By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Following his first game back after being out of the game for seven months with a metabolic disorder, Borussia Dortmund striker Mario Goetze has asked his club's fans to be still patient and not expect too much of him.
"I'm still far from being 100 per cent," the 25-year-old striker stressed after his first 60-minute appearance against VfL Wolfsburg (3-0) last weekend.
"There's still a long way to go for me. I'll have to train a lot and do a lot of additional work," Goetze added.
Goetze though expressed relief at being back in action and said he is happy to be part of the yellow and blacks first team again. Taking little steps is the best way to return Goetze emphasized. He intends sticking to the strategy in the near future, no matter how long it takes to get to back to top form.
Dortmund's coach Peter Bosz told German media that Goetze still needs more time to become fully match fit and get into a rhythm. "He's an exceptionally gifted player, but we have to allow him to take all the time he needs to get back to top level. I'm happy he got some playing time in our first match of the season. It was important for him and us to see how much he can help us," Bosz stressed.
The Dutchman said, he chose Goetze for the starting eleven due to his impressive training performances in the last days. "He was on the team because I'm convinced he is the best choice for the position," Bosz said. Giving Goetze 60 minutes in the important 2017/2018 Bundesliga curtain raiser was not a present to please Goetze or the fans but the right decision and one every coach would have made according to Bosz. Goetze will be among the first choices when the club plays its first home game of the season against Hertha BSC this coming weekend.
Bosz currently has to replace up to six key players like Andre Schuerrle, Paolo Guerreiro, Marco Reus, Julian Weigl and Sebastian Rode. Midfielder Ousmane Dembele is suspended after missing training trying to force his club to allow him to join the Spanish club FC Barcelona despite a contract that runs until 2021. Dortmund is demanding up to 130 million euro for the Frenchman. So far negotiations could not be finalized as Barcelona' s offer was below Dortmund's price tag.
While fans celebrated Goetze in the Dortmund arena, the club's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke stressed that Goetze's role in Borussia' s team has changed after his return. "He did not play like before as he has developed and is not the player he was when 21 or 22 years old," Watzke said.
According to Watzke, Goetze is taking more responsibility for Dortmund's game in central midfield playing short but precise passes. An accurate pass, but on target is what he does to perfection said Dortmund's CEO when talking to local media.
He will play a vital role for the team and the club's future as he is will play in the middle right behind the spearhead," Watzke stressed. In his early years as a professional Goetze was trying to play like Barcelona's star Lionel Messi, but now is more the Andres Iniesta type Watzke emphasized.
Watzke is convinced that Goetze is exceptionally gifted and able to play football on the highest level. "It's a kind of football you can either play or you can't," Watzke said. Bosz told him that Goetze in the future will be one of Dortmund's most important players Borussia's CEO added.
In addition to Dortmund' s officials, the President of the Deutscher Football Bund (DFB - the German Football Association), Reinhard Grindel, promised to provide Goetze with all possible support the national team and his coaching staff can give. German national coach Joachim Loew and national team managing director Oliver Bierhoff are in close contact with Goetze and his club Grindel stressed.
Grindel told the Berlin-based sports-magazine "Sport-Bild", "Goetze has done a lot for German football. He, for instance, scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina and is one of our best."
It is important for a footballer to feel support especially in hard times Grindel told the magazine. "Having him back soon will improve the options for our head-coach and will help to secure success at the 2018 World Cup in Russia."
