An interview with Engel in the Danish media spotted by Borodane on oneBoro:
"
Borodane said:
Lukas Engel has had an interview with a Danish football site about the rough start that he has had at Boro and how difficult it was mentally. I've translated it here with ChatGPT:
Engel hit rock bottom in Middlesbrough: I was afraid of failing
Lukas Engel was torn out during halftime in a Middlesbrough match, and it was a mentally tough experience for the Dane. Now he has overcome the fear of failing, and it resulted in a standing ovation at the stadium the other day.
"It was a nightmare."
Lukas Engel had a tough start to life in Middlesbrough after his transfer from Silkeborg when he was substituted at halftime by manager Michael Carrick in one of his early games.
The match was against Sheffield Wednesday, where the 24-year-old Dane was repeatedly overrun by his opponent.
"I hardly got a foot right," Lukas Engel tells bold.dk.
"It wasn't fun. It's not enjoyable to run around the field knowing that you are so far from where you should be. I was always a step behind, even mentally."
"So, you keep thinking, 'Damn, that was really bad, it wasn't good enough.' Then a new situation arises, where you're on the back foot again. It's a vicious cycle."
"In addition to it not being enjoyable to be on the field, it's also not fun to be substituted after 45 minutes. At that point, you just know that you haven't been good enough, even though it was well-deserved that I was taken off."
"I've had too many speculations."
The Danish left-back had a rough start in Middlesbrough after his transfer from Silkeborg when he was substituted at halftime by manager Michael Carrick in one of his early games.
The match was against Sheffield Wednesday, where the 24-year-old Dane was repeatedly overrun by his opponent.
"It wasn't fun. You don't just go out to the bus and smile and have fun. It was a mental challenge, even in the following days."
"When I came home and went to sleep, I was most irritated with myself. There were things I could have done better. It wasn't anyone else's fault. I was frustrated with myself."
"It wasn't about being in a new environment, a new league, or new teammates. It was about mental readiness, which I wasn't satisfied with."
Why weren't you mentally prepared – was it nervousness, or how do you explain it?
"I think, for me, it has been about having a lot of speculations in my early days here."
"It happened quickly, from everything falling into place with the transfer to playing the first home game with over 20,000 at the stadium. I was, of course, ready for it, but I was perhaps more focused on not failing."
"I didn't feel entirely comfortable in the system or the relationships. Everything was very new to me. How do we make each other better on the field? I was determined to show them, 'These are the things I'm good at, so play me this way.' I didn't feel I demonstrated that in the first few games."
"I was too cautious and too safe in my play. I played it to the side or did the easy thing instead of being myself, where I'm a threat offensively, for example."
"It's very mental. If you take a hit in a game, you either get up or get hit again and fall, so to speak. I wasn't strong enough to get up after a few bad actions."
"Before the game, I was clear in my head, and I always am. But it was difficult for me to get out of the negative bubble during the game."
Being applauded out of the stadium How did you manage to pull yourself out of the black hole?
"The first few days, I was affected. I felt like everything was going wrong, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. After that, I chose to turn the page. I couldn't turn back time, even though I wanted to."
"I was on the bench in the following games, and I was eager to get out and make amends. I wanted to show my best side. I used it as motivation."
"And the coaches and players have been really good at telling me, 'You can't do anything about it; you're a good player, show it to those who think otherwise.'"
Throughout the process, manager Michael Carrick has been immensely supportive of Engel, both in the media and personally.
"Before the game against Cardiff, he pulled me aside and told me to just be myself and not think too much about what had happened before. He wasn't angry or disappointed, and he said I shouldn't bury myself because they still believed in me."
"It has really helped me, and those have been my two best performances in the last two games."
Lukas Engel's game against Cardiff was the first since the nightmare half. Here, he assisted a goal and prevented a goal on a huge chance at the other end.
He played a terrific game. And then he was applauded off the field by a standing home crowd.
"It was huge. When I made an assist for the 1-0 goal, I could feel that there were some emotions that needed to come out. I was so determined to show what kind of player I am to the club, my teammates, and the fans."
"I was a bit moved, and the feeling of happiness was almost creeping in. Being applauded out was special. It was something I needed after a mentally challenging time."
Engel would have preferred to do without the experience against Sheffield Wednesday, but it has still been important for him.
"I think I've learned something from it. After that game, I let go more and dared to be myself. I didn't think so much about failing or what other people want."
"I'm just myself, which is the player they've signed," says Lukas Engel.
In total, Lukas Engel has played seven games for Middlesbrough, who are currently ranked 16th in the Championship.
Original article:
https://bold.dk/fodbold/klubber/mid...en-i-middlesbrough-jeg-var-bange-for-at-fejle "
)
