Kevin Diks shares thoughts on captaining Borussia Mönchengladbach and leading Indonesia to FIFA ASEAN Cup glory
Borussia Mönchengladbach stand-in captain Kevin Diks has spoken about how he gained his leadership skills and what it was like to lift a trophy with Indonesia in an interview with international journalists.
Gladbach have endured a tough start to the season, losing all five of their opening five Bundesliga matches, but that makes it all the more valuable that Diks is remaining philosophical and optimistic.
Speaking to international Bundesliga journalists, the defender said: "I've played so much footbal by now and been in many situations when things are not going your way. You can end up losing a few matches in a row, with a 4-3 here or a 2-1 there, like in the derby [against Cologne on Matchday 5].
Watch: Diks and Gladbach fell to derby defeat
"The only thing you can do is focus on the things that you can influence and be positive. Being negative can attract negative things, so I think we need to focus on the things we are doing well, improve, and hopefully get results."
Those words carry extra significance as Diks has captained the side in three of their opening five fixtures, in the abscence of injured club captain Tim Kleindienst.
Taking the armband is part of what Diks has found to be a natural process of gaining leadership skills, saying: "I feel I have developed into becoming a leader."
He adds: "There are some players who are born leaders. I think there's more ways to it though, and you don't have to be vocal.
"At one stage, I wasn't a leader. But I feel that I've developed into it over the past five or six years."
The 30-year-old first captained Indonesia at the start of their FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign last month, and that experience could not have gone any better, as he led them to a historic tournament victory while scoring a penalty in the decisive final shootout against Thailand.
Diks is naturally still thrilled about the triumph, saying: "It was a big honour. It was a rollercoaster of emotions but we achieved something historic."
He revealed there was a clear plan for him to take his side's first penalty in the shootout at the end of the final in Jakarta, and added: "There was just no chance I was going to miss that penalty. I knew I would score and we would win it.
"I said to Joey Pelupessy during the match that if it goes to penalties we would definitely win."
Diks also reflected on the benefits of having such an international dressing room at Gladbach, saying: "We have Japanese players who are very humble, hard-working and respectful. I'm Indonesian, and then we have players like Wael Mohya, who is German but has parents from Morroco.
"Every player brings different qualities from different cultures."
He confessed to missing Indonesian food while playing in the Bundesliga, saying that Nasi Kuning and Nasi Goreng are particular favourites of his and revealead he once treated the rest of the Foals' squad to an Indonesian meal.
"Everyone loved it," he said.
Diks and Gladbach have a chance to claim their first win of the Bundesliga season when they host Hoffenheim on Matchday 6 this Sunday (kick-off: 5.30 pm CEST).
