“To win, we need to get the job done!”
When Greuther Fürth and Hertha BSC meet on Saturday, a piece of German football history will rise to the fore once more. The two clubs met in Frankfurt am Main in 1926 to play out the grand final of the German championship. Now, 96 years on, it’s not a trophy that the sides will fight for, but rather three vital Bundesliga points which our Blue-Whites will want to secure after an intense week of work. “To prepare well is the first job, but translating that to the pitch is the second. To win, we need to get the job done,” said head coach Tayfun Korkut, going on to set out his goals for the trip south: “We want to win the game. I’m confident that we’ll go out there with lots of energy and intensity and take the three points back with us!” Sporting director Arne Friedrich took his place next to Korkut in the interview room, and herthabsc.com has collected their responses here.
Tayfun Korkut and Arne Friedrich on...
... the mood in camp and the trip to Fürth:
Tayfun Korkut: We’ve trained well this week and the lads all know that the performances in training decide who plays at the weekend. I don’t have the feeling that lads who have sat out of games have lost any of their form. To prepare well is the first job, but translating that to the pitch is the second. To win, we need to get the job done. We want to win the game. I’m confident that we’ll go out there with lots of energy and intensity and take the three points back with us.
... the opposition:
Tayfun Korkut: The league table doesn’t interest me in terms of this game; we shouldn’t let ourselves get carried away by it or Fürth’s last league result. They haven’t lost in four games at home and have really started to get used to the speed of the Bundesliga – that’s what makes this game a tricky one. We need to focus on our own performance, our bravery and our football, and hit our mark in terms of standards. Fürth will have the increased capacity of their stadium behind them, making sure they let nothing through and challenging us for sure.
... the squad and absences:
Tayfun Korkut: Marc Oliver Kempf has tested positive for the Coronavirus and has had symptoms, which has given us time to prepare for his case. He can still test out of quarantine, but we’re probably going to go with plan B – his name is Linus Gechter. We fully trust the young man; he put a good performance in against Bayern and has trained brilliantly. If “Kempfi” does miss out, we’ll be more than able to replace him. Prince Boateng has also missed the last few days but took part in a bit of training today – the weekend will come too soon for him in terms of appearances. At the end of the day, what’s important is the health and wellbeing of our players.
Arne Friedrich: Alexander Schwolow continually works hard and tries to get the best out of himself every single day. There are always ups and downs for pro players – I went through them myself. It’s these types of tough situations that allow you to grow as a player. Alex is our number 1 and has the full support of the club to get his form back. I’m sure that we’ll see him put in a solid performance on Saturday!