SGV Nürnberg sign Pro IFX University program player Nathan Rasquinha

IFX Soccer: What were these last 2 years like for you in the program?

Nathan: The last 2 years at IFX and Germany in general have been a roller coaster ride. I got a lot of opportunities to trial with different clubs and gain new and different experiences. Last season I played at TSV Sack, I was playing with the 1st team, and we won the league, and I had an amazing season where I scored about 18 goals in the entire season. This experience has made me a better person and shows me where I stand as a soccer player and as an individual. I learned so many new things about the game and about the lifestyle of the country and it has grown on me, and I really seem to enjoy the culture.

IFX Soccer: How’s been the experience to study abroad and what’s your expectation?

Nathan: The college experience has been really different than I expected it to be. It has been amazing with a lot of ups and downs and a lot of stress between exam weeks and submissions but what I can say is that I have had an amazing time these last 2 years and would not change a thing. I am looking forward to the 3rd year as well because I had an option for a semester exchange at a different university in Nürnberg and I took it and I am looking forward to meeting new people and making more memories and enjoying my college life.

IFX Soccer: What can you tell us about your recent transfer to SGV Nürnberg?

Nathan: Before signing for SGV Nürnberg I had trials with different clubs and each club had a different playing style and it was amazing to see the different style of football that each clubs plays. But when I came to SGV Nürnberg I enjoyed the first day of training the most and after a week of training I decided that I wanted to sign for this club. Since then we have played 4 games and I started in 3 of them and have played 90 minutes in 2 of them. After my good performance in these past few weeks, I was given the #10 jersey as well and it has been amazing playing with the club so far. In between I was injured and had a swollen ankle, but I am pretty much back in shape but not fully recovered, but I am getting there.

IFX Soccer: What would you say is the best you got from this experience so far?

Nathan: This journey has been amazing so far with a few ups and downs because what fun would it be without any obstacles. I have learnt so much in these last 2 years about soccer and the way of living all alone in another country and I have to say that it is not easy. Training and studying and balancing your life everyday where you have to cook for yourself when you are dead tired is a task. It has been a real challenge but an amazing experience I must say. I have learnt so much about myself and what I can do while living all alone. When it comes to education, I have learnt so much about the world and the different aspects and opportunities that it gives us. I have learnt a lot in university and cannot wait to use that knowledge in real world situations.

IFX Soccer: Tell us what is a typical training and game day are like with your club? Is it different from your club in Mumbai?

Nathan: There is a lot that can be said about both countries, and it is completely different. It feels like coming from two different worlds altogether. The playing style and training in Germany is way different than India. A typical training day would be running and playing rondo for warm up and then a little more running and then after that depending on what the coach has planned for us we have different drills focusing on particular aspects such as passing and attack drills, defensive drills, counter attack drills, pressure drills such as 4 vs 2 and so on and the worst thing about it is during preseason where we are made to run a lot to get back in shape and pushed to our limits to train for the season. The main difference between Germany and India would be infrastructure. In Germany every club has a grass field to train on and another field for game day, but India does not have that we lack natural grass fields and that is a big problem for upcoming athletes.

IFX Soccer: What can you tell us about SGV Nürnberg?

Nathan: SGV Nürnberg plays in the Kreisliga, which is a competitive league and playing these games are not easy. It is really taxing and tiring. As players we must give our everything to win. The level of soccer in Germany is higher than compared to India which is a good thing because since I have started playing in Germany, I have grown a lot and improved a lot and can see where I stand and what I need to do to go higher. I think in the coming season I could transfer to a higher division club and then slowly climb the ranks.

IFX Soccer: Do you remember a game you played now or in your last season that you can say will be memorable?

Nathan: There was one game that I played last season with TSV Sack where we had won 10-1 and I had scored a hat-trick and I was extremely happy and that really made my day and of course this season where I got my #10 jersey because it is a big deal for me.

IFX Soccer: How is your relationship with other pro year players and club teammates?

Nathan: Over the last 2 years I have seen a lot of different players come and go but everyone has always been good and as soccer players they have always tried to motivate each other and push them forward and helped each other improve. I have had an amazing time with a few chosen people, watching Bundesliga games, going to their games, going out and partying and training. There a few people that I have had a connection with, and we make sure to keep in touch and always be there for each other when needed.

IFX Soccer: Finally, how does Germany treat you?

Nathan: Germany has been amazing. The people are very nice if you talk to them. I have made a few friends since I have been here and have visited other cities in Germany and it has been amazing. The architecture and the rivers over here are amazing, the lifestyle is different and awesome that I have picked up a few things over the years. The language at first was a problem but over the years I learnt a lot of it, and I can even speak some German now.

IFX Soccer: We are grateful for interviewing with us today. Thanks Nathan.