“I found many good friends in Russia”: Kuranyi about a career in Dynamo, a goal from the English and a split in the German national team

“Lion can be tough”

- You attended the 2018 World Cup final. What are your impressions of this tournament?

- It was a wonderful world championship, superbly organized by Russia. Fans from around the world were happy here. I heard a lot of positive feedback.

- Germany is traditionally one of the favorites of the World Cup. What happened to her in this tournament?

- I think this was the main problem. You win a lot of trophies, and after that you are under tremendous pressure. The opponent goes to the matches with you with double the motivation.

- Could you suggest that the Bundesmanschaft will not even be able to go to the playoffs?

- It really was a disaster. Coaching staff, players, fans - all were very upset because they did not expect such an outcome. But this is football, and it is for such unpredictability that I love it.

- The championship in 2014 was preceded by a long process of restructuring the German national team, when all attention was directed to the youth. Do not you think that the team again requires fundamental changes?

- I think it should happen. Everybody is looking at the younger generation with hope - with the goal of growing new champions a lot of money is invested in it. This is our mentality. Coaches are trying to create a new team. But this will require a lot of work, time and financial investments.

- Maybe it's time to change the leadership of the team?

- Good question. After the 2018 World Cup, everyone asked themselves what was more important - to find a new coach with fresh views or to leave an old mentor with great experience and knowing the team better than anyone else. Perhaps Joachim Loew will be able to correct his mistakes and attract young players. Now he continues to work in his post, and before Euro 2020 he needs to prove that the team can progress.

- You are for him to stay?

- Yes, especially since he has already signed a contract. It seems to me that he will be able to correct the situation.

- You had to perform under the direction of Lev. How would you describe it?

- He relies on technical players, trying to get the most from both the attack and the defense. In general, Löw prefers speed football. In addition, it is a mentor who communicates a lot with his wards.

- Is he tough?

- Yes, if he needs to be such, he is capable of it. In his work a great role is played by assistants, technical coaches and, perhaps, one of the world's best video analytics. This whole team can positively influence the performance of the national team.

- What do you think about another German coach Jurgen Klopp, who for the second year in a row takes Liverpool to the Champions League final?

- One of the best specialists in the world. He proved it in Germany, and now he is demonstrating his class internationally. Klopp brought together great performers as part of Liverpool. Everyone sees the fruits of his labor. I think the players love him because he knows how to communicate with them.

- Your last team, Hoffenheim, is headed by 31-year-old Julian Nagelsman. Can he be called the rising star of the German coaching workshop?

- Sure. I worked with him at the end of my career and saw his coaching style. In the first meeting with the team, he behaved like a specialist with 20 years of experience. This is incredible. He perfectly understands the game, a real football maniac. Nagelsman knows how to motivate an athlete to get the desired result. I think one day he will lead the German national team.

- At the end of the season, Nagelsman will leave Hoffenheim and lead RB Leipzig. How serious is this step in his career?

- He will continue to gain experience, which is very important. He has already played in the Champions League. And now under his leadership will be young football players. I think that after that he will go to the top club and prove that he is the best young specialist in Germany.

"No one has the right to judge Ozila"

- At the World Championships, Bundestim had problems with discipline. Was this a coaching mistake?

- Germany was seriously hurt by the story of Mesut Ozil and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the eve of the tournament, which literally everyone wrote about. And the team broke down, divided into several groups.

- So, this problem still existed?

- Of course, the officials tried to keep it a secret. But after the tournament everything became obvious. Ozil went on the field in one match and did not act in another. Some players gave interviews, which also could hurt. So yes, we had a lot of problems.

- German media wrote that the split was associated with racism. Can you imagine that something like this happens in the team of Lev?

- I do not think that this is racism. But it is normal that groups of two or three best friends form within the team. If you find a team in which this does not happen, introduce me to him. Some prefer a more fun way of life, others have completely different interests. Of course, it is still necessary to maintain unity. After all, if you perform well, it does not matter what happens outside the field. But as soon as you concede, everyone becomes interested in extraneous things — your socks, hair-do, beard. This is how the media works.

- It was assumed that the conflict was a confrontation between footballers of German origin and "immigrants." Is it possible in such a multinational team?

- Of course, not every representative of the Bundestim has exclusively German roots. Someone came from Turkey, someone from Ghana or from somewhere else. But after becoming world champions, all these players proved that it is Germany that is the strongest football country. However, problems arose, and people began to search for their causes in extraneous things, including in origin.

- Some fans and the media blamed Ozila. Is this really true?

- Not. I know him from the time of Schalke 04, when he was very young. Mesut - the highest level player who can completely change the course of the match. And sometimes these players really need a special approach. At the World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, he helped the team win gold, and everyone sang his praises. But at the championship of the planet in 2018 a storm of criticism fell on him. Perhaps Ozil made a mistake, but no one has the right to judge him and say that he is not a German. This is very bad.

- Could it all break it?

- Yes, this pressure from the media was strongly reflected in his speech. He was not present on the field at 100%.

- How can he return to his previous form?

- Ozil need a coach who would understand him and highly appreciated his game. Then he can come back even stronger.

- Can Unai Emery's Arsenal mentor become such a person for him?

- This is a good coach, who has a special relationship with the wards. But to be honest, I am not familiar with his methods. Therefore, I can not say whether he is able to help Ozila.

“People impressed me in Russia”

- In 2007, in the match on the updated Wembley, you became the author of a goal against England. What did you experience then?

- Of course, it was nice to issue a winning goal at a new stadium against such an opponent and write your name in history.

- After this match, the German team lost to Spain in the 2008 European Championship final. And then you no longer fall into the national team. What happened?

- It was one of the most difficult moments in my career. Then I played for Schalke 04, and the national team played in the Borussia Dortmund stadium, whose fans hate us. I made a mistake, left, but then asked Lev to take me back, because it is not easy to watch the Bundesmanshaft matches from the stands. But the decision has already been made.

- We are talking about the fact that you left after the match because you were uncomfortable in the arena?

- Yes, garbage flew into me, and the fans showered curses. And I realized that I no longer want to be there. It’s like an explosion in my head. I turned off the phone and did not answer anyone. It was a mistake I now regret.

- So, Lev got the impression that you just ran away?

- Yes, probably. I find it difficult to judge, because I never asked him about it. Perhaps the coach thought that I did not have enough professionalism.

- Did you communicate with him after this incident?

- Yes, of course, but we did not talk about this decision. Each of us had to make a choice, and I had to understand him, because I also made a mistake.

“After that, you became the author of one of the most beautiful heads at the gate of Borussia, and then suddenly moved to Dynamo Moscow. Why did you choose Russia?

- Honestly, at that time this proposal suited me the most. Of course, it was about big money. Then I did not know that Moscow is such a beautiful city. The team grew, it was bought a lot of quality players. It was attended by representatives of the Russian national team - Alexander Samedov, Dmitry Khokhlov and others. For me it was something special: to play for the usual Russian team and grow with it to the European Cup. Sometimes we were lucky, but in general the seasons were good for us. In the end, I'm glad I stayed there for five years.

- What stereotypes about Russia did you have at that time and what has changed since then?

“Bears don't exactly walk the streets.” ( Laughs. ) But the winters here are really long and snowy. And terrible traffic jams. Hate them. But in general, I was impressed by people, restaurants, beautiful places. In Russia, I felt comfortable and found many good friends. That is why I decided to extend the contract with the blue and white.

- After your departure from Dynamo, the team has a black streak. She sank into the National Football League. What happened?

- I think they miss me. ( Laughs. ) I was sad to see how the team, for which so many of my friends play, went down the division below. But they continued to fight and returned to the Russian Premier League. Now they need to find their way again. I heard that Dynamo is once again cooperating with the former sponsor, and this is also very important. I think that the club and its fans, whom I love very much, will be fine.