Robin Koch talks Mateusz Klich, Marcelo Bielsa, Amazon documentary and Leeds United fans on social media

Mateusz Klich helped Robin Koch with his homework before the German defender made the decision to move to Leeds United, but he knows he must discover for himself just how tough Marcelo Bielsa's Thorp Arch training is.
NEXT STEP - German international Robin Koch has joined Leeds United, where he joins up with friend Mateusz Klich and new boss Marcelo Bielsa. Pic: GettyNEXT STEP - German international Robin Koch has joined Leeds United, where he joins up with friend Mateusz Klich and new boss Marcelo Bielsa. Pic: Getty
NEXT STEP - German international Robin Koch has joined Leeds United, where he joins up with friend Mateusz Klich and new boss Marcelo Bielsa. Pic: Getty

Koch, who penned a four-year contact today in a move from SC Freiburg that set Leeds back a sum of around €13m, was team-mates with Leeds' Polish midfielder Klich when the pair were at FC Kaiserslautern.

They kept in touch and the subject of conversation of late has been exclusively Elland Road related.

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Klich, like a good club man, talked Leeds United and Bielsa up. But he didn't sugarcoat anything.

"I asked him how is Leeds, how is the coach and training, I asked him nearly everything and he could answer every question," said Leeds' brand new centre-half, signed the same day as striker Rodrigo from Valencia.

"He says it's a very special club, the coach is really good. I'd heard people only say good things about [Bielsa] before. But I wanted to hear from a player who had been here. I had good information. Mateusz told me training is really brutal. Maybe it's similar to Freiburg, every time in training we were on the limit, even in the games. The coach Christian Streich is also a friend of hard work so maybe it's similar, I will see. I feel ready."

Rodrigo had a couple of weeks to wrap his head around a move to Leeds but Koch has been mulling it over a lot longer.

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He says he's been aware of the club's interest for six months or more - Victor Orta spoke about him in a YEP interview as a potential transfer target back in January - and the club ensured he was fully briefed on what they needed from him and why they believed they could get it.

"It was maybe half a year or maybe more," said Koch.

"In time I got more and more details, with a presentation of games from Leeds, of my games, how to play as a central defender here in Leeds. I felt more and more interest from Leeds and had a lot of talks with Victor Orta.

"We had a lot of contact and videos of Leeds games from last season and my games at Freiburg. A lot of tactical things we've talked about. Most was in the form of presentation, how Leeds plays football and how it fits to my style.

"I didn't speak directly with him [Bielsa] but he sent me a lot of videos of the way he plays. I've talked to some players about him. It was more and more easy for me to make the decision."

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Everything else that comes with Leeds United, the history and the club's stature, was something Koch was already well aware of, however.

Their reputation precedes them, thanks to that history, their European adventures in the Don Revie days, an Amazon documentary and social media.

"Most of the time [I heard about them] from my dad and some of the older generation," said Koch.

"Everyone knows in that generation that Leeds is a huge club. I watched the Amazon series and you get a feeling of how big this club is, with all the fans in the background. I got a feeling for this club and even on social media, every day since I don't know, one or two months ago, I've had like 20 messages each day, are you coming to Leeds, come to Leeds. It was great for me."

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Armed with a feel and a sense for the club's past and where they want to be headed, Koch is excited to get started. First comes national duty - he flies out tomorrow to join up with the German senior squad for games against Spain and Switzerland. After that, he's got his eyes on the Premier League and its champions.

"I'm just very happy. Everything is clear now. It's one of the biggest leagues in the world. Wherever you go on holiday everyone knows the Premier League. Now to play with Leeds in the PL is a big dream. First game against Liverpool.

"Liverpool in the first game of the season is a huge game. I look forward to this game."