Bologna defender Stefan Posch was interviewed by Serie A to speak about his terrific start with the Rossoblu in Italy, the main reason for his ability to quickly adjust after transferring from the Bundesliga, and the effect Manager Thiago Motta has had on him.
Goalscoring Defender
Last summer Bologna were looking for a striker and a defender; they found an all-in-one performer – Austrian Posch. He’s struck five match-winning goals this season.
“It took me a very long time to score my first goal but I think that when it happened it unlocked something in me and afterwards it came more naturally to me. Since then I’ve been a lot more successful. This year I’ve had a very good relationship with goals. I think the last one against Udinese was my favourite goal, a long shot and again it really boosted my confidence. That was my favourite goal and I hope it won’t be my last.”
Using Language to His Advantage
From the Bundesliga to Serie A – a complete contrast… except for the language! Besides his fellow countryman Marko Arnautovic, two other regular starters grew up in Germany.
“Obviously it was a big help for me to have a few people who speak German here and it still helps a lot because it’s a lot easier to communicate with people in German rather than only in Italian. On the pitch, it’s easy when, for example, I’m next to Soriano, Sansone or Marko and I can speak freely if we want to try something because nobody can understand us.”
Thiago Motta & Change In Position
Since his arrival, Posch has experienced the rossoblu’s revolution: a new coach, a new playing system and he’s taken on a new position: from centre back to right back.
“The first match where I played on the right was against Napoli. The week before he asked me if I’d ever played right-back and how I felt about it. That was the start of my right-back… the start of my new position. Then week by week I kept working on that position and in training he always gave me advice and helped me a lot.”