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"I've never forgotten where I come from and who I am"
Simunic was 19 when he first moved to Germany, where his father had been working for 16 months before the move Down Under, picking up many German values on the way. "I'm really happy to be in Germany. I have a lot of respect for the country," says Joe, as his teammates call him. During his time in Australia, Simunic's parents placed a lot of importance on not forgettings the family's roots. "My parents always made sure I knew where I came from and who I am," explained most impressive defender of last season. "I like going back to Croatia, it's my second home whether I'm on holiday or over there for an international match."
Direct qualification for South Africa 2010 is no longer a possibility for Croatia following the comprehensive defeat against England. "It was a disappointing day for us in London. We had a really bad day and everything seemed to go well for the English," said Simunic disappointedly. He sees their chances of securing a playoff berth as 50-50. "We're trying to be positive and if we can get a win in Kazakhstan then anything is possible. Ukraine have to beat England, but we need to focus on our own game." After appearing at the 2002 and 2006 tournaments, Simunic is keen to take part in his third World Cup and finally get past the group stage. "We have some great memories of the World Cup, even though we didn't manage to get into the knockout stages on either occasion. World Cups are always specials for a footballer."
After three months in Hoffenheim, the big centre-back has settled in well. "I'm a part of the team and I really like it here. I had no problems settling in and the rest of the team were really welcoming." Joe is the oldest player in the squad at 31 and is helping to tutor some of the younger players. "I speak to the lads a lot and try to give them tips and pass on my experience. Along with Timo Hildebrand, I'm one of the more experienced players in the squad and we have to set an example to the younger players and help in their development both on and off the pitch. There are a lot of young players at the club who still don't really how good they actually are." Marvin Compper, currently Simunic's partner in Hoffenheim's central defence, was full of praise for his new teammate. "We play well together. We're quite similar in many ways. Joe is very comfortable on the ball and I have learnt a lot from his heading ability. I think we complement each other well."
For the current season, the 1.96m defender is predicting "more of a push towards the top. We'll be taking things one step at a time and I'm sure we'll be successful. We're on the right track, but there is still room for improvement." Simunic was particularly impressed by his discussions with coach Ralf Rangnick, who brought the Croatian star to Sinsheim in the first place. "We met a few times and had some very productive discussions. He discussed the philosophy of the club and showed me that their performance last season was no coincidence. The club will keep on growing and I want to contribute to that. The team has so much quality that even an old head like me can learn something new!"
