Ozan Kabak: ''It was a rollercoaster ride"

Ozan Kabak joined TSG Hoffenheim in the summer of 2022 and the Turkey international has been an important element in TSG's play ever since. Although Kabak is only 23 years old, he has already experienced many ups and downs in his career, which have been valuable for his development as a player and a person. In his first interview for the club magazine SPIELFELD, the Turk talks about the differences between Ozan Kabak the player and Ozan Kabak the person and looks back on important coaches he's played under in his career so far.

After making a strong start to the season, Ozan Kabak has been sidelined recently due to a shoulder injury he picked up in the 3-2 win in Bremen. However, the 23-year-old made his return to the matchday squad for the DFB-Pokal clash with Borussia Dortmund and will now be hoping to pick up where he left off prior to the injury. 

On the football pitch, Ozan Kabak is a leader. It's a different story off the park. "I've always been very aggressive on the pitch, but away from it, I'm calm and friendly. I try to win, to do everything I can to shut down the opposition strikers, but off the pitch I can switch off really easily. That's when a different Ozan comes to the surface."

After starting out as a huge talent at Galatasaray, the Turkey international moved to Stuttgart and then Schalke, not to mention loan spells at Liverpool and Norwich City in England. But he now feels like he's settled in for the long haul at TSG. "It's been a rollercoaster ride for me. But it has also made me a more mature player and a more mature person," says Kabak.

Two iconic coaches had a particularly formative influence on him. At Galatasaray, he made his debut under Fatih Terim. "I would say he is the most important person in my sporting life," says the 23-year-old, praising his early mentor. At Liverpool, he also played in a world-class team under Jürgen Klopp, and Kabak also has many positive words for the German coach: "He is one of the best coaches in the world. I learnt a lot from Jürgen Klopp and had a great six months at Liverpool overall." But his current coach, Pellegrino Matarazzo, also receives nothing but praise from Ozan Kabak: "He has given our team a great boost. I like his vision of football and I like Rino because he's a positive, supportive guy. You can feel that the coach has your back and is there when you need him."

Also in the November issue of SPIELFELD: Maximilian Beier's journey from the S-Bahn to the fast lane, Kevin Vogt dispels clichés and prejudices about the Ruhr region in "Fact or Fake", plus an interview with TSG legend Carlos Eduardo. There's also a detailed profile of U19 head coach Tobias Nubbemeyer and the learning mentors from "Anpfiff ins Leben" provide an insight into their work with young TSG talent.