1. FC Köln: Dennis Aogo: “Linton Maina has to leave the comfort zone” – Bundesliga
Cologne’s sports director Christian Keller (43) presses on the transfer turbo. Already five newcomers are fixed. In BILD there is an expert check shortly before the start of training (June 27). What are the new ones up to? Where are the problems? Who helps FC and who fits into Cologne and why?
Today: Ex-national player Dennis Aogo (35) on Linton Maina (22), whom FC brought from Hanover on a free transfer.
Can Maina Cologne help immediately?
Although Cologne’s new storm hope for Hannover was only able to collect 26 goals in 96 games, Aogo, who played with Maina in 96 in 2019/20, is certain: “In terms of potential, Linton can still increase by 30 or 40 percent. He has the potential to become a very above-average Bundesliga player.”
After a strong first pro season, why didn’t Maina make it big?
Aogo: “The unstable environment with many changes of coach made it difficult for him, especially as a young player. In addition, he failed to get everything out of himself in a sporty and private comfort zone.”
comfort zone? Maina will have to leave her in Cologne…
At 96, the proximity to home Berlin and his friends, who often visited Maina, is said to have distracted him from time to time. “I hope Linton understands what’s possible for him outside of comfort and develops the hunger that he may have lacked lately,” explains Aogo. If he succeeds, the former defense ace believes in Maina’s Cologne career.
Aogo: “The boy can play any position offensively. On both wings he tears many gaps with his sprints. Thanks to his game intelligence, he can also serve other players as a hanging tip or look for his strong conclusion.
► Maina’s biggest asset is its speed (top value 35.6 km/h)! Aogo jokes: “In training he often ran away from me, he is really difficult to defend with the speed in all his actions.”
But easy to integrate. His ex-colleague sees him as a polite and sensitive boy. Aogo: “When he meets new people, he quickly becomes shy. Linton needs confidence to show all his talent and take the next step.”
A case for Steffen Baumgart (55) – also the matter with the comfort zone…