Leroy Sane had a tough summer.
The 22-year-old was surprisingly left off the Germany World Cup roster by Joachim Low, with rumors swirling as to the reason why. With Germany bounced from the World Cup early, Sane then had to earn his way back into the Manchester City starting lineup as well thanks to poor on-field form.
He might be on his way back, and he has nothing but praise for his bosses.
Sane was fantastic in Manchester City’s win over Hoffenheim in Champions League play on Tuesday, assisting Sergio Aguero’s goal and earning what should have been a penalty. It’s possible his performance could earn him more playing time this season going forward, having played just 281 Premier League minutes thus far.
“I’m looking forward to more,” Sane said after the match. But not about his playing time. He was referencing the criticism he received from those in charge.
Every player obviously craves more playing time, but Sane decided to back both his club manager Pep Guardiola and his country’s head coach Jogi Low despite the hardships he faced. After such a tough summer where Sane lost both his starting positions, it would have been easy to criticize his managers for freezing him out, but instead he had nothing but praise.
“Jogi Low and Pep Guardiola both know exactly how to deal with me,” Sane said to German television channel Sport1. “I love challenges, especially with Pep Guardiola. I’m looking forward to receiving more criticism from such great coaches – it even delights me a bit.”
“Criticism is normal in football. I focus only on myself, I want to improve.”
