“The fans are right behind us – that’s a great feeling to have”
In May 2009, Germany won the U17 European Championship. Just over 13 years later, only two members of that triumphant squad remain under contract in the Bundesliga: World Cup winner Mario Götze, currently at Eintracht Frankfurt, and Hertha’s captain, Marvin Plattenhardt. Despite only being named captain in July, ‘Platte’ has had the development of his squad and teammates on his mind from day one. “There’s been a real swing of momentum which you can feel, and everybody has been taken by it. The support we’ve been getting from outside is palpable, and the fans are right behind us – that’s a great feeling for us all to have,” explained the 30-year-old. The seven-time Germany international also feels the trust placed in him when he wears the captain’s armband: “It’s a huge honour for me to lead the team out onto the pitch every week. I’ve always said that I see myself in the role of captain, but now it’s all about growing into it bit by bit over time,” said Hertha’s number 21. Plattenhardt sat down with herthabsc.com to chat about his magical left foot, the upcoming trip to Mainz and an eventful summer.
herthabsc.com: Platte, we have to start off by saying congratulations! Our 2-0 win in Augsburg was your 250th appearance in the Bundesliga. What does that number mean to you?
Marvin Plattenhardt: Well, thank you! The milestone definitely makes me proud. That said, I want to keep going and play in many more games. If my body is up to the task and I avoid any injuries, I think I can make the 300 mark easily.
herthabsc.com: Speaking of the Bundesliga, you have played against Bayer 04 Leverkusen more than any other opponent in your top-flight career. What did you think of the 2-2 draw we played out against them at the Olympiastadion last weekend?
Plattenhardt: We held our own against them and had a load of chances. We’re actually playing some very good football going forward and creating a lot of opportunities. The fact we didn’t get all three points against them – especially given the penalty we didn’t get – is actually a bitter pill to swallow, but we can’t change the past.
herthabsc.com: The fans seemed very satisfied with the team’s performance after the final whistle when you all went to greet the Ostkurve. We’re all in a pretty optimistic mood following the changes that took place over the summer. How satisfied are you with the opening few weeks of the campaign?
Plattenhardt: There’s been a real swing of momentum which you can feel, and everybody has been taken by it. We let a lot of players go, brought a lot more in, and also had a change of coaching staff too. All things considered, we can be satisfied with what we’re seeing on the pitch at the moment. The support we’ve been getting from outside is palpable, and the fans are right behind us – that’s a great feeling for us all to have!
[>]If my body is up to the task and I avoid any injuries, I think I can make the 300 mark easily.[<]
herthabsc.com: You’ve also had a summer to remember on a personal level. Not only did you get married, but you also took the captain’s armband. How have these new experiences changed your day-to-day life?
Plattenhardt: Every person is on a constant journey of development. The wedding with our families and friends was absolutely beautiful! Getting the captain’s armband after that was another cause for celebration. It’s a huge honour for me to lead the team out onto the pitch every week. I now have a lot more roles in the team: I speak with the younger lads a lot and try to help them and everyone else as best I can, and I’m always in contact with the coaching staff. I’ve always said that I see myself in the role of captain, but now it’s all about growing into it bit by bit over time. There are also, of course, situations where my vice-captain [Prince Boateng] is able to offer help and be by people’s sides. At any rate, it’s gone very well so far. It’s great to see that this team has the will to do well and works hard to achieve that.
herthabsc.com: Given all of that, have you had the chance to sit back and take everything in, and what have you been able to take away from this tumultuous time?
Plattenhardt: There has definitely been a lot to remember over the last few months – the relegation playoff of course, as well as the wedding and our honeymoon. These have all been absolute highlights in my life, and I will never ever forget them. Everything did go very quickly, though, and it all came after a very tough season for us. The main thing that kept us up was that we never gave up at any point, not even when we went to Hamburg a goal behind on aggregate. It took a good few days for everything to sink in, but at the same time it was really important to move on quickly from the whole season. It was a crazy time all in all, but luckily we came out of it in a positive way. I wouldn’t mind if things calmed down again in the future, though! (laughs)
[>]The relegation playoff, the wedding and our honeymoon have all been absolute highlights in my life, and I will never ever forget them.[<]
herthabsc.com: Let’s take a look at our next test. On Friday we travel to face Mainz, where we’ll likely have a tough away game. What makes you optimistic about the game and what will need to happen to make the long journey back worthwhile?
Plattenhardt: We’re going there with three points on the agenda. That’s our main goal. Mainz have made big steps forward in the last few months and look to be pretty stable with some great players. That said, we have our own qualities and are only looking at what we can do. We need to keep up the momentum from our last two performances. If we keep up our defensive work and fight for each other, we’ll get the chances to score goals. That will be very important under the floodlights in Mainz on Friday night.
herthabsc.com: As often happens, your set-pieces will come into play once more in this game. Your left foot is an absolute wand – how much of your ability would you put down to hard work, and how much to natural talent?
Plattenhardt: We train ourselves on this type of thing once or twice a week, but apart from that I’ve just developed this kind of feeling for where the ball needs to go and how much power it needs. I want to keep doing that in the coming weeks and months.
herthabsc.com: We started this interview with a milestone, and we want to end with a potential milestone too: you’ve currently got eight goals in the Bundesliga. When will you hit double figures?
Plattenhardt: Hopefully on Friday! (laughs) But seriously, I’d be delighted if I made it to 10 goals this season. I’ll try to help the team with as many goals and assists as I can provide.