Nathaniel Brown on his shirt number, attacking style and ambition to keep going as a child

A left-back wearing the number of a forward? It’s unusual, but it’s the perfect fit for our new No.11 Nathaniel Brown. The summer signing – known to his teammates as Nene – has spoke to members’ magazine ‘51’ about his attacking nature and the ambition made him want to keep running as a kid.

Interview with Nathaniel Brown

Nene, everyone thought we had signed a new left-back, but then suddenly you were playing in the number 10 role. If someone asks you what sort of footballer you are, what do you say?
“A clever one, I’d say [laughs]. I always enjoy football, think offensively and am very ambitious. Whether I’m at the back or up front, I want to influence the game with my qualities.”

You played in central midfield as a youngster. How did you end up at left-back?
“I was still playing as a number 10 in the U17s at Nürnberg and realised that I might not be good enough for that position, and that I probably wouldn’t get much playing time. When two left-backs were sidelined, our coach at the time – Peter Gaydarov, who later went on to work at Bayern – came up with the idea of playing me in that position. I did quite well, and he continued to put his faith in me. That’s why I’m a left-back today, and I’m very grateful to him. Without his decision, I might not be at Bayern now.”

You chose the number 11 at Bayern – a number more associated with forwards. It has been worn by players such as Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Ivica Olić and Lukas Podolski. How does the number 11 fit a left-back?
“Some people were surprised by my choice, but there simply weren’t that many numbers left – even the number 21, which I had at Frankfurt, was taken. So I thought why not try something new? Why not number 11? I can also play in an attacking role, so in a way it suits me. Maybe it was just meant to be – and that’s a good thing.”

What made the club so appealing to you?
“To be perfectly honest, I never thought Bayern would get in touch with me. And then it all happened so quickly! When my agent told me about their interest, I said straight away: I don’t want to hear about anything else. I’m from Bavaria, I can stay in Germany and join the best team in the country – one of the biggest clubs in the world. On top of that, there were the talks with the club and the coach. And my family and friends are all big Bayern fans too. So there was no question about it. It was immediately clear to me that I wanted to join Bayern.”

You once said that the worst thing is to fall asleep after a match feeling that you hadn’t been bold enough. Where does that realisation come from?
“Playing with confidence was a process for me. At the start of my career, I often held back in training. When I joined the first team at 18, I was very nervous. In the evenings, I’d often think: If only I’d asked for the ball more often, if only I’d been more involved. Perhaps that’s why it took a bit longer for me to make my debut. At some point, I told myself: Never mind! Even if I make mistakes, I’ll keep asking for the ball. There’s nothing worse than thinking after the match: If only I hadn’t held back. These days, I’m managing that very well.”

What role do your family and friends from Amberg still play in your life?
“A big one. I go home whenever I can. Even in the summer after the World Cup, I spent a few days there to see my family and friends. I grew up in Amberg, went to school like any other kid, and know every nook and cranny. That’s why I’m always drawn back there. When I go into town, people recognise me, are very friendly and are happy for me. That feeling of home is really lovely.”

At school, you once ran more than 20 kilometres in a charity run and eventually had to be stopped. What happened?
“I was ten years old, and my original aim was actually five laps. But then I just kept running because it was actually quite fun. In the end, I did 22 or 23 laps. I wanted to carry on, but my mum and the teachers said it was too hot; they didn’t want me to collapse. So they took me out of the race. I still won, though – and I think I still hold the record.”

Did people see in you the ambition that’s now brought you all the way to Bayern?
“That could well be. I don’t actually enjoy just running that much. But when I was ten, I was determined to be the best in the school. It’s similar in a match. Even when my energy’s starting to run out, I tell myself to keep going!”

The full version of this interview is available in the October edition of ‘51’