Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has revealed that he has been struggling to find motivation to train while stuck at home, although he knows he is in a privileged position.
The Manchester City midfielder has been helping charitable causes in Germany from afar, while keeping in shape with an individual training programme from the club.
Self-motivation is key for Premier League footballers no longer enjoying the facilities and camaraderie of the training ground, and Gundogan says he has struggled at times.
“I have a few things to do and then I’m ready to go. To be honest, it’s not so easy to motivate yourself these days every day when you are training,” Gundogan told the Manchester Evening News. “You know, like people who are working from home, you can maybe compare it to that.
“For those people it’s also not the same as driving to work every day and then doing their jobs. You have to motivate yourself to do things and to do your work. Some days it’s harder than others.”
While Gundogan is clearly feeling the frustration of being stuck in his home in Manchester, he has been putting his resources to good use back in Germany. He has donated towards a shopping service for those in need in Heinsberg, as well as helping provide ‘thank you’ packages to nursing staff in local hospitals’ intensive care units.
“I’ve done these things because I can identify with them,” he explained. “Heinsberg was pretty much the coronavirus outbreak in Germany and it’s not far from my hometown, so there’s a connection.
“Gelsenkirchen is my home and there was a possibility to do something so I did it, and Nuremberg, I’ve lived there for a long time, it was my first professional team.
“My former school principal contacted me. I like him a lot and I’m still in touch with him. We made a plan and did something.
“Those were all things I could identify with, 100 per cent. I’m a privileged person and I am grateful that I am able to help in those situations.
“There are many people who struggle, who don’t have a home or food and things like that. Not only during the coronavirus crisis. I was very happy to be able to help.”