FIRST TEAM
07/21/2017

Robert Zulj: "The Bundesliga is a dream"

Robert Žulj is one of TSG's new additions this summer. He joined Hoffenheim from Fürth and last season was one of the most impressive players in the second division. He spoke to us at the training camp in Windischgarsten, not far from his hometown of Wels, about the step up to the Bundesliga, his new head coach and his background.

Robert, you grew up very near to here in Wels. Do you have a connection with the town and the region?

Žulj: This is my home. I know the area and I like the air. The people here are very helpful and friendly. It's nice that my first training camp with TSG is here.

You've arrived at TSG via Ried, Salzburg and Fürth. How happy are you with your career up to now?

Žulj: I always dreamt with my brothers about playing in the Bundesliga. The fact that all this has happened and that I now have the chance to here is a dream come true. I've worked very hard to get to this stage, but I'm not finished yet. I want to develop further and become better.

Your new head coach Julian Nagelsmann will play a role in that. What's he like and what's different about his sessions?

Žulj: He's very young but has a lot of experience. He achieve a lot with TSH last season and the football that was played spoke for itself. He has a clear philosophy, clear principles and he knows exactly what he wants from us and how he should communicate that. We get a lot of input from him every day. We want to implement all of it and have another good season both in the Bundesliga and in Europe.

How big is the jump from Fürth to Hoffenheim?

Žulj: The level in training at TSG is very high. We play a different brand of football to what I was used to at Fürth and I learnt lots of new things every day. But I'm adjusting and feel as though I've got used to the football that this team plays whilst we've been here in Austria.  

What have been your personal aims so far in pre-season at TSG?

Žulj: First of all it's a dream come true for me to join a Bundesliga club. I want to get used to the tempo and push myself in training. The coach should be able to see what I can do and I want to put forward a case for game time. I want to show that I'm good enough to play at this level.

The first competitive matches are not too long away now. Are you looking forward to the start of the season and pulling on the TSG shirt for your first competitive match?

Žulj: Playing against Bayern at the Telekom Cup was special and the first competitive match will be too. We're all raring to go and we all prefer playing to training. We'd happily start now, but we need to use every day of pre-season so that we're fit and ready when we start battling for points. 

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