Having undergone a training session, Chelsea’s
newest arrival Baba Rahman made his first visit to
Cobham today following his transfer from
Augsburg. The 21-year old sat down with the
official Chelsea website to discuss the move and
outline his targets for the campaign.
Hi Baba, welcome to the club. How does it feel to
be a Chelsea player?
Thank you very much. I’m very happy to be here
and I’m really looking forward to meeting my
team-mates and getting started.
What are your first impressions of Cobham?
It’s a fantastic training ground, the facilities are
amazing and the pitches are world class. It’s very
good here.
Could you explain a little about your playing style?
I’m a left-back and, as a defender, it’s important
for me to be strong in the tackle, which I always
try to be. I also like to get forward as much as
possible and help the team in attack.
As a full-back who likes to get forward, do you
think English football will suit your game?
Yes, I think so because In the Premier League
there is a heavy emphasis on getting up and down
the pitch, which I like to do.
You attempted more crosses than any other player
in the Bundesliga last season. How important is it
for a modern full-back to produce quality
deliveries from wide areas?
It’s very important because obviously if you can
provide crosses from out wide there is a higher
chance of providing assists and chances for the
team.
Is it true that you can also play as a winger or in
midfield?
I can play as a winger but I haven’t played in
midfield for a while. I played on the left wing in
Germany for Greuther Furth not so long ago and
scored two goals in the game, but the next day I
left for Augsburg.
Which players were your biggest influences
growing up?
When I was growing up it wasn’t just left-backs I
watched, I liked to keep an eye on all of the top
players, but since becoming a left-back I like to
watch Marcelo. But I enjoy watching the best
players in action, it doesn’t matter what position
they play in.
You were playing second-tier German football at
the beginning of last season, so your rise has
been a rapid one. What do you put this down to?
Last season was amazing for me, and my coach
and team-mates at Augsburg helped me a lot, but
I fought very hard to try and improve as much as
possible.
Do you watch a lot of Premier League football?
Yes, when I’m not playing I enjoy watching all
football but especially the Premier League and of
course Chelsea. It wasn’t always easy for me to
watch because sometimes it wasn’t shown, but I
always tried to watch it when possible. It’s a very
strong league.
You’re the third Ghanaian to sign for the club
following Michael Essien and Christian Atsu. Did
you speak to either of them prior to the move?
Yes, I spoke with both of them and they were very
positive about Chelsea. They told me it was a
great club with very nice people, which was good
to hear.
Essien, in particular, has a big history at the club.
Do you remember watching him in action when he
played here?
Yes, I watched him whenever I could. In Ghana
they only showed the Premier League at that time
so I was always watching him, he was a great
player for Chelsea.
Is the impressive history of Africans at Chelsea
encouraging for you?
Yes, of course, it’s a big inspiration for me and I’m
really looking forward to trying to carry on the
pattern of African players doing well for the club. I
can’t wait to get started.
Could you tell us why you’ve chosen to have
Baba, rather than Rahman, on your shirt?
It’s because my dad’s name is Baba, I love my dad
so that’s the reason. He’s a Chelsea supporter so
he’s very happy and proud. He’s not in the
country at the moment but he will definitely be
watching every game.
What are your main aims for this season?
My main aim is to win trophies for the club.
Obviously Chelsea won the Premier League last
season and I hope we can repeat that, and do even
more. That’s what I hope to achieve.
0 comments:
Post a Comment