Interview with Sejad Salihovic

In 2006 you made the switch from Berlin to Hoffenheim. What was it like moving from the city to the sticks?

It was definitely a culture shock. I grew up in Berlin, so the first few months here were difficult, but the guys in the team were understanding and took me under their wing, making it a lot easier for me to get used to my surroundings. I'm more than comfortable now though.

You moved to Germany when you were just 7-years old. How long did it take until you felt at home, understood the language and had gotten used to German life in general?

My family moved to Germany because of the Bosnian war and, although I didn't fully understand what was happening, the transition was difficult for all of us. I arrived at the perfect time to start school and that's where I met my first friends. It all went quite quickly really, as I would imagine it is with most kids. Between the ages of 10 and 12, my German improved greatly and I was having no problems speaking fluently.

Did you have any problems integrating?

Not really. A lot of my friends were from other countries too, but there was always a harsh tone around certain people. The same happened at my first few football clubs, but when you're young it's easier to deal with as you just brush of what is said.

This season has seen you re-capture your deadliness from dead ball situations. Does it have anything to do with the new ball?

It has nothing to do with the ball. The tiniest details can determine whether a free-kick is good or bad. If you score one early on in a season, it gives you the confidence to think that they'll all go in after that. However, when you miss it works exactly the same way, as the next one becomes even more difficult. The most important thing when taking a set piece is the good feeling you get after it leaves your boot.

You obviously play in midfield, but you've been deployed left, right, centre and on the flanks under Ralf Rangnick. Do you have a favourite position?

As long as it's in the midfield I don't mind. My ideal position is on the left hand side of a three-man midfield. In all serious though, as long as I'm playing, I'm content. I've also played as a left-back and am comfortable in that position as well. Goalkeeper is the only position I'm yet to play in.

Hoffenheim are currently in 5th in the league, despite letting points slip through their grasp. How long after the match do you stay frustrated when you lose late on like against FC Bayern München earlier this season?

Right after the match I'm fairly angry, but give it five minutes and it all goes away. You have to learn to let frustrations go because they are a part of the sport we play. If you don't learn how to shake these things off, you can't properly prepare for the next match.

Since 2007 you have been a regular in the Bosnian national team. What does it mean to you to have the opportunity to represent your country?

It means a lot! It's incredibly important to me. Just like Vedo (Ibisevic) I love playing for Bosnia. In our last match against Germany there were nearly 30,000 fans there. Because of the war there are a lot of Bosnians' living abroad. It doesn't matter where we're playing our fans are always there supporting us. When we played against Sweden in May there were just as many fans there as there were in Frankfurt. The fans that travel are simply football mad!

It didn't help against Germany, though. You ended up losing the match 1:3...

...but only because we had just come back from holiday. We led the match for 60 minutes! If we we're fully fit, you would have had no chance (laughs)!

Final Question: If we were to have a sneaky peak inside you car to have a look at your CD collection, what would we find in there?

(Laughs) Seriously? Alright I'll tell you: Halid Beslic. He is a Bosnian folk singer that I enjoy listening to. He's really a mix of Balkan folk and pop music.