Sporting director Nils Schmadtke on the Foals’ pre-season, the new team spirit, getting the fans onside, the upcoming DFB-Pokal game and different personnel.
Nils, the Foals have most of pre-season under their belt and remained unbeaten in all six friendly games. How do you look back on the last five weeks?
Schmadtke: We’ve prepared ourselves very well for the coming season and this week our attentions will be 100% focused on the upcoming Pokal game. The friendly results were quite positive, which gives us a good feeling. However, we shouldn’t read too much into them, as firstly they were just friendly matches and secondly as many other Bundesliga teams have also achieved very good results in pre-season. Nevertheless, I think that we’re on a very good path together. This path is certainly long, but we’ve made the first steps now.
At the weekend, we drew 2-2 with Montpellier in the dress rehearsal. What were your thoughts on that game?
Schmadtke: It was definitely a good test of stamina for us, because Montpellier have lots of good footballers in their ranks and we had to adjust to different in-game situations against these opponents. We would like to be flexible in our actions on the field, and in this regard the match definitely fulfilled its purpose.
Particularly at the training camp in Tegernsee, as an observer you get the impression that a new team spirit has emerged. What’s your view on that?
Schmadtke: I sense a very positive energy within the team. Despite the summer rebuild, we now already have a great team structure. The methods of the coaches, staff and the team are working very well, as we move in the right direction. The team exudes very positive vibes, and you can see that within the team a new hierarchy is naturally forming and new leaders are emerging. A good example of this new spirit is the body language of some of the lads, which is now completely different than in the past. I’ve also noticed great cohesion among the staff. Everyone is very motivated – the team notice that and respond to it.
At the season opening event last weekend, you could also recognise a certain spirit of optimism among the fans. How do you plan to keep the supporters onside in the new season?
Schmadtke: We have to again manage to have players on the pitch for whom it is something special to wear the shirt, and who give 100% every game. Of course, it will happen sometimes that this 100% won’t be enough for a win, but the fans should see that we’re always pushing ourselves. If we wear our hearts on our sleeves and give our all for Borussia, we will have the fans united behind us.
The head coach has stipulated that Jonas Omlin is team captain, Julian Weigl his first and Florian Neuhaus his second deputy. How do you justify this decision and what do you expect from the trio, as well as from the team council?
Schmadtke: Currently with this young team, it’s important that experienced players take on the leadership roles. Jonas is a player who leads the way and likes to take on responsibility. It is though difficult for him as a goalkeeper to influence his teammates in all in-game situations. That’s when both his deputies and the four members of the team council take over. The experienced lads should lead the way, reel the team in again and again and act as support for the young players. We have quite differing characters in the team council. I am convinced that through their various traits, they’ll manage to lead the team together.
What are your aims for the new season?
Schmadtke: We’d like to play a quiet and clean season, but our aims aren’t fixed solely on our position in the table. Primarily, it’s about developing further in footballing terms and as a team. It will be important then that we also stand together when we have to take two or three punches to the gut. Currently in this phase, we can’t allow ourselves to divert from the right track.
There will be more than 10,000 VfL fans at our first competitive game on Friday evening against TuS Bersenbrück in Osnabrück. What do you say to that?
Schmadtke: That’s absolutely ridiculous. It will really be like a home game for us in Osnabrück on Friday. We’ve already seen at the training camp in Tegernsee and also at the season-opening event last weekend what enormous energy the fans bring with them. I’m sure that the atmosphere will be like a cauldron from the first second on Friday.
In a purely sporting sense, against a fifth tier side only advancement for Borussia should be possible...
Schmadtke: Absolutely! We will go full throttle to reach the next round. When we start the new training week tomorrow, we will direct full focus on Bersenbrück. As we know, the Pokal has its own rules, and the underdog will throw everything at it and try to trip us up. We will therefore take the game very seriously. Still, against a fifth tier side we of course expect a win.
The transfer window is open for three more weeks. Will Borussia do anything else, either in terms of outgoings or incomings?
Schmadtke: Possibly we will loan Oscar Fraulo to another club for a season. He is now at an age where he needs game time at the highest level possible. We’ve spoken with him openly and transparently and hope that a loan will allow him to be ready to fight for a regular berth in the team upon his return. There’s been a lot said in the past two weeks about Nico Elvedi. As before, still no decision has been made, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens with him. Other than that, we’ll keep watching the market attentively. If an opportunity comes up that would help us on the pitch and is financially achievable, we would certainly be open to it.
Amin Younes is currently training with the U23s. Is he a possible arrival?
Schmadtke: No, that’s not a thing at all. Amin is without a club at the moment after his contract termination and asked if he could train with the U23s at Borussia. As Amin was a long time member of the Foals family, we granted him this request. He will prepare himself here for a new test, but it won’t be as a contracted player at Borussia.
