Hi, please 'sink' if already somewhere else on here, but Wyn Grant has published on his 'Addicks Championship Diary' site an interview given by Patrick Bauer to the SLP, makes for an interesting and a good read in my opinion, I have copied it below-:
Patrick Bauer has proved to be an all-action hero for Charlton since the start of the season - and was just like the man who also had his surname in hit show 24 against Hull City.
The 22-year-old German defender dislocated his finger in a rip-roaring finish that saw Johann Berg Gudmundsson score with virtually the last kick of the contest and head coach Guy Luzon sent to the stands for racing onto the pitch to join in the celebrations.
But just like namesake Jack from the American TV series, Bauer did not let his injury force him off the pitch. When asked about it this week, the former Maritimo defender laughed.
“It looked worse than it was,” he said. “It was a shock for a second - and then the doctor put the finger back in the right place again.
“He taped the finger and it was clear for me to continue. I’m playing football - I don’t need fingers to play. Even if it had been broken, I don’t need it. If it was my neck then maybe that is different.
“It was the first time it has happened to me. Because of that I just put my hand up to let the referee know that there was something wrong. I didn’t even know a finger can look like that. But, like I said, it wasn’t a problem.”
Charlton made an impressive start to the season but the defeat to Wolves took a slight edge off that promising beginning before the international break.
And Bauer, who previously played for Stuttgart before his move into Portuguese football, admits that the fixture-heavy Championship start was a new experience.
“I think it would be impossible to play more,” he said. “We started in August and in three-and-a-half weeks we had seven games. I’ve never had that before.
“After each game we get all the stats of what we did in the game, like how far we ran. I’m not sure what my average is, but in the last game it was a little more than 10km.
“It depends on ball possession. If our team has more of the game then it is normally less.
“We had three days off and I went back to Germany to see my family. We could recharge our batteries after a very heavy first month, but now I’m looking forward to the game on Saturday.”
Bauer has arguably been Charlton’s best player in August. Calm and assured on the ball, if he continues in this vein he is likely to draw interest from clubs at a higher level.
While Fulham were bidding in excess of £5million for Brighton’s Lewis
Dunk in the last window, Bauer cost nowhere near that figure, even if his transfer fee when he joined in June was not disclosed.
He looks a snip. And is a good communicator to boot.
“I’ve always been a player that tries to organise,” he explains. “I’m playing in the centre and I’m behind all of the play - so I’m seeing
everything in front of me.
“It is really important to speak a lot - especially if you are in a central position in defence, the goalkeeper or are a defensive midfielder. You can help the team a lot.
“I’ve settled in very well. I came from Portugal and the start is not easy. It is different playing in England - much more intense. It’s harder. You have a lot of games. I want to continue like that and improve myself more.
“I have the attributes to do well. I bring the height and it is very important to be strong in this league. I can bring that to the cause.”
The reverse at Molineux hasn’t dispelled the feel-good atmosphere for the Addicks.
A testing opening set of fixtures still yielded a haul of eight points. Beating QPR 2-0 at The Valley on the opening day was a dream
beginning. And there was to be more success in SE7 against Hull, another club with the huge advantage of Premier League parachute
payments. It has made the bookies’ pre-season odds for Guy Luzon’s side to struggle look foolish.
“For the first game no-one really believed in us,” said Bauer. “QPR had a very strong team. Everyone expected that they would beat us. So it was a really big surprise for everybody.
“I know that Derby are normally in the play-offs and we got a point there. Against strong sides we have performed well and just want that to continue.
“We produced a really good game at Wolverhampton. We were leading 1-0 but conceded a really unlucky goal. They applied a lot of pressure and unfortunately a few minutes before the end we suffered by conceding a second goal.
“But we can be happy with the first five games. We are trying, if we are leading the match, to bring the result every time. We will learn from that so that in the future it will not happen like this again.”
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Comments
Brilliant!
Lad.
Just dont see an Academy Graduate winning it this year
In 5 years i'd be amazed if he is not in the prem.
Another player who proves Championship expeience isn't vital to be a success.
Perhaps Luzon has decided that sometimes you should not be quite so offensive.
I think RD has quadrupled his investment already.
RD will want a good return no doubt, but at the price of a shot at the top?
: - )
The Bauer Constrictor ....