Polzin: “Take the next step”

On Friday (3rd October), the Volksparkstadion press room was packed as journalists gathered to hear from press officer Philipp Langer and head coach Merlin Polzin. The 34-year-old head coach fielded questions on life in the Bundesliga, the state of his squad, his options for the weekend and, of course, the upcoming clash with Mainz. Polzin discussed…

…the squad: Daniel Elfadli had a slight knock, so we kept him indoors as a precaution on Friday, but he’ll be available on Sunday. Jordan Torunarigha and Yussuf Poulsen both trained fully with the team and are back in contention. Warmed Omari has undergone a successful operation and is therefore now out of action, while Fabio Vieira misses out through suspension. They are the only two unavailable. Warmed’s absence can be covered in different ways – Elfadli is an option when we’re on the ball, while Gui Ramos is a tough tackler, both on the ground and in the air. There are three or four players in the frame and we’ll finalise our decision that on Sunday, the same goes for filling Vieira’s spot.

"Mainz have been in the Bundesliga for 17 consecutive years, qualified for Europe last season and made a winning start to their campaign yesterday. The roles are therefore clearly defined"

…his own approach: Our aim is always the same – to be as successful as possible together. That applies within the club, but also with our fans. Once the whistle blows, there’s only one direction for us and that’s forward. At the same time, we need defensive stability. We showed that in Berlin, which is why I said afterwards that we’ve now arrived in the Bundesliga. The task now is to take the next step and continue our development in our own way. These are the kind of challenges you want – and when you master them and celebrate a Bundesliga win together with the fans, it’s addictive.

…the opposition: Mainz have been in the Bundesliga for 17 consecutive years, qualified for Europe last season and made a winning start to their campaign yesterday. The roles are therefore clearly defined. Just look at the number of players both clubs send away during the international breaks. Mainz play with huge intensity, are extremely well-drilled and constantly put opponents under pressure. I don’t think their European game or the travelling will slow them down – if anything, they’ll arrive in Hamburg buoyed by their win. It’ll be a fiery contest, both on the pitch and on the sidelines, because Mainz also inject a lot of energy from the bench.