Pierre-Michel Lasogga had all the ingredients to be a Leeds United cult hero. Big, strong, a bit misunderstood, flashes of great talent, coming off the back of a difficult period… everything was ready when the striker arrived from Germany.
Things haven’t worked out perfectly, they rarely do, but Lasogga’s time at Elland Road hasn’t been so bad, and he certainly seems to have affection for the club already.
This week the Hamburg owned player has granted a lengthy interview to SportBild, in which he covered his time at Leeds United so far and his mother making herself at home. You can read that here.
Lasogga was also asked about his goals at Leeds United, and again made it clear how much he thinks of the club: “I want to make it into the play-offs with Leeds. Big players like Rio Ferdinand or Mark Viduka played here. This club belongs to the Premier League!
“The manager once told me that it’s sometimes better to move up through the play-offs because you’re playing the final at Wembley in front of over 90,000 spectators. Sure, my goal would have been to rise directly and spare myself the nerve-racking play-offs.
“After the relegation 2014, I said, I never want to experience such playoffs again. But the play-off games here will be different because it’s about promotion. You don’t lose everything in a defeat.”
Hamburg may have been relegated by that point, which would make his wages even more of a burden, but it’s not something the striker is letting distract him now: “I don’t worry about that yet. Not until the end of May, when the season is over. Everything else would be wasted energy. Finally, I have one more year contract in Hamburg. And I wish that HSV remains in the Bundesliga!”
Telling the German magazine his new daughter wears a Leeds romper with ‘Machine’ and number 9 on the back, Lasogga says he feels he’s getting closer to his old nickname: “I am well on the way to seeing myself as a goal machine again. I am satisfied with my return. But there could have been two or three more. As a striker you are always on the hunt for goals. I cannot get enough of goals.”
Leeds United could certainly do with Lasogga turning into a goal machine between now and the end of the season.
