Following confirmation of his transfer to 1. FC Köln yesterday, Paul Okon-Engstler’s now-former Sydney FC sporting director has backed the 21-year-old to become one of Australia’s all-time greats. While he may have only worked with the already ten-times-capped Aussie international for a year, former Bundesliga professional Alexander Baumjohann knows his football.
Baumjohann – a former Germany U21 international who played for five separate clubs in Germany’s top two professional footballing divisions – settled in Sydney after ending his professional career there. The Waltrop-native spoke to Kicker shortly after Okon-Engstler’s €1m transfer was confirmed.
Okon-Engstler strongest as a No. 6
“There, [as a six] he has the freedom to take control of the game, either on his own or with another defensive midfielder alongside him,” Baumjohann told Kicker. “He can work as a No. 8. He actually has a good finish, but he still doesn’t get into the right positions often enough to show it.
“On and off the field, he stands out,” Baumjohann continued. “Paulie has a distinctive personality. One could already tell that at the World Cup and before that with the national team. Even at this level, he fights for every ball and wants to control and dominate the game.”
Baumjohann convinced Okon-Engstler will rise
“I don’t think anyone knows him better than I do,” Baumjohann noted in his Kicker interview. “In the eight years I’ve now been in Australia—first as a player, then as a sporting director—I haven’t seen an Australian who brings such a complete package. From the very beginning, I was firmly of the opinion that he should make the move to a top-five league, as I’m absolutely convinced that he can and will succeed there.
“If I had been a sporting director in the Bundesliga this summer, my first act would have been to sign Paul Okon-Engstler,” Baumjohann continued. “He simply has it all. One can only congratulate 1. FC Köln on this transfer. It’s the perfect step for both parties. In my view, with his overall skill set, Paulie has the potential to become one of the best Australian players of all time.”
Baumjohann cautions Okon-Engstler will need time
“It might take a little while for him to get used to the pace,” Baumjohann concluded. “After all, it’s a big step from the A-League to the Bundesliga. But I believe he’ll still find his footing relatively quickly. Even coming to us from Benfica’s reserve team was a big leap. And when he joined the national team, he gave you the impression that he already had 100 international appearances under his belt.”
