Andrej Kramaric: "Julian Nagelsmann is one of the best coaches in the world"
Andrej Kramaric has enjoyed the best form of his career while playing for Hoffenheim and working under the stewardship of the Bundesliga’s youngest-ever and, as far as the Croatian's concerned, one of the very best coaches in the world, Julian Nagelsmann.
Since joining Hoffenheim just four months after the club had named Nagelsmann as their new coach, aged just 28, in February 2016, Kramaric has dominated the club’s scoring charts.
Three communal years later, he has paid the highest tribute for his success to the man who has been giving him an opportunity to score goals week in and week out.
"It's been an honour to play for him, meet him and work with him to achieve great results with Hoffenheim," Kramaric told Hoffenheim club magazine Spielfeld. "He's certainly one of the best coaches in the world."
"I'm grateful to Julian, he's very different from any coach I've ever had, he has a different philosophy and it's just great to work with him."
Nagelsmann will leave Hoffenheim at the end of the 2018/19 season to join RB Leipzig, but he could witness Bundesliga history for both the club and their talented Croatian talisman before he departs.
Watch: All of Kramaric's goals and assists from last season!
After scoring five goals in 15 Bundesliga games in his debut season, Kramaric has since produced three double-figure campaigns. Fifteen goals in 2016/17, followed by 13 last season, and the 27-year-old is already on ten for this term with ten games still to play.
His 43 league goals leave him just three behind Sejad Salihovic at the top of Hoffenheim’s scoring charts in the Bundesliga, and breaking the record would be the perfect way for Kramaric to say goodbye to his coach.
"I know about the stats and I want to be the top scorer in TSG history," Kramaric said. “Which of course isn't my first goal as I want to return to Europe with the club, that's the most important thing."
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