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Bundesliga Kick Off | On the Spot: Timo Rost

696 views · Published 16 April 2009 · 7:20 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: DW News · 2009 · Sports

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Midfielder Timo Rost has played for Energie Cottbus for the past eight years. In 2006 he was elevated to captain and since then he's led the club's seemingly perpetual fight to stay in the first division.
DW-TV:
Your first coach was your father.
Timo Rost:
That's right.
Was it good to have your dad as coach?
That was with my home club Happurg. I was five years old and everyone pretty much just did what they wanted. Everyone chased the ball around. I remember we had a lot of fun as little kids. The good thing about my father was that he never forced me to play soccer.
Those were the good old days in Bavaria,where the game was played without pressure. Fast-forward 25 years and Timo Rost faces a season-to-season relegation battle with Cottbus. Shouldering much of the burden is coach Bojan Prasnika.

Especially in times of crisis,when you're not having any success and are doubting your ability,it's important to have a coach that builds you up. Then despite all the defeats on the pitch,at some point you get luck back on your side and then some success.

At the age of 18,Timo Rost made his professional debut with Nuremberg. After numerous outings for the national youth squad,he made the move to Stuttgart. But there his skyrocketing career was halted by an ankle injury.
You went to Austria and played there for a year. And after that transfered back to the Bundesliga to a club in eastern Germany... Why are you laughing?

Because I know what question is coming. I've heard it often enough.

Why does a young west German go to the east to play soccer?

There were two important reasons. Firstly,I wanted at all costs to get back to the Bundesliga,to play soccer in Germany at the top level. That was always my dream as a kid. And the second reason was Eduard Geyer,who really took an interest in me. Of course,I wanted to use Cottbus as a springboard. I thought I'd have two good years here and transfer to a different club.

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