BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
OLIVER BURKE may have hit top gear with a sensational debut for Red Bull Leipzig – but the Scotland star is finding it harder to adapt to the roads after revealing he has already crashed his car.
The 19-year-old became the most expensive Scottish player in history when he joined the Bundesliga high-flyers for £13 million and immediately illustrated his potential with an assist against Borussia Dortmund.
And, in an interview with teammate Peter Gulasci for the club’s official website, Burke lifted the lid on settling into a new flat, coping with soaring temperatures and learning the language.
However, it was his attempts to master driving in Germany which have proved the most challenging aspect of his switch.
He smiled: “Driving over here is quite difficult. I’ve already had a little crash with my car!
“I’ve got a little rental car now, for the time being, just to chill me out until I am used to driving over here. I’ve been in the wars on the roads already.”
Burke admits he has also been taking aback by the heat in Germany, with a glorious run of weather in central Europe proving a shock for his “Scottish skin”.
The former Nottingham Forest winger continued: “It is extremely hot, absolutely roasting, but I’m sure I can adapt to that and, like anything, I will get used to that.
“It might take a bit of time for my Scottish skin to get used to the sun, though.
“Leipzig is a lovely place. I was staying in a hotel for a while, but now I have a nice apartment and that always helps to feel settled – but I’ll need to get a couple of fans in there. It’s that hot.
“Training is going really well, with a good tempo, and I’m ready for the next game.”
Asked which three German words he had learned as he studies the language, Burke added sheepishly: “I learned ‘abseits’, which is ‘offside’, I think. What else have I learned? . . . It’s not a great start!”
