Such has been his seamless adaptation to life in the Bundesliga that it is hard to imagine a VfL side that does not include the name Jakub Kaminski. The 20-year-old, who was named the Polish Ekstraklasa’s best young player of the 2021/22 campaign, joined the Green-and-Whites from Lech Poznan in the summer and has caught the eye under Niko Kovac thanks to his bold dribbling, raw pace and hard work in defence. His winning goal against regional rivals Eintracht Braunschweig in the DFB Cup also earned Kaminski a permanent place in the hearts of Wolves supporters.
In an interview ahead of VfL’s game against Mainz, the winger spoke to us about Wolfsburg, the Bundesliga and the Wolves’ impressive form.
Jakub Kaminski, VfL have had several Polish players in their ranks down the years – 15, to be precise. How many can you think of, off the top of your head?
Jakub Kaminski: “Kuba Blaszczykowski, Andrzej Juskowiak, Waldemar Kryger, Jacek Krzynowek, Krzysztof Nowak – and Bartosz Bialek, of course.”
How difficult was it to adjust after moving from your home country to Wolfsburg? Have you managed to settle in?
Jakub: “The first few months obviously weren’t easy because of the new language. A different country and a different culture – everything was new to me, but I’ve really grown accustomed to it now. I’ve also been able to play a lot of minutes and we’re currently enjoying a successful spell on the pitch. I like the fact that Wolfsburg is a quiet city and you can feel its close ties to Volkswagen. I like it all.”
Despite the strong competition for places in attack, you’ve managed to earn yourself a regular starting berth. To what extent have you adjusted to Bundesliga football? In what areas do you still see room for improvement?
Jakub: “I could definitely score more goals, because I’ve had a few situations in games recently where I’ve not been focused enough with my finishing. I think the most important factor in the Bundesliga is the intensity, which is much higher than in Poland. That’s a big difference. You have to make decisions much more quickly on the pitch.”
The 4-0 win against Bochum extended your unbeaten run to six games. How much confidence does that last victory give you for the rest of the season, and the upcoming game against Mainz?
Jakub: “Six games without defeat is very good for team spirit. You can see we’re on the right track. Everyone in the team is ready to give everything on the pitch to achieve success. Our improvement is good for the team, the fans and the club. We now have a few more games coming up and I hope we do the best we can and win as many as possible – including the game on Saturday against Mainz.”
