Union Berlin’s Dutch defender Danilho Doekhi told the Bundesliga he is ready to take on Bayern Munich and Harry Kane and shared thoughts on how his side can develop.
Bayern Munich are visiting this Saturday – how do you feel about that?
Danilho Doekhi: “We know they’re a top team. You saw it against PSG – they played really well and won. They’ve won 16 games in a row and haven’t lost or drawn this season. So we know they are top opponents. As footballers, you want to play against the best and see how you compare though. At home, in front of our fans, we’ll do everything to get a result.”
As a defender, how do you stop Harry Kane?
Doekhi: “It’s not easy – he’s a really good striker who scores a lot and doesn’t need many chances. We’ll need to stay focused and work together as a team. You can’t stop him alone. He doesn’t just stay up front – he drops deep and moves around, so we’ll have to deal with that, as a team. Bayern have a lot of players who can score goals, he’s not the only one we need to take care of, so we’ll need a full team effort – 100 percent concentration and commitment.”
Who is the hardest player you’ve ever come up against?
Doekhi: “I’ve played against a lot of great players, so it’s hard to pick one. If you look at Bayern, Kane is definitely one of the toughest. He doesn’t need much space or many chances to score.”
Doekhi has played five times against Bayern in the Bundesliga but is yet to beat them. – IMAGO/Matthias Koch/IMAGO/Matthias Koch
However the Matchday 10 meeting goes, you face Bayern again in the DFB Cup in December. What would you prefer – a win in the league or the cup?
Doekhi: “Yes, we drew them again in the cup. It’s nice that we’ll play at home, though of course you’d hope for easier opponents. If you want to win the cup, you have to beat everyone. Hopefully, we’ll get a good result in the league first and then again in the cup.”
How can Union Berlin improve on their start to the season – would more consistency be a target?
Doekhi: “We want to take that next step – to win two games in a row, to get into a good rhythm, and not keep alternating between wins and losses. That’s our next goal. We’ve had a tough schedule with strong opponents, so it hasn’t been easy. Eleven points so far isn’t bad, but we can be more stable and build a good run of results.”
Watch: Doekhi double in Union’s win over Gladbach
You’ve been helping in attack with four goals in all competitions already this season. Two of those were headers. Is that something you’re working on?
Doekhi: “Yes, of course. I work on headers and timing – when to make the movement to get free, when to jump, and ensuring the ball comes into the right area. Finding that timing is important.”
Is heading one of the strengths to your play?
Doekhi: “Yes, I’m good at heading and also strong in duels. I think I can read the game well.”
Danilho Doekhi likes to get into battle mode before taking to the pitch. – DFL/Getty Images/Boris Streubel
Your uncle is former Dutch international defender Winston Bogarde. He must be a useful relative to ask for footballing advice?
Doekhi: “Yes, we worked together at Ajax for two years. We had a lot of contact every day, and he trained the defenders a lot. We did exercises with him, and you can really learn from his experience. I still have contact with him. We sometimes speak about situations or games.”
We’ve also noticed you have a particular pre-match ritual of scooping up grass from the pitch and smelling it. How did that come about?
Doekhi: “It’s from the movie ‘Gladiator’. Russel Crowe’s character always sniffs earth before battle to remind him of his past. Kobe Bryant also used to do it, and I’m a fan of Kobe, so I started doing it as well. I don’t know if the groundsmen here noticed, but now they do, I think.”
