With his own experiences of playing in Germany, former Bafana Bafana star Delron Buckley has outlined the crucial factors that will determine Ime Okon’s longevity in the Bundesliga 2.
Okon is on the books of Bundesliga 2 club Hannover 96, after a free transfer from SuperSport United [now Siwelele FC].
The Bafana Bafana defender has sadly been sidelined due to a thigh injury he suffered in September. Prior to the injury, Okon had played eight matches, where he scored one goal.
Undoubtedly, the 21-year-old rock-solid defender is destined for better strides in Germany. The central defender’s comeback is impending.
“My recovery is going well. I’m training on the pitch again and have started doing things with the ball. I missed the ball so much,” Okon said as quoted by Hannover 96 in a recent interview.
However, Delron Buckley, who carved a niche in the European country, believes there are several key factors Okon must master to succeed.
FORMER BAFANA STAR DELRON BUCKLEY’S WISE WORDS OF WISDOM TO IME OKON
In Germany, Buckley played for VfL Bochum, Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Karlsruher SC, and Arminia Bielefeld. At the top of the factors, Buckley said discipline, serious time management, and intense personal training will be key for Okon.
“Germany is a country; they’re very disciplined. So if they say you’ve got to be at training at nine o’clock, you need to be there by half past eight, not five past nine or ten past nine. They’re very, very professional about how things work in this country,” Buckley explained during an online meeting organised by Arminia Bielefeld.
“Secondly, of course, you’re in a team fighting for your position, so nothing comes easy. You’re going to have to work very, very hard, and the Germans work hard. There’s no doubt about it. When you go to training, the training is intensive. It’s physical.
“You have to put a lot of effort into it, especially when you’re in South Africa, coming from a country where the sun shines 24/7 and it’s nice weather. You come to Germany, it’s raining, it’s cold.
“It’s a different culture, different food, and that’s something you’re going to have to adapt to. You can’t expect to come to a country and think, ‘Okay, this isn’t my kind of cup of tea. I don’t want to be here.’ No, you have to adapt to how the system works here.
“If you can adapt to that system and think like the Germans think, then your possibility of making it and staying in Germany is much, much higher,” added Buckley.
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