Since Steffen Baumgart has been a coach at 1. FC Köln, Anthony Modeste has been running like clockwork again. In twelve competitive games this season, the attacker has eight goals and one assists. Now Modeste explains his development under Baumgart – and reveals some strange things.
In an interview with the image the 33-year-old talks about the reasons for his power explosion over the past few months. “It’s very simple: I hadn’t been fully prepared for a long time. Before this season I was finally back from start to finish. That’s very important for professionals. It was also important for me that I made it through injury-free,” said Modeste who is in fact looking top fit and well trained for the first time in a long time.
At least as important is the relationship with his new coach. Modeste still had considerable problems under Markus Gisdol and felt no trust. With Steffen Baumgart it’s completely different. “He understood me. He sees that I’m working. He trusts me and lets me play. And I pay back every coach who trusts me.”
Baumgart told him what he expected from him, according to Modeste. “And I told him what I wanted from him. In the conversation I realized that this is someone I would go to war with.”
At least it’s already the case that Modeste throws hearts to his trainer at goals – which leads to little “taunts” between him and his wife. “She’s jealous of my coach because I lose so many nice words about him and throw him hearts at goals. But it’s okay because it’s the coach and because I’m much better again.”
Modeste would want to play for a few more years
That wasn’t always the case after Modeste’s return to FC, on the contrary. “Before I went to China, I was the fan favorite here, the king. After my move, I was the traitor. Love and hate. As a professional, the best answer is given on the pitch anyway. And then things are finally back on track Well.”
So good that Modeste, at 33 years of age, could also imagine a season or two in the Bundesliga. “If my body says ‘yes’, I would like to hang on for another two or three years. And then I’ll be a striker coach here at the club. But first I have to do an internship with Steffen Baumgart …”
