bother you that you didn’t get this same feeling from your former coach, Carlo Ancelotti, in Madrid?
Özil: I had a great time in Madrid, I spent three fantastic years there. I was able to develop as a person and as a footballer, met great people and made friends. But in sporting terms, that chapter of my life is now over, and I’m now totally focused on this new challenge at Arsenal. Here, I feel the trust that I need to play well, from not only the manager but also my team-mates, the fans and the entire club. I enjoy that and I’m trying to repay them for that trust with my performances on the pitch.
DFB.de: Your transfer was completed very quickly. You flew straight to London after the international match against the Faroe Islands and made your debut for Arsenal three days later. How hectic were those few days for you?
Özil: It didn’t feel hectic because I blocked a lot of things out and just concentrated on the most important task, playing football. Because of that, I didn’t find the change stressful, I was just looking forward to all the new experiences it would bring – a new place, new stadiums, new team-mates and a new league. So far I can definitely say that I feel completely at home at Arsenal and in London.
DFB.de: How much has it helped to have a German contingent at Arsenal, with not only Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker at the club, but also young players like Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld?
Özil: It’s been a huge help to me for many reasons. I have to admit that I’m still struggling a little bit with my English, so I’ve got to work on that. But for that reason it’s really important for me that so much German is spoken at Arsenal. I’ve already got a very good relationship with Lukas and Per, we get on really well. The young lads are all great, they’ve helped and supported me a lot, but then that’s true of the whole team. All the players at Arsenal are very laid-back, they’re friendly towards me, we laugh a lot and have fun. The atmosphere is great; everyone’s there for everyone, it’s like one big family. I’ve got absolutely nothing bad to say about it.
DFB.de: How settled do you feel in your new city?
Özil: It was important for me that we moved into our own house quickly. Between my club and the national side, I spend a lot of time in hotels as it is, so I wanted to change that in London as soon as I could. My girlfriend and I searched everywhere for a place, but it was worth it. After searching for a whole week, we found a house that makes us feel right at home. There’s not much I can say about London, it’s just an unbelievable city. There’s such a variety of things to do, it has so much to offer. So far I’ve found that people here respect your privacy, which I think is great too.
DFB.de: Do you drive your own car in London? Have you got used to driving on the left-hand side of the road yet?
Özil: Yes, I drive every day to training at least. I haven’t found the switch too difficult; you get used to it after a couple of trips. Most of the time there’s another car in front of you that you can use to get your bearings anyway.
DFB.de: Every new player at Arsenal has to sing a song in front of the assembled team. Have you got this ritual out of the way yet?
Özil: I really don’t like my singing voice, so it was a challenge, but yes, I did it. I don’t think my team-mates understood what I was singing but they cheered me anyway. And I was glad to get it out of the way.
DFB.de: After working with Jose Mourinho, you’re now working with another of the most renowned managers in the world, Arsène Wenger. How are you finding training with him, and how different is it to what you were used to in Madrid?
Özil: There are differences, but not major ones, as we’re currently only training intermittently in weeks where we have more than one match. Arsène Wenger is great at managing demands like that.
DFB.de: From the start, you’ve thrilled the Arsenal fans and, essentially, the entire Premier League. Are you slightly surprised at how quickly and smoothly you have adapted to football in England?
Özil: I did wonder beforehand how things might work out. The system is different, you can’t be 100% sure of the strengths and abilities of either your team-mates or your opponents. In fact, it’s because of my team-mates that things have worked out so well so quickly. They look to pick me out and they trust me, plus they give me the ball and react to my ideas.
DFB.de: How different is football in the Premier League to that of the Primera Division?
Özil: For me, the Premier League is the toughest league in the world. Even in the few games I’ve played so far, I’ve noticed how well-balanced it is, which means that you have to give 100% in every game. The matches are very intense and I think I’ll benefit from that. The atmosphere in the stadiums is remarkable too, and the support of both the home and away fans is impressive.
DFB.de: You were a star in Madrid, but there was a lot of focus on other players too, notably Cristiano Ronaldo, but also the likes of Angel di Maria, Karim Benzema and several others. At Arsenal, you stand out. How are you dealing with the pressure this brings?
Özil: I generally don’t feel very much pressure in football. I’m doing the thing I love most and that I’m best at. I love my work so I look forward to every match and don’t concern myself with what others say or write. Most of the pressure I feel is what I create for myself because I expect high standards of myself. But I can handle this pressure very well and block everything else out.
DFB.de: Sami Khedira said that with you, Arsenal have become the best team in England. The team is currently at the top of the Premier League table. Is your goal now to win the league with the Gunners?
Özil: Careful! We’re top of the table right now, and I’m glad about that, but we know it’s still early in the season and too early to talk about winning the league. The table is nothing more than a snapshot right now. We’ll continue to approach our matches with total focus and try to improve further as a team. If we can do that, we’ll have a great opportunity to achieve a lot, and I’ll do everything I can to help.
DFB.de: You’re on the brink of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with Germany. Just one more point would seal the team’s place in the tournament, perhaps as early as Friday’s match against Republic of Ireland. Do you worry whether anything could still go wrong?
Özil: There have been so many examples that prove anything can happen in football, but it’s all down to us. Nothing will go wrong if we play our best football and focus fully on each match, and on Friday we’ll get our hands on our ticket to the World Cup.
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