Referee comments from Andre Onana: We lost to Fenerbahce but I learned about the referees

Trabzonspor's Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana talked about his journey from a humble life to the top of European football in the 233rd issue of Trabzonspor Club Magazine. Known for his social responsibility projects, the successful net keeper made sincere statements on many topics from his childhood dreams to the changing dynamics of football.

'THE QUALITY IN TURKISH FOOTBALL IS HIGHER THAN I EXPECTED'

Comparing his experiences as a player who has played in different countries, Onana said that the level of football in Turkey is better than he thought. "The quality here is really high, better than I expected. Of course the match tempo is different, but there are very good teams, very good players. Turkish clubs are winning matches in Europe, the level is really there. Talking about the referees here, I don't like to talk about them because most of my life I focus on what I can control. But to be honest, for my first period here, I didn't have a very good experience with the referees. I'm not saying that they are all bad because there are some very good ones. Let's see how it will be in the future. But we should not forget that refereeing is a very difficult job. People are not robots, they have to make decisions, sometimes it can be right and sometimes it can be wrong."

'IF I STAY HERE LONGER I WILL TRY TO LEARN TURKISH'

The experienced player said that he had to learn the languages of the countries he visited during his career and that he might learn Turkish if he stays for a long time. "Being able to speak many languages today makes me really happy because it makes it easier for me to communicate with my teammates. When you play for big clubs, you are often with players from all over the world. You need to be able to communicate with them. The fact that I can speak English and other languages makes this communication easier. Turkish is not the most difficult language for me. I can say that Dutch was probably the most difficult. If I stay here longer I will try my best to learn it. I already know a few words, because I have played with some Turkish players before. At Inter with Hakan Çalhanoğlu, in England with Altay Bayındır."

'WE LOST IN THE FENERBAHÇE GAME BUT I LEARNED HOW THE REFEREES HERE ARE'

Onana said that he plays to win, but when he loses, he sees it as a lesson: "Every time I put on my boots or gloves, I want to win. Because at the end of the day, we play to win and I'm not afraid of anyone; when I go out on the field, I either win or I learn. I don't see myself as a loser. If I don't win, I take it as an opportunity to learn. Let me give you an example, my first game here was against Fenerbahçe. We played well but we didn't win. But I don't see it as a loss. Again, I learned, for example, I learned how the referees here are." Onana also said about his pre-match motivation: "I believe in God, I always bring the cross. But my motivation is already automatic."

'I WATCH THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE'

Onana said that if he hadn't been a soccer player, he would have wanted to be a policeman and that he watched the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. "When I was growing up, most of my friends were there. One of my brothers was a police officer. This is the most exciting job for me. Maybe because I am outside! But I love them. In my country I follow them all, the army, the police. I even watch a lot of documentaries, sometimes insanely, I'm watching the Ottoman Empire now. So you cannot imagine. I love their position of responsibility, because if a country is at peace, if a country is safe, it's because of them. But when they do a great job we quickly forget, when they make mistakes we all get angry with them. This is sometimes like my position. So maybe it's not directly related but we are in a similar business. When things are going well, you say 'okay, that's what they get paid for'. But when they make mistakes, we all look at them and ask 'what are they doing? They are just trying to do their best and sometimes they make mistakes because they are human beings."

'I OWE EVERYTHING TO MY COUNTRY'

Describing his life journey that started as a child of a poor family, Onana said, "I grew up in difficult conditions like most children in Cameroon, but that place taught me who I am. Barcelona, Ajax, Inter, Manchester and now Trabzonspor. It has been a really great career. When I look back, I see that I owe everything to my country, because it gave me my identity, my citizenship, even my dreams."

'NOW IT'S OUR TURN, IT'S TIME TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE'

Speaking about the Andre Onana Foundation he established about 7 years ago, Onana said:

"The idea of establishing a foundation was born when I was at Ajax. I remember where I come from, I know the difficulties very well. Growing up in Cameroon, I learned the importance of supporting each other. There were many people who reached out to me and helped me. So I thought it was time for us to give something to our younger brothers and sisters, to the new generation, because our older brothers and sisters have done so much for us, and now it is our turn, it is time to help the young people. At first we wanted to help visually impaired children in Cameroon, but we soon grew. Now we provide free surgery and healthcare to disadvantaged communities. In the last year alone, we have performed more than a thousand operations. In addition to health services, we also try to provide opportunities for orphaned children's education. We received the most successful foundation of the year award, which of course made me very happy. Of course, what we do will not completely change the lives of those people, but we are trying to give them a smile. Because the only thing we can give them is a smile. Our foundation is based in Cameroon but we are used to doing many things outside Cameroon. If we need to do work in Turkey, my foundation will do work in Turkey. It doesn't matter where, because what matters most to us is the person, not the country."

'GOALKEEPER IS NOW A COMPLETE PLAYMAKER'

Stating that the role of goalkeepers in modern football has changed in the last 20 years, Onana said: "When you look at how goalkeepers move today, you can see that it is very different compared to years ago. But the most important thing in the game setup is the opportunity, the options you have. What your teammates offer you. You can have great feet, but if the passing options are closed, if the players in front don't facilitate you, it's very difficult. I think it's a mixture of everything. Because if you have a team that wants to play a lot with the ball, it's easier for the goalkeeper to make a play. Of course you can always play the long ball, but sometimes the team doesn't need it."

'THE IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS TO TRY TO DO THE BEST FOR THE TEAM'

Emphasizing that the important thing for him is to try to do the best for the team, the successful glove said, "If I need to set up a play, I analyze it first. Is the opponent pressing, is he pressing with his wingers, is he pressing with his striker, or are his stoppers coming forward? These are things I need to see when I have the ball at my feet. I follow how the opponent moves and I look at the options and make my decision."

'WHAT I WILL NEVER FORGIVE IN MY LIFE IS MANIPULATION'

Emphasizing that honesty is the most important value in life, Onana said, "What I will not forgive in my life is manipulation. We are all adults. If things are not going well, just tell the truth. But if you start playing games and try to manipulate people, I hate that. When someone is like that, I don't hide it, I tell them straight to their face, 'Brother, I'm sorry. We are human, we can be wrong, we can make mistakes. This is part of life, part of learning. It is a process in life. But if the one who makes a mistake tries to manipulate, that's the worst thing in life for me."

'I LOVE PLAYING BASKETBALL'

Onana stated that he likes to play basketball besides football and said, "I like to play basketball. Of course, I'm not as good as LeBron James, but I'm not the worst in the world. I also like to play tennis, but most importantly, I have to say that I can't swim. It's really funny, but yes, it's true! "In Cameroon, my family call me 'God's 24' because I love the number 24 and they see the successes in my life as a gift from God," said the experienced goalkeeper.

ONANA'S BEST 11

"Manuel Neuer. Collins Fai, Sergio Ramos, Duplexe Tchamba, Ambroise Oyongo. Sebaatien Siani, Hakim Ziyech, Daniel Kome, Christian Bassogog. Jean Marie Dongou, Karl Toko Ekambi."