Borussia Dortmund pursued the pitcher without any substantiated faith.
Niclas Füllkrug returns to Germany after joining West Ham United. At the DFB, he finds familiarity in Herzogenaurach. He discusses challenging topics, including Germany's Euro exit and his departure from BVB.
During a DFB taxi quiz, Füllkrug pointed out, "Not from America, I'd guess," in response to where the Beatles hailed from. Now, at a lively press conference in Herzogenaurach, he joked, "I guess I'm yet to fully acclimate to England, both in terms of sports and personally, and musically too."
Füllkrug, the second-best goalscorer (13 goals) in coach Julian Nagelsmann's Nations League squad, achieved another dream with his summer move to the Premier League. However, he immediately recognized the significant changes that come with this move. "Transferring abroad is a different ballgame than moving from Bremen to Dortmund," he shared, "training, environments, and playing styles are all altered dramatically."
"Overwhelming support" from the Hammers
Füllkrug knew that Borussia Dortmund's signing of Serhou Guirassy for his position indicated "not the most encouraging vote of confidence for me." However, this prompted him to consider a change to "an entirely new environment" - the Premier League. He finds "overwhelming support, overwhelming appreciation" at West Ham, calling it a "huge challenge" that he's eager to tackle.
However, he hasn't yet secured a starting spot in the first four league games, with a total of 137 minutes on the pitch, and no goal involvement to show for his 27 million euro transfer fee. His competitor, Michail Antonio, who has consistently started every game, shares this unenviable position. "A clear plan was laid out to me," Füllkrug affirmed, and he remains confident, "I'm confident that things will unfold as planned."
"Drastically transformed team"
The German national team provides Füllkrug with a sense of security. Despite not being a regular starter during the home Euros, he scored two substitute goals, exhibited immense team spirit, and has been an influential team voice for a long time, earning a seat on the team council from Nagelsmann.
Füllkrug's return to Herzogenaurach was marked by humility and sorrow. "The pain I felt after the Euros was that this journey had ended," he stressed, "during the tournament, we felt an amazing sense of unity in Germany. Everything revolved around us positively. The journey itself is the goal, for me."
Now, in a "drastically transformed team," a new pecking order is emerging, and Füllkrug will play a crucial role in building its foundation. Whereas others may shy away, he steps up, "that's why I carry importance and a specific role here. I cover off-field aspects that not every player is keen to handle." Nagelsmann, a highly communicative national coach, appreciates this.
However, securing a starting spot calls for settling into the club and his family as quickly as possible. He's already adapted to driving on the left, and his English skills are commendable, "I have no problems with left-hand traffic. My English is also quite good." A Liverpool-themed store with Beatles records should also be on his to-do list.
At the press conference, Füllkrug mentioned his adjustment to England, stating, "I guess I'm yet to fully acclimate to England, both in terms of sports and personally, and musically too." Later, he expresses his gratitude towards West Ham, saying, "I find overwhelming support and overwhelming appreciation at West Ham United, which is a huge challenge I'm eager to tackle."
