With kind permission of 11freunde.de and assistance from Sven at thai-fussball.de here is a translation of the interview with Muangthong's controversial new signing.
Translation provided by Sven at thaifussball, copied here verbatim.
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The interview was held in 2007.
With 7 sears of age you started to play football for Helios Munich. Who got the idea to put in you in a football club?
I always had been under power, and I wasn't a silent child at home. My Father said that we do need to do something with the kid. He was always interested in football, and so he registered me ar Helios Munich. There I started to make sport, but without anything in mind.
When you started to realize that you are better than the others?
Soon, I noticed that I do have a good feeling for the ball. And with 9 years of age I was only focused on football.
How does it came you switched from Helios Munich to Bayern Munich youth?
The scouts of Bayern spotted me in the E-Youth and invited me for a trial. And after the trial they told me that they would be glad if I would play for the Bayern youth. Since I turned 8, I played in all youth squads of Bayern Munich.
Was it an issue at home, that you switched to the giant Bayern Munich?
In that age? No. At this time Bayern was already a Top Club, but my parents never had anything in mind that I may could become a pro once. And you couldn't foreseen it at this time anyway.
And what does it had mean to you as small boy, to wear the kit of Bayern Munich?
It was a nice feeling. We traveled a lot and played agianst other youth squads of big clubs. I got in contact with other cultures and it was realy fun. And I learned to acquit oneself. Because if you play for Bayern Munich, even in the youth you are already became a role model.
Is it true that you scored 430 goals in a youth squad of Bayern in one season and that you keep this record until today?
Yes thats true. I scored about 400 goals in one D-Youth season. Sometimes I scored 10 or 12 goals in one game.
How did you get the football and school under one hat?
The school was realy affected by this. Very early I had regular caps for the youthnational squads. In the age 13 or 14 I knewed that my way will guide me into pro football. More often I was released from my duties wit the school and my performances at school went down.
So you knewed quite early the way you want to take?
In the age of 13 I signed a pre-contract with Bayern Munich. With 16 I trained with the seniors, under Giovanni Trapattoni, for the first time. If you had been there once, you always want to be there. You dont want to relinquish again.
At this time, in this Trapattoni squad, there had been players like Lothar Matthaeus and Jurgen Klinsmann...
Matthaeus was always a guy who liked me and he helped me a lot. At Borussia Moenchengladbach he made it to the seniors quick as I did. He always wanted to show me I have to behave.
In the age of 17 you signed your first pro contract than.
I was sitting in the office of Uli Hoeness togetehr with my father. He layed down the contract at the desk and I didn't hesitate any second. In may age it was such an honour to get an offer from Bayern Munich. That was my ambition. I signed immediately.
What the signing had meant for your school career?
I knewed that I now had to train every day and I abort the school. Sure, it was a risk sometimes to be without any graduation. But until that time, everything was fine.
At this time, Franz Beckenbauer, called you the greatest talent since years. Uli Hoeness doesnt want you to sell at anytime. How did you felt with the mark as unsalable Bayern Munich player?
If a man like Hoeness says something like that, than of course it is a great honour. He is one of the Top Managers in Europe. Unfortunately I had dissapointed the people, which had been convinced about me. It is still a pity that I couldn't show my best performence to them.
For a young guy like you, you had a bright future in front of you. But who was able to tell you something?
Unfortunately at this time, I didnt want to listen anybody. I put up with everything. It was a big problem that I was to impatient, to impulsive. The success was to much for me. If somebody had taken my hand, and told me that I should my lifestyle, and that I had to work further towards my goals, than maybe I could had make it. So I had to go the hard way.
On the 30th Septmeber of 1998 you had your pro debut. You had been 17 years old and it was the Champions League Match against Manchester United. For whom you came into the game?
Thats a good question. I just tought about that recently. Don't tell it to me please. Cause I think you know it.
No I am sorry, I dont know it either.
You don't know it either? I dont want to say something wrong. But I think it was for Ali Daei or Salihamidzic.
But do you know what Hitzfeld told you before got into the game?
No, I was like in trance. I just wanted to get on to the pitch and that everything started for me.
What you did after the game?
I was going back home using the underground train.
Are memories of this game sometimes coming up in your mind?
The strike with my left foot, which passed the goal short on the right side. Sometimes I think, if the ball is in, many things may had become different for me.
Just 4 days later on the 4th of October 1998, you gave your debut in the Bundesliga against Borussia Dortmund. The press was full with praise about you. But Beckenbauer and Hitzfeld as well. But both of them told you that this time?
Things like you are usually telling a young player when he suddeenly get into the focus. I should stay in the ground, not talk to much to the media and make one step after the other. But I didn't tooked those advices serious enough.
Beside football, what caught your interest at this time?
Beside football, my interest applied to my girlfriend. And that was the reason why I couldn't realy concentrate on football anymore. I was busy with other problems and my family too. This of course had an impact of my performance on the pitch and I was getting worth more and more.
In the following 4 Bundesliga games, after your debut, only your mates like Zickler, Jancker and even Bugera had been brought in. But not you. You didn't played any role anymore in the minds of Ottmar Hitzfeld suddenly. Why?
I have no idea. I dont realy have any explanation for it. But probaly it would had been better if any of the responsible people from the club would had told me what next step would be the best for me. I wanted everything right now. That time I tought I better move on to Borussia Moenchengladbach, and make 10 goals. Nobody was putting stones in may way. Today I would wish they had told meto stay and not move to Gladbach. Something like, stay here we build you up step by step. That's the point, where I say, Bayern Munich had could help me.
Absolutely nobody from Bayern wanted to avoid your move?
No, nobody said anything, they simply let me go away. I found that realy pity. Some people always ment that I am that big talent. But would you simply let go this big talent? That is something what makes sad until today.
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But that's not all! thai-fussball.de webmaster Sven has also provided some scans from the German press.
http://www.imagebam.com/image/5d55b365410786
http://www.imagebam.com/image/a985fc65410789
http://www.imagebam.com/image/5034c765410774
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