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Canadian International Simeon Jackson is a 26 year old striker who has just recently begun his first season in the German top flight with Eintracht Braunschweig. As Canada's 2009 Player of the Year, Jackson has been one of rising players in Canadian soccer over the last number of years and he is expected to play a key role with the Canadian Men's National Team for years to come.
RedNation recently had the chance to catch up with Jackson to chat about his first training camp under new Canadian National Team Head Coach Benito Floro and his recent move from the English Premier League to the Bundesliga with Eintracht Braunschweig.
RedNation Online: How have the training sessions with Benito Floro and the new staff gone so far? Is there a distinctly different feel to them?
Simeon Jackson: Yes. Straight away there is a different feel. Obviously there are still staff members here from before, which is a good connection. Obviously, Tony (Fonseca) is here as an assistant coach. All in all it has been good and it has been easy to get the ideas of the new coach and new staff.
RNO: Benito comes to the team with quite a pedigree. What are your early impressions of him?
Simeon Jackson: My early impression is really good. When I heard about his hiring I was definitely excited about the direction and the impact that it could have on us as a team and for the country. I’m still excited now and I’m looking forward to working with him.
RNO: One of the main issues that Canada had during the most recent World Cup qualifying campaign was with respect to scoring goals. It’s been said many times that one of the main challenges that the Canadian team faces is with regard to bringing together players who play in many different countries and leagues with disparate styles of play and then finding a way to gel and build chemistry in a short period of time. Do you think that someone with Floro’s experience can help with that particular aspect of Canada’s game?
Simeon Jackson: Yes, I believe so. Even in these first few days he has helped guide us as players. With his experience and pedigree he will bring something that we can put out on the pitch.
RNO: You are back with Canada after having had to leave the Canadian team during the Gold Cup to finalize your club deal. Is it nice to be back with the national team now that you have your club situation settled?
Simeon Jackson: Definitely. It is a different feel for sure. Obviously coming in to the Gold Cup and not knowing what was going to happen (with my club situation) was never going to feel like a good situation to be in. I wouldn’t say I feel more relaxed this time out, but it is a case where you don’t have that worry hanging over you and that allows you to go out and play more freely.
RNO: You are a long time veteran of English football and when you were looking for a new team there were the requisite rumours about clubs that were after you and most of them were English clubs. I think a lot of people expected that you might end up playing for a club in England again. How did the deal to sign with German side Eintracht Braunschweig come about?
Simeon Jackson: To be honest, it was last minute and out of the blue. These things happen in football. One minute I thought I was going to one place and then the next I was heading to a whole different country. It was last minute. In the end, I’m definitely excited and enjoying playing in the Bundesliga. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.
RNO: Was getting out of England to try playing in a different league in a different country always something that you have wanted to do at some point in your career?
Simeon Jackson: I always wanted to give it a go in another country. As you said, I had been in England for ten years or so and I had literally played in every league there. So it was kind of the right time to give it a go somewhere else, especially with the way the Bundesliga is now and the quality of the league. I think the timing is really good now. It is obviously a really, really tough league. But I’m definitely excited and I’m glad I made the move and I’m looking forward to my time with Braunschweig.
RNO: You are a young veteran player now at 26 years old. That said, I have spoken with many players much older than you that have expressed that they still learn new things every day and improve even in the later years of their careers. In terms of your ongoing development as a player and as a striker, do you think you will gain something different by being in Germany and playing in the Bundesliga?
Simeon Jackson: Definitely. Even in the few games that I have played so far, it has been something totally new. You always have to raise your game, adapt and improve every day. Especially being here with the new coach, I think I have learned more over these last few days than I have in my whole career, so it has been really good and refreshing. I hope for myself and my career that I can continue to keep growing.
RNO: What are your early impressions of the Bundesliga and how if differs from way the game is played in England?
Simeon Jackson: Straight away I saw the difference with the fact that a lot more teams want to play out of the back. There is a lot more emphasis on dropping deep to open up the game. A lot of teams do that. Training and everything is different from what I have been used to in England for the last few years. It is definitely big for me and I thought it was the right move for me to make. Now I’m a few games in and I am really appreciating my decision. I just want to continue to learn and improve. Obviously, playing here will improve me as a player.
RNO: You quickly scored a goal in a preseason victory over Wolfsburg not long after signing with Braunschweig. As a striker, was it nice to get that goal out of the way and get your feet wet with your new team?
Simeon Jackson: Yeah, that was good. It is always good to score. It was just preseason and obviously the league has started now and that is where it counts. So I’m looking forward to getting some goals in the games coming up and in the rest of the campaign.
RNO: Much like in the English Premier League, it seems like the Bundesliga is a league that is extremely competitive from the top of the table down to the bottom, with every match being a challenge regardless of the club that you play. You are very notable as a player who has been involved in promotion and relegation battles and who has thrived under those circumstances. It is a bit of a slow start for Eintracht Braunschweig so far. What are your expectations for your first season in the Bundesliga?
Simeon Jackson: I think collectively our main focus is just to stay in the league. That is the main thing. We know it is going to be tough for us as a new team in a top division like this. We are prepared for how hard it will be and hopefully we can get this teething out of the way early. We’ve played well in certain games, especially the Dortmund game and Bremen at home. There have been a lot of positives to take from how we have played so far and we just have to keep improving and keep going. As I said, we know it is going to be tough, but this is what it is about and where you want to be. Hopefully we do well.
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