“I couldn’t have done it without Hertha”
“I couldn’t have done it without Hertha”
Marvin Plattenhardt discusses his achievements, the Confed Cup, and his excitement for the new season ahead.
Berlin – Goal of the Season winner, Berlin’s Professional Footballer of the Year, and last but not least – Confed Cup winner. These are titles that Marvin Plattenhardt has accumulated for himself over the last weeks. Now the left-back is in the capital once more after returning from his holiday. He took a fitness test on Monday (17/07/17), and returned then attended Berlin’s football awards ceremony to pick up his prize. Other returnees include Mitchell Weiser and Davie Selke, who joined “Platte” in training on Tuesday morning. We talked to the left-back about his achievements, the Confed Cup, and his excitement for the new season ahead.
Herthabsc.de: Platte, you were selected as ‘Berlin’s Professional Footballer of the Year’, and received your award on Monday. What does this accolade mean to you?
Marvin Plattenhardt: It’s an honour to have received this award, especially considering that it was the fans who voted for me. It reaffirms my performances I’ve had over the course of last season, and those were only possible through the fact that I was a regular in Hertha’s starting XI, and because of the fact that the team had such a strong season overall. Without my teammates, the manager, and the club, I would never have won this award. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished together.Herthabsc.de: You’ve also got yourself a Confed Cup medal. It’s been around two weeks since you lifted the Confed Cup trophy, and it was your first outing to a tournament with the national team – and it ended with a trophy. What do you make of all that?
Plattenhardt: It was a crazy feeling to lift the trophy and a great experience to have been there. Lifting the trophy has further motivated me to keep playing with Germany and win more titles. We trained and played at a very high level. That was a lot of fun and now I’m of course hoping for more call-ups. In order to that I have to play at the top of my game, continue to improve, and have another successful season with Hertha.
Herthabsc.de: Niklas Stark and Mitchell Weiser were at the U21 European Championship whilst you were at the Confed Cup. Did you stay in contact with them during this time?
Plattenhardt: I always keep in contact with the boys over WhatsApp and share the occasional phone call. We were always watching the U21s whilst we were in Russia. You’re always rooting for your own boys when they’re with the national team. It worked out well for everyone in the end (laughs).
Herthabsc.de: After two weeks off, you’ve returned here to Berlin, and have missed some of the preseason. How fit are you and how much are you looking forward to getting started again?
Plattenhardt: I was able to recuperate during my holiday and am good to go again. I’ve done my fitness test and back to training with the team. I’m really looking forward to it all. I’ve done a lot of running recently, but I’m not quite 100% yet – it would be amazing if I were. I reckon that I need a few more conditioning sessions in training. Now I want to stay healthy throughout the preseason and I’m looking forward to the season starting.
Herthabsc.de: The first Bundesliga game is scheduled for August 19th, but prior to that you will take on Hansa Rostock in the first round of the DFB Pokal. What are your expectations for next season?
Plattenhardt: I want the team to have another good season. The pressure of playing in three competitions is real, but we’re well equipped to deal with that with the squad that we have. What I’ve heard about the new signings has been nothing but positive, and they’ll help us out. Personally, I want to continue to play regularly for the team. In years past I’ve proved that I’m a reliable player. I want to continue to show that and help contribute to the team’s success.