Mike Bahre has enjoyed the role of helping his team-mates get used to compatriot Daniel Stendel’s style but now wants to help them more with his first goal in English football.
The 23-year-old has played seven matches for the Reds, one as a substitute, since joining from Hannover 96 at the end of the summer transfer window on a season-long loan deal with a permanent move agreed for next summer.
He is used to Stendel’s high-pressing, counter-attack style having worked under him at Hannover in both the youth teams and first team. Bahre told the Chronicle: “I know how we want to play and it is difficult for the manager to bring his idea onto the pitch from the sidelines. I am a player who knows his ideas so I can bring that to the other players. I think I have already helped them and I can help more in the future.”
Bahre is glad he is working under fellow Germans after moving country. He said: “The staff are really helping me. “It’s not easy to come to another country. I can talk to them in my own language if I don’t understand something.
“They have made it really easy for me, but so have the players who have all helped me settle in really well. I love playing and living here more than I ever thought I would. I don’t feel like I am on loan, I feel I will be here for years.”
Bahre has assisted several goals but is yet to score. He said: “The only point I am struggling with is scoring. I am an offensive player and I want to score. I hope my first goal comes as soon as possible. I haven’t had that many chances but I made some important runs to create space for other players and, hopefully in the future, other players will create space so I can score. I don’t feel under pressure to score, it comes when it comes.”
Bahre has been playing in the middle of an attacking midfield three flanked by Brad Potts and George Moncur in a 4-2-3-1. He said: “I love playing with Moncs who is a clever player and we know how to play with each other. Pottsy was injured when I first started but he has come into the team and scored a lot.”
Bahre has been surprised by the quality of League One, and is hoping to reach the Championship with the Reds.
"It is much more intensive than playing in Germany, every player is powerful and strong and the games are much more intense. The most surprising thing is that every player is good technically but in the third league in Germany you can play in the third league without being technically good, if you are tactically good.
"With the quality we showed against Peterborough and Luton, we can beat any team in this league and finish in the first two places."
