ACADEMY INTERVIEW: Alban Bunjaku Enjoying His Football More Now Than Ever Before

When it was announced that Derby County had agreed a deal to sign Alban Bunjaku last summer, it was clear that the Rams had signed a talent.

When it was announced that Derby County had agreed a deal to sign Alban Bunjaku last summer, it was clear that the Rams had signed a talent.

Tutored at Arsenal and Sevilla, Bunjaku is in a different to mould to anything else Derby have got. He learned off Arsene Wenger before flying out to Spain to link up with Sevilla Atletico, the second team to the La Liga outfit.

Both sides are renowned across Europe, but Bunjaku says he is enjoying his football more now at Derby than he ever has done before.

“I have been here nearly nine months now and I like it here more than I did at Arsenal and Sevilla,” Bunjaku said.

“The people here are very nice and they understand how I play. Steve McClaren likes to play good football and the way it is set up around the Club suits me down to the ground.

“Steve is very good at what he does, he lets me play and he is not the kind of coach that will go crazy with you if you don’t get something right.

"He talks to you through what you need as a player and what will improve you. Despite my time at Arsenal, I didn’t know Arsene Wenger too well, but he and Steve are similar in their approaches.

"Steve is quiet, he watches from afar and he talks you through your game and how to improve.”

The Kosovan youngster has been a near ever-present in Lee Glover’s Under 21 squad which has strung together an incredible run of results to transform them from Barclays Under 21 Premier League – Division 2 new boys to promotion contenders.

Their latest result – a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at the Pirelli Stadium last weekend – meant that Bunjaku and Derby have only lost once in their last 14 games in all competitions – a factor that is simply down to Derby wanting the result more, no matter who they come up against.

He added: “We have done very well since the start of the season, but as well as playing good football, we work so hard for each other during the games.

"You could see that against Aston Villa earlier this month. They recently appointed a new manager and they had a couple of first team players (Charles N’Zogbia and Matthew Lowton) thrown into the squad, it was a good chance to show Tim Sherwood what they are about.

“For us, though, as we have shown a few times this season, it doesn’t matter if you come up against big name players. On the matchday, it is about who is up for it. That is why we have done so well this season.

“That is not just our level. We have seen in the FA Cup with teams like Bradford beating Chelsea – in football, it is always about the side that wants it more.”

Whilst collectively Derby are enjoying a good season, Bunjaku is also enjoying a season to remember in front of goal.

It took him until October to register his first goal, but now Bunjaku has got seven to his name. It is fact that he puts down to him regaining full match fitness and sharpness after spending a prolonged period of time trying to recover from an infected appendix that plagued him last campaign.

He said: “The big change for me recently has been my fitness. Last season, I was out for six months because I had an operation on an appendix infection and it has taken me a while to get back to full fitness and full match sharpness.

“At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t fit and I just needed to get minutes under my belt. I have been back in regular training and really starting to reach my peak.

"I am now able to get into the box more and more and it is giving me the chance to score plenty of goals.”

Whilst the Under 21s' league campaign has been promising, Glover’s side will also have a couple of cup semi-finals to look forward to before the end of the season.

In the Under 21 Premier League Cup, Derby will travel to face Southampton next month and Bunjaku is just hoping the side can continue the path that they have been over the last few months ahead of the game.

He concluded: “Our game against Southampton is going to be a huge match. They are a club renowned for bringing through good players; they are strong, very strong.

"It will be a good match and it is important for us to keep this run of form going into that game.

“We have come through some big games to get to this round and we now need to keep doing what we have been doing and just keep improving. As players we really want to reach the final.”