Darmstadt goalkeeping shoes: “We are all sacrificing ourselves”

If a professional team does not lose 21 championship matches, does an attitude arise like: no one can do anything to us anyway?

Absolutely not. This is exactly the opposite of what makes us different from each other. We treat every competitor with great respect. And, despite our first place, we follow the plan, which is also based on the analysis of the opponent. We don’t take anyone lightly so as not to put the series to the test in the first place. We know we have to work hard for everything.

Despite the fact that the defense and midfield team almost failed due to injuries, the main game against HSV (1:1) showed a strong performance. How much does it depend on the unshakable confidence and turnover of the team?

This speaks volumes about the quality of our team. Then 19-year-old Clemens Riedel enters the center of defense, who does an excellent job. Stoilkovic comes on as a substitute and scores the decisive goal. Everyone is important – we often heard this phrase from the coach. And it’s true, as we now see again that we need every man. The team lives by this attitude. Quite apart from when outside they say: oh God, oh God, now both are cancelled.

Prior to that, you had nine clean sheets, conceding only 17 goals. What is the basis for the defense of Darmstadt?

For a really good defense, you need, first of all, a willingness to defend yourself and a desire to defend yourself. Such an attitude towards a complete sacrifice of oneself is necessary not only for the defenders, but for the whole team. And we definitely have it – it was like that on the first game day and has not weakened since then. As seen in many situations.

For example?

The best example for me last Saturday against HSV: Marvin Melem is in front of sixteen opponents with cramps all over his body – and moments later he knocks out the back of center back Isherwood, who had a one-on-one situation. It’s just amazingly good.

What do you consider to be the emotional driver of the back line?

I was photographed in the evening against Hamburg, in which I am celebrating. But this did not happen after the final whistle, as many thought. But because I was especially pleased with the situation during the game. And then Keenan Bennets – the boy did not play much with us – as a substitute striker hits in the back, blocks the ball, and we get a throw-in. Such scenes give us strength and energy. And just have a lot of fun.

How does such a spirit arise in a group of professionals always pursuing their own interests?

One of the factors, of course, is the May experience, when on the last game day we had to understand that a single goal can decide the whole season. You know how important not only every goal scored can be, but also every goal not conceded. We still have that feeling. We don’t want to end up looking at each other and saying: here and there more needed to be done. In principle, it is obvious to everyone who watches our games: we do not get anything for free, but above all, we achieve success by very hard work.

Source: Frantfurter Allgemeine

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