Salih Özcan has not always had it easy at 1. FC Köln in recent years. Now the home-grown player is making a name for himself – as a top performer and goalscorer.
The start of the season caused great euphoria in Cologne, but for one person everything was still the same. Salih Özcan had extended his contract in the summer – combined with hopes of a change in status – but initially, as so often before, he had to be content with the role of reserve. Sometimes he made a starting appearance, but mostly only substitute appearances at best. Too little for the demands of the U-21 European champion, too little for the class that this player brings with him. Even though this is only now becoming clear to many in Cologne.
In the meantime, Özcan has established himself in the team and is showing what coach Steffen Baumgart had hoped for from the 23-year-old when he convinced him to stay with FC. For weeks now, Özcan has even been one of the top performers and is demonstrating what a coach’s trust and a player’s self-confidence can achieve. His first Bundesliga goal in his 74th appearance a fortnight ago in Mainz (1:1) was followed by a gala performance in the derby against Gladbach and now his second goal of the season in Bielefeld (1:1). First he scored with his head, now with his left. Now, he laughs, it would be his right foot. “Let’s hope it continues like this. “
Robust, but fine footballer
There’s hardly any way around him in the starting eleven for the time being. Özcan presents himself as a robust midfielder with fine footballing skills who can make his mark both defensively and offensively. Less erratic and prone to mistakes than in the past, clearly more purposeful, even creative at times. In Bielefeld he started on the ten, later switched to the double six alongside Ellyes Skhiri, demonstrating his flexibility. And a clear view of the situation: “I’m happy about the goal,” says Özcan, “but we have to think about the performance.” Weak Cologne missed the second win in a row against Arminia and could live well with the one point.
Incidentally, Salih Özcan is only the third player with that surname to score in the Bundesliga. Berkay Özcan scored in a 2-0 win for VfB Stuttgart against Werder Bremen on 21 April 2018, while Leverkusen keeper Ramazan Özcan scored in a 1-3 loss to Wolfsburg on 1 September 2018 – albeit into his own net.
