“They took everything from me”

Josip Drmic no longer plays a role at relegated Norwich City from the Premier League. In an interview, the 28-year-old now speaks clearly and says how he wants to return to the national team in time for the European Championship.

It’s summer 2019. Josip Drmic’s contract with Gladbach has expired, but he quickly finds his new club – the striker wants to attack with newly promoted Premier League Norwich City. “Now I can prove my worth in the best league in the world,” he says upon arrival. And he felt at home from the start: “The first thing I noticed in Norwich is how friendly everyone is here.”

18 months later, not much of this euphoria remains. Norwich was the last to be relegated again and Drmic ended up on the sidelines despite the contract until 2022. “They told me in the summer that I can no longer play and train with the first team because they no longer plan with me,” says Drmic in an interview with ” Bild “.

He was not allowed to have contact with his teammates. “I even had to change into a separate changing room for those eliminated. I would often sit there alone. “Nati’s player 32 times is deported to the U23, plays two more games at the start of the season and even scores two more goals, but is then completely eliminated.

“It was said, ‘You shouldn’t take a child’s seat off.’ In doing so, those responsible took everything from me. The simple fact of being able to train was very difficult and, at some point, I could not bear this situation anymore, ”says Drmic. “I was simply the unwanted person, they no longer accepted me as a professional. It feels like you go to a restaurant and get turned away at the door for your clothes. So I just wanted to get away from it all. “

The former FCZ professional cannot explain why they treat him like this. “I was always correct, punctual with my training, professional, and I worked extra shifts. And I also scored important goals, for example in the FA Cup, where we kicked Tottenham out, ”he says. The reason for the association’s behavior is obvious. Drmic: “You want to get me off the payroll.”

“Feel like a boxer”

His contract in England is still in place, but Drmic no longer seems to believe in a happy ending. He has been back in Switzerland for months and is working hard towards his return. “I train twice a day, with and without the ball, in the gym and on the tartan court. Sometimes I torture myself up the mountain, sometimes I run through the woods. ”He is supported by a team of personal trainers and doctors.

Giving up was never an option for Drmic. On the contrary: “I feel like a boxer preparing for a great fight. My whole focus is on the moment when I can strike again at a new club and show myself. I look forward to this moment. “

“I want to show that I belong to the national team”

Your goal now is to quickly find a new club. It has no preference. Going back to Gladbach would be “a dream, but I am realistic and I say it very clearly: it does not matter if it is Germany, England, Italy, I just want to go back to the field, I want to measure myself against others”.

His great goal is to return to the national team. “I want to show that I belong to the national team,” says Drmic, who last played for Switzerland in October 2019. He is still on good terms with Vladimir Petkovic. “What I appreciate about him is that he also reports when things go wrong to help you get up or just chat.”