Just days after Köln head coach Lukas Kwasniok threw him directly into the fire with his first Bundesliga start, Manchester City’s Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has once again started and gone the full 90 minutes in a Bundesliga match. The EPL loanee has now logged maximum minutes since his arrival in Germany. On Wednesday night, the 20-year-old faced the unenviable task of marking Harry Kane in a showdown with Bayern Munich.
Though Köln ultimately, and predictably enough, lost against the German record champions, Simpson-Pusey turned in a respectable performance. It definitely appears as if the Huddersfield-native will continue to feature in Köln’s thin defensive ranks as the season rolls on. Simpson-Pusey – having made some profound statements on the pitch – also had quite a bit to say in the mixed zone last night.
Simpson-Pusey grateful for the opportunity
”I’ve wanted to play for the last seven months,” the former Celtic Glasgow loanee told reporters. “And now I have my chance. I’m very grateful for that, I want to prove myself. “I want to continue to play well, build on that and get better. I feel great. Of course, my body is still getting used to playing again. But if I rest, recover, sleep well, and eat well, then I should be fit.”
Simpson-Pusey speaks on marking Harry Kane
“He’s a top player and it was something for me to play against the England national team captain with so much experience,” Simpson-Pusey said. “I don’t think I did too badly. But there’s always room for improvement. I try to appear calm. Especially when I’m playing in the center of the back five. I can’t be the one who panics.”
Simpson-Pusey hopes to help his Bundesliga club
“We will definitely come back and improve in the next few games,” Simpson-Pusey said of his side’s now eight-game league winless run. “The whole team wants to win again and we’re pushing hard to achieve that objective.“
