Coming Up... Wolfgang Overath

DW-TV

I've heard you still get out and train twice a week.

Wolfgang Overath

You're well informed.

And can you keep up?

Of course!

Would you still like to play in the side?

In the first team? I'm not crazy!

That was a wonderful time. I was there during perhaps the best eight years of German football - from 1966 til 1974. I'm actually pretty happy and satisfied that I was able to have such a good time.

As a player you were a traditional number ten. Do you think this role still exists in football.

It's gotten harder. He has to be fast, he has to have great technique, but these days he has to be defensive, the number 10 never used to do that. Günther Netzer or I for instance always had cover. There was always someone behind us. Now he has to cover himself and move back. Fast, athletic, good footballer, a good eye, defensively strong... so there are other priorities that have come into play.

At your club, you've got Lukas Podolski as your number 10. He is the club's most expensive transfer. Strangely enough, since he's been out injured, Cologne has been improving.

You'd like me to respond to that, right?

I paused for you on purpose, yes.

Lukas Podolski is an amazing talent. He is technically strong, has a good shot, he can dribble well and play a good pass, he can do everything. But Lukas is of course under a lot of pressure. I can judge that very well, because of what I experienced before the 1974 World Cup. In Mexico in 1970 I had a great World Cup. Then Günter Netzer played a great European Championship in 72. I wasn't playing well at my club and eventually everyone said, Netzer should play the '74 World Cup. I just got worse, because I lost confidence which can happen when there is a lot of pressure.

But there comes a point when you think. I'm just going to forget what people are saying about me or writing about me. And then, within an hour, you are playing great football again. The most important thing is that he receives good support during and that he puts in the effort to win back his confidence too.

When you became president of Cologne, you were seen as a visionary. What is your vision?

My aim is to get Cologne back to where it belongs. In my playing days, we were the Bayern Munich of today. Getting back to that level will be difficult - it's such a long way. But my hope and wish, is that we get back up there. I don't know how possible that will be, or how fast we will do it. But Cologne's goal cannot always be to be constantly battling relegation or always hanging around in the bottom half of the table. That's my wish, my dream, and I hope we do it.