Farke: “We want the best possible start”

Auf der Pressekonferenz vor dem Bundesliga-Auftaktspiel am Samstag (15:30 Uhr) gegen die TSG Hoffenheim haben sich Cheftrainer Daniel Farke und Sportdirektor Roland Virkus den Fragen der Medienvertreter gestellt. Wir haben ihre wichtigsten Aussagen zusammengefasst.

Head coach Daniel Farke on…

… team news: Unfortunately we’ll have to do without Lars Stindl. We hope that we’ll have him back in training as soon as possible. Apart from that, we had some good news; Yann Sommer and Tobias Sippel are both back in training. We just have to see how they can deal with the workload, but I’m feeling positive, especially with Yann. Tobi still feels a little bit weakened after his illness. Meanwhile, Jordan Beyer is doing well and is an option for us again. Manu Koné trained three times with the team but isn’t at 100%. We managed to get Hannes Wolf back into parts of training, while Marvin Friedrich has only trained individually – the weekend’s game will be a close one for him. Luca Netz is also a doubt. He didn’t train today due to health reasons and we’ll have to see how things go over the next 48 hours.

… the absence of Lars Stindl: We have a number of options to fill his absence. He’s a fantastic player and has a lot of quality, which enables him to decide a game. Finding a like-for-like replacement isn’t possible because of his efficiency, creativity and experience. Despite that, we have a few possibilities and we’ll find a solution that hopefully works.

… his upcoming Bundesliga debut: Of course you need a certain level of anticipation ahead of your first Bundesliga game as a head coach, but after six weeks of pre-season with the team it feels like ‘business as usual.’ I’m more focused on making the right decisions to help the team to be successful in our opening game. Of course I’m really excited for my first home game, but I’m not thinking too much about what kind of significance it has for me.

… expectations for the opening game: We had a good pre-season and an almost-perfect cup game. Overall, we’re in a good way. We want to take this form to and give ourselves the best possible start to the Bundesliga season. I don’t think that our fans are expecting us to take the league by storm this season. We’re not in an easy situation after a challenging campaign last year but we want to make some progress. It doesn’t help to look too far into the future. We’re focused on the first game and we want to do well in all areas. If we can manage to do that, we’ll come away with a good result.

… personal decisions: I’ve beena head coach for over a decade. Making difficult decisions and upsetting players here and there is part of the job. The leadership aspect is, in my opinion, the most difficult yet most important parts of the job. I always try to be honest and open. Throughout the season, we’ll need every player as a result of injuries and suspensions, so nobody has to be disappointed if they’re not involved in the first game.

... Florian Neuhaus: Flo is really creative and has an accurate passing game. He can develop plays from deep positions and be dangerous himself in advanced positions. I think it’s important that he’s involved from a central position where he can influence the game. Whether that’s as a defensive, central, or attacking midfielder is a second priority. What matters is that we can make the most of his fantastic ability.

… the upcoming opposition: I think Hoffenheim have a good playing philosophy. We’re not just going up against a good team, but a great head coach who has a clear style. We have to go into the game highly motivated, disciplined and tactically well-drilled while getting the basics absolutely right.

Sporting director Roland Virkus on…

… the Borussia way: We decided not to go down a new path and rather continue doing what has always characterised Borussia. Despite that, it’s not always a smooth ride and you can’t just begin to question things every time things get rocky. I ask for a bit of patience. We can only begin to rate things at the end of the season.

… goals for the season: If the boys perform the way they are capable of, then I’ll be pleased. That’s what the focus is on. We’ll see where that leads us to in the league table.

… potential transfers: It’s no secret that we’d like a replacement for Breel Embolo. However, we’re not panicking because that’s when making good decisions becomes difficult. In terms of contract extensions, I can only say that discussions are going on with players. So far, none of the players whose contract expire at the end of the season have indicated that they don’t want to extend.

… Max Eberl potentially returning to the Bundesliga: I worked together with Max Eberl brilliantly for over ten years. He is a brilliant manager. I’d be happy to see him back in the Bundesliga when he is fully healthy again.

… the development of Borussia’s girl and women teams: We’ve outlined a clear path for our women’s and girl’s teams. We had to create good conditions and achieve the best possible successes. We’re currently thinking about how we will continue in this regard.

Borussia's head coach Daniel Farke: "Of course I’m really excited for my first home game."
Head coach Daniel Farke and sporting director Roland Virkus spoke at the press conference ahead of the first Bundesliga game of the season against Hoffenheim on Saturday.
Sporting director Roland Virkus: "We decided not to go down a new path and rather continue doing what has always characterised Borussia."

04.08.2022

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