Simeon Jackson is finding life in the Bundesliga very tough, but he wouldn’t exchange the experience of playing in Germany for anything in the world.
Released by Premier League club Norwich City this past summer, the Canadian forward had offers to stay in England, where he spent his entire pro career since debuting for Rushden & Diamonds in 2004. He was linked with a move to Championship side Bournemouth, but in a bit of a surprise move, the 26-year-old forward signed a two-year deal with German club Eintracht Braunschweig in July ahead of the current Bundesliga campaign.
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Leaving England was a bold decision for Jackson, who was born in Jamaica but grew up in Mississauga, Ont. He holds the distinction of scoring in the top five tiers of English soccer in consecutive seasons, with goals for Rushden & Diamonds (Conference) in 2007, Gillingham in 2008 (League Two) and 2009 (League One), and Norwich City in 2010 (Championship) and 2011 (Premier League).
But when he received a call from Eintracht Braunschweig, who recently won promotion after spending 28 years in Germany’s lower divisions, he jumped at the chance to play in the Bundesliga.
"I have no regrets (about leaving England). I chose Germany because I wanted to play in the Bundesliga. I wanted to come to Germany and test myself in one of the best leagues in the world. I’m really happy there," Jackson told sportsnet.ca over the phone from Austria where he is currently training with the Canadian national team.
Renowned for its emphasis on tactics and high level of technical skill, the Bundesliga differs from the Premier League in many ways, according to Jackson.
"It’s a completely different beast. The Bundesliga is robust – it’s physical and very punishing, but there’s a quality opponent you have to face every single week. I’m not saying that’s not the case in England, but in Germany, from a tactical point of view, it’s completely different," Jackson said.
"In the Premier League, you know about the top teams, but in Germany, every team is a proper footballing side. Every team is so tactical in its approach and that’s what makes it really tough. Top to bottom, it’s such a strong division."
Thus far, Braunschweig hasn’t quite adapted to life in the German topflight. Die Löwen – The Lions – lost their first four games of the campaign, and six of their opening seven matches, and didn’t earn a win until Oct. 5. Two more losses followed, but they did upset Bayer Leverkusen, currently in third place, and battled local rivals Hannover 96 to a 0-0 draw on the road.
Still, the club sits in 17th place in the Bundesliga, two points from safety, and with only eight goals in 12 matches, Braunschweig boasts the league’s worst offensive record. And though it’s still early, Braunschweig will need to avoid another run of poor results in order to avoid being dragged into a relegation fight.
"There’s a great team spirit. The city, the fans, the club – Braunschweig is a really special place. There’s a lot of confidence in the team right now off our first home win (versus Leverkusen) and the result at Hanover. We’re looking for things to turnaround for us after the disappointing start for the first couple of games," Jackson stated.
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Like Braunschweig, Jackson has also struggled. The Canadian has made seven league appearances (totalling 413 minutes) but has yet to score. A starter in each of the team’s first four games of the season, Jackson has been used as a substitute in two of their last three matches, and was replaced after 45 minutes in the other.
In order to lift his team out of its funk, manager Torsten Lieberknecht juggled his starting lineup and demoted Jackson to the bench. But the Canadian hasn’t pouted, and remains focused on the bigger picture: Braunschweig retaining its Bundesliga status and avoiding a quick return to Germany’s second division.
"I was starting and the team has changed quite a few times with different personnel and different tactics. For me, I just continue to settle in and get used to things, and try to fight my way back in the starting lineup. For me there are two priorities: making sure that I settle in and making sure I can contribute to ensure we stay in the Bundesliga," Jackson said.
Away from soccer, Jackson is enjoying life in Germany and describes Braunschweig as a "beautiful city," with his teammates and the local residents going out of their way to help him adjust to a new country and culture. Learning to speak German, though, hasn’t been easy.
"I’m trying. It’s not the easiest language to learn," Jackson conceded with a chuckle.
