Smalltalk with 'Metze'
He was Borussias last years shootingsstar: Christoph Metzelder. Actually he was signed for Borussias Amateurs but soon the 19 year old called attention in the Bundesliga and even against great names he show an good perfomance and didn't show any sign of nervousness. And very soon it became clear that the future belongs to this young man here in Dortmund. DFB teamleader Rudi Völler must have thought similar because on Augut 15th 2001 'Metze' celebrated his premier in the nationalteam during the 5-2 victory in Budapest against HungarySchwatzgelb.de met the sympathic defender for this interview in his hometown Haltern
Schwatzgelb.de: Let's look back to last year: Did you -after your transfer from the Regional- to the Bundesliga- ever thought about such an carrier in the professional cadre of Borussia which was crowned by your first game for our nationalteam or did you doubt if you would be able to make it in the team?
Metzelder: My, as I believe, realistic expectations looked like this: I expacted to pratice with the professionals and learn but, at least in the first year, to play with the amat eurs. But all this turned out to be to be totally wrong after a few weeks and the plan was obsolete. Not to forget that I made the eight step before the first, for which, of course, a lot of luck was neccessary. And of course: It is very much nicer this way then the other way around.
Schwatzgelb.de: So the nationalteam was no topic for you at all.....
Metzelder: No! In Muenster I only made one match with the U-18 international team at my youth and because I didn't play for any other nationalteam it was no topic for me at all
Schwatzgelb.de: The german national team qualified for the worldchampionchips 2002 with a great match here in Dortmund. When you'r looking back, are you happy that you have not been nominated for the defeat against England in Munich and the unworthy undecided against Finland?
Metzelder: Every nomination for the national team is an incredible honor for me. Of course it would have been great if I could have been with the national team at these matches. But of course I have to say that the 180 minutes matchpraxis with the U21 have been more important. In general I don' t see it that bad at it is described in the press. Against England we got two damm stupid goals in the first half and the 3:1 just after the break and were overrun two times. But I was always sure that our team would qualify for the World Cup.
Schwatzgelb.de: How does it feel to be member of the nationalteam, Christoph?
Metzelder: Of course it is a very good feeling. I believe every boy who plays football dreams of beeing a nationalplayer of his country some time. Simply because of that it is a great honor for me even if I couldn't be satisfied with my performance.
Schwatgelb.de: In this very special moment for you it looked like you were (perhaps understandably) a little nervous, weren't you?
Metzelder: Of course! I couldn't discard it completly. But Rudi Völler and also Matthias Sammer told me, that this should be a positive sign. It shows that the nationalteam is something special to me and that the national team means something very, very special to me. But besides that I am ambitious and selfcritical enough to confess my errors
Schwatzgelb.de: With your debut the first step is done. Is the WC 2002 a sporty destination for you or rather unrealistic?
Metzelder: No, I don't think so. My short time career in the national team is in the U21, I guess. And the way to WC 2002 leads over good performances in the own team, where I have to get enough game practice again.
Schwatzgelb.de: After the England match especially Christian Wörns was attacked by the press after the match. Could you notice anything of that during praticing at that time or was he able to let go of it?
Metzelder: For me this entire critic was absolutly outragous. At my point of view he was actually one of the better players. For me he was better than his collegue Thomas Linke. Until the 1-1, where he couldn't do anything against Owen's goal, he performed solidly. Also he didn't loose any balls to the offense and initiated several offensive actions.And than someone like Max Merkel wrote that he lost 35 balls. That is absolutly nonsens. It was also too bad that he was exchanged after the first half, so he was a sitting duck for the press. In my opion it is simply not ok what was written in the press afterwards. I myself, not that bad, had to go through this and it isn't easy to deal with that. For example the leaguecup match against Schalke where they tried to make to entire game my fault was such a situation. That are matters, in my opinion, which aren't fair at all. Finally the press pushes you to the soccer olymp, as for example after my first game against Rostock. Sport Bild for example asked if I already was already better than Jürgen Kohler. On the other hand they let you fall like a hot potatoe after only one bad game. You simply have to learn to deal with that as player. And especially as defender you are most of the time the idiot of the day because the deciding error is made in the defense. To deal with that you have to have a thick skin.
Schwatzgelb.de: Did anything changed in your life since you joined Borussia? In the end you performed an ascent of which other players only dream.
Metzelder: That is a question which is often answered with 'no'. But I have to say that certainly my l ife has changed. Simply because of the name 'Borussia Dortmund' which manifests in the large couple of journalists who are interessted in Borussia and of course the large amount of fans who are interessted in us. That is, of course, very nice, but very strenous sometimes.
Schwatzgelb.de: Do you think the changes rather positive or rather negative? At the praticeground you can see teenaged girls who are going after you screaming.
Metzelder: During my first year this was absolutly new for me and so, to be honest, I enjoyed it most of the time. In the meantime, especially through the transfer of Tomas Rosicky, it reached dimensions which have nothing to do with soccer and sport at all.It is almost as bad as with 'popstars'! And so I am sometimes happy to be left alone.
Schwatzgelb.de: What do you expect from the team this season after the season started with a furios line of victories followed by a few games without victories was a little curious?
Metzelder: Through the transfers and the invested money the claims, I believe, are very high. We have to attack at the very top and not to fight for the third place only. If it is possible to become champion is decided by trifles as you can see on the last two years. But, as I said, we should have the potential to be on the very top.
Schwatzgelb.de: What kind of personal targets you would like to reach this season after you watched serveral matches from the exchange bank? Just the oposite of last year when you played from the beginning regularly.
Metzelder: But of course that was a different situation. Jürgen Kohler and Christian Wörns recovered and play very good, I clearly have to admit that. So I have to break myselfs and remind me that I play in my second year at Borussia and that with only 20 years. I shouldn't loose my patience but of course it is my target to earn some more game praxis.
Schwatzgelb.de: Is it an aspect to get through this , certainly not very easy situation, besides your age that two Oldies from the defense open the way to become regular team member? Jürgen Kohler ends his career after this season and Stefan Reuter did not yet decide if he will end his carreer after this season?
Metzelder: Very clear: Certainly I would be happy if the two of then would remain in the team because they can help me a lot and already have helped a lot. Generally Stefan Reuter and Jürgen Kohler are very important player for the team. No only on, but also besides the pitch. Simply because of their personality.
Schwatzgelb.de: So it is absolutly no solaceing aspect that Jürgend makes the way free for you next year?
Metzelder: I don't think that I am the successor of Jürgen Kohler next year. The club with its claims will of course search for reinforcements. So I see the withdraw of Jürgen Kohler in a different light. For my personal situation the next two to three years are important, because the headstone of someones carreer is layed in the young years. Indepent from the matter if Jürgen Kohler is there or any other player I have to try to enhance my performance. And, as I said, in my opinion it would have been nice if Jürgen would play some two to three years longer because he is very helpful in my development.
Schwatzgelb.de: With his routine and experience Jürgen Kohler certainly knows some hidden tricks which you can adapt....
Metzelder : (grins) Yes, he knows some tricks which he can teach me.....
Schwatzgelb.de: Stefan Reuter is a similar example even though he doesn't block your exact position but have a similar opinion in that matter...
Metzelder: Right, since almost five years everyone says that Stefan Reuters time is over. But if you overview an entire season you'll notice that he is almost ever still one of the best. That honors him und so he is still very much worth to the team and especially for the young players
Schwatzgelb.de: You play in your second year at Borussia now and witnessed four derbys against this little suburbia club nearby Herne , unfortunately all of then weren't very succesfull. As a player what do you think of the derby?
Metzedler: Very clear: This is a very special game for me as well. At my youth I played a year at 'Schalke' which turned out to be catastrophic. But I is not my style to think about paying an open bill in such a game simply because who become disturbed and don't act with a clear mind.
Schwatzgelb.de: So it was not such a good time for you at all, wasn't it?
Metzelder: No, certainly not: But several matters are responsible for that. First of all: Due to my performance and development I wasn't strong enough for that team. Two or three years later I grew incredible and eperienced a n enourmos enhancement of my performance. Besides that there were several matters in the club which didn't correspond to the claims of a club which first team plays in the Bundesliga. For example there are stories about passes and player licenses or of transmitting practice times. But you have to be fair and admit that the youthwork over there was just turned upside down. Certainly a lot has changed and today they are one of the best clubs when it comes to youthwork in germany.
Schwatzgelb.de: Your connection to Preußen Münster, the club where you caught Borussias attention, is known to be much closer...
Metzelder: Yes, its very good. My brother plays in the senior team over there and additionally very much well known friends, with which I played in my youth. I always said that the club i s very close to me because I owe very much to the club. Inspite of the bad year at Schalke they got me over there and made it possible for me to became regular player in my first senior year. I certainly should't forget that and I try to support the club as much as I can.
Schwatzgelb.de: As you said your brother Malte, who is known to be a great talent as well, also plays in Münster. What do you expect from him and would you suggest Borussia to sign him?
Metzelder: He has similar suppositions than I have, for example he is as large as I am, plays the same position and passed by similar stations through his carreer than I did. But u nfortunately no one can forsay if he is as lucky as I have been. So you have to give him some time and keep the pressure to make it as quickly as I did from him.
Schwatzgelb.de: Let's get to a different topic starting with the question what you think about the BVB-fans.......
Metzelder: For a young player it is very important, that the fans accept you and allow one and the other error. All I can say in this matter is that the fans stood behind me from the first minute against Rostock and always supported me. Also my first errors, which are certainly bend to my age, were always forgiven. On this way I want to say a big 'thank you' to the fans because this support is, especially for a young player, very important. The best example is perhaps Jens Lehmann. Since the lines are clear and you can't hear anyone whistling his performances keep getting better and better.
Schwatzgelb.de: Do the players really notice with what kind of encouragment, at least the hardcore fans, the BVB is supported even to the widest away games?
Metzelder: Certainly!!! That's part of the reasons why I have several godfatherships and company three fanclubs. There I always notice what amount of time and especially money some people invest in Borussia. I pay the highest respect to this people since we don't always play like they can be in a good mood when they go in their offices mondays.
Schwatzgelb.de: But it has to be allowed to remark critically that the team doesn't always pay enough respect for that. Especially in friendly games as in Basel you can make the negative experience that the team says 'thank you' to the fans who travelled almost 600 km for such a game in a very unsatisfactory way.
Metzelder: I re ceived a lot emails to this topic and I appreciate that very. very much because usually you only receive praise and only very less critic through this way. Usually we are supposed to run-out after the game for at least 20 minutes even if you aren't motivated to do so, if you are simply uninteressted to do so. After that, we completly joined our fans in the curve. What can't be denied is that the distance to the fans keeps growing. I believe that 20 years ago it was possible that one or the other player was joining some fans in the local pup and had a beer or two together. That simply isn't possible today anymore. But of course this development is very sad because the distance is very big.
Schwatzgelb.de: As a player do you realize such actions as in Rostock? Two hundred yellow-black cut-out hearts and a poster were held high by the fans. Or are you so concentrated that you don't notice such actions?
Metzelder: To be honest I didn't realize that action in Rostock. Sometimes you notice such actions but you are that concentrated, that you simply can't realize everything. You hear the fans singing, but especially such actions as described above who are only three to four minutes long aren't always recognized.
Schwatzgelb.de: Do you actually notice a difference in the atmosphere between home and away matches? Besides the fact that are large differences between the amount of fans who support you at home and the ones who support you away?
Metzelder: Yes, at the homegame against Donezk I realized a large difference. Partly I was shocked because the atmosphere was so much different, which was caused by the seats on the south stand, and very unknown. Especially because it was my first Champions League game for Borussia I notice that the atmosphere was, if compared with Bundesliga games, was quiet strange. Of course you notice that the atmosphere at Bundesliga homegames is completly different, which gives you a lot self-confindence.
Schwatzgelb.de: So you also realize that only the hardcore fans supports you away which doesn't whirsle that quick as than the fans home.
Metzelder: Certainly you realize that only the core is with you at the away games and supports us in every situation. Especially in the season two years ago even, if I didn't realize it that intensly, you could remark that, especially on the mainstand, a groaning runs through the stadium after several actions, which is, as I believe, even worse than whistling. Apparantly they don't understand that, at some days, it is harder to get 'in' a game. At such days the audience should offer us some more time and a little understanding because otherwise you endanger the success of the team.
Schwatzgelb.de: So, if another groaning is going through the stadium again it is really very burdening for the team?
Metzelder: Yes, and as I said before it is very nice when 70000 stand behind you at a 4-0 lead. But, especially if it doesn't work out that good the team needs the support much more. Very much teams have great respect on that. So it would be very nice if this kind of support was going on.
Schwatzgelb.de: Do opponent player after the games mention this great influence from the audience in the Westfalenstadion?
Metzelder: When I ask around in the U21 I notice that the players certainly have respect when they have to come to Dortmund. But they are also happy because they don't play everyday before such a big audiende. I believe, that at many 'smaller' clubs, as Wolfsburg oder Nürnberg this year, you could almost feel the respect.
Schwatzgelb.de: But there are, as you mentioned, not only these positive signs. Especially players like Evanilson or Stevic are bothered very much from this groaning, which is in the stadium some times. Do these players need to be rebuild and how much do you notice how close the behaviour of the fans gets on then?
Metzelder: I believe that Micky and Fredi who are more experienced don't let this come to close to them. I don't know If you can say that about Evanilson as well. But whatsoever I can only repeat myself and say that this is not fair to the players. Every players always tries to do his best and on some days it simply doesn't work out that good. Futhermore I have to say that this groaning and whistleing not only brings uncertainty to one player but the entire team. This uncertainty grows among the team and that can't be what the fans want.
Schwatzgelb.de: Can the player relax after such a game and forget the whistles on them or do they have to deal with it off the pitch?
Metzelder: It is hard to judge that for me, because thankfully I haven't been in such a situation yet. But of course you think about it because it is no good feeling at all to be whitsled from the own fans. Even if I only could watch that as outsider I believe that, for example, Sergej Barbarez suffered very much from that. In Hamburg, where he is fully accepted, he shows great performances. Player, who are completly accepted usually show their entire soccer potential.
Schwatzgelb.de: At last we want to call a few names to hear your opinion on then. Starting with Bernd Krauss...
Metzelder: The coach who got me to Dortmund. That is a matter which is forgotten very often, although I had had my talks with him then.. As a little boy I was fan of Borussia Mönchengladbach and when he was coach there I was enthusiastic on his way to play football. That was the main reason to come to Borussia at that time.
Schwatzgelb.de: So you where certain that he would remain as coach in Dortmund...
Metzelder: Acutally yes. But if you look back you perhaps have the say that the solution with Matthias Sammer turned out to be the better one.
Schwatzgelb.de: Actually that was our next question: Whats your opinion on Matthias Sammer?
Metzelder: He was brave enough to let a yound and unexperienced player like me play right from the beginning. That is not just business as usual because I was only 19 years old when I had my first Bundesliga game and it could have turned out the other way round as well. If I scored a self-goal after five minutes he had to stand for this. That 's why I am very thankful that he took this risk.
Schwatzgelb.de: What do you think on your nationateam-mate Sebastian Kehl, who is supposed to be a good friend of yours?
Metzelder: He is a very good collegue, at the U-21 as well as in the nationalteam. We understand each other very well and he is, of course, a great player, who has almost everything. Even though his young years he is already a leading player in Freiburg and of course it is no secret that Borussia is interessted in him. I would be very happy if he would join us next year and I will insert the one and the other good word for him.
Schwatzgelb.de: Do you see a realistic chance to interest him in a transfer to Borussia?
Metzelder: He knows what he would have here in Dortmund. Of course I tell him what is going on in Dortmund and as I only have positive matters to report I don't see any problems.
Schwatzgelb.de: As defender for Borussia what do you think of the offensetrio Amororso, Koller and Rosicky which everyone talks about?
Metzelder: That are three impressing good footballer. Tomas with his 20 years is already a complete player, who slowly grows to a leading player. Marcio is of course a player of worldclass who even in practice scores every chance he has. And Jan is a very smart and nice player who also works very much to the defense and certainly will score many goals for Borussia. The three of then were the guarantee for our first four victories and also work in the defense. But of course you shouldn't forget that you only can play succesfully to the offense if you are well positioned in the midfield and the defense. So you shouldn't simplifie our game on this three although they are very important.
Schwatzgelb.de: Talking about goalgetters...how much are you looking forward your first goal in the Bundesliga? At the U-21 it already worked out good against England even when the game was lost very unfortunately.
Metzelder: Of course I imagine how it would be to score in front of this audience. Unfortunately I am not known for that....
Schwatzgelb.de: What we personally would like to know: Did you know schwatzgelb.de before this interview and from where?
Metzelder: I knew schwatzgelb.de before. For example from emails in which members of several fanclubs let me knew that this site is there. I also signed the guestbook (german section) two times. Actually it is the only fansite I know and visit regularly. Among other players, for example Fredi Bobic, this site is well known. Personally I thought the action after the game in Neheim and the reactions on it very positive. That showed to me, that this few 'idiots' aren't 'the' BVB-Fans but a few exceptions
Schwatzgelb.de: How much do you use the internet generally
Metzelder: Actually I only use the net to update my own homepage and surf around a little bit. I don't use the internet very intensly
Schwatzgelb.de: How would you describe the contact to fans through your homepage?
Metzelder: It is a nice possibility for fans to learn more about me and to get in contact with me. Most of the mails I answer on my own but in the meantime I can't answer all the mails simply because there are too much of then. On personal questions I always answer on my own. I believe that, especial in the young years, when you don't have to much responsibilities, should keep the contact as much as you can.
Schwatzgelb.de: Thank you for an open and interessting interview!
And that's where you find his homepage: www.metzelder.de
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