Baumgart: “Salih is currently irreplaceable”
10 months after appearing on the web show in summer, Özcan is still in Cologne and has experienced a rapid rise. In the shadow of long-distance runner Ellyes Skhiri, he gave up the summer Olympics and worked hard to finally make the breakthrough. FC coach Steffen Baumgart said to Özcan in the “Simple Football Podcast”: “Do what I say and it works!”
And it’s been working since the 6th match day – even better and better: Özcan first replaced the injured Skhiri and is now an indispensable part of the Cologne team. When the billy goats were behind against Mainz on the last day of the game, the turning point came with him. “Salih is irreplaceable up-to-date”explained Baumgart afterwards.