“The challenge here appealed to me”

Alexander Schlager returned to Bremen at the start of the week, alongside his teammates Marco Friedl and Romano Schmid. The trio had been given an extended holiday due to having taken part in the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States earlier this summer. The goalkeeper spoke to the media during a press conference after his first training sessions with the team, where he discussed… 

…getting to play for Werder: “I did my medical before I went on holiday, right after the World Cup. Since then, I’ve been really looking forward to getting to know the team and the club, as well as their routine here. Now that I’m here, everything feels just as good as it did on my first visit. I feel at home here.” 

…competition within the goalkeeping set-up: “There aren’t many reasons to feel tense or unsettled. I go into every session with the aim of delivering my best-possible performance. I want to catch the eye of the coach and work hard. I know that within our set-up, and with Karl, we’ve got some great goalkeepers here. I don’t want to cause any issues, but rather ensure that we support and encourage each other in a respectful way. We all want to grow and develop. However, we all also want to play. In the end, it’s about representing the club and being successful together. I am fully committed to the team and will try to do my best.” 

…the division of roles within the team: “I was aware of the situation from outset and it was clearly communicated to me. I feel as though I’m able to contribute to an exciting project. Looking back on the last few years, there’s a certain growth that needs to happen for the future. I want to be a part of that. The challenge here appealed to me – that I’m meant to help stabilise certain areas. I want to play a part in making that happen. Regardless of how the roles end up being divided, I believe that I’ve made the right decision.” 

…differences to Karl Hein: “I’ve only been able to observe him for two sessions now. I’ve seen that he’s a very well-rounded goalkeeper, who is strong in all areas. He’s incredibly good on the line, but also in asserting himself in his goal and in his area. I think that we have similar profiles. I’m happy to have teammates that can perform at such a high level, as that means that I have to continue growing and improving every day. There will always be something that either he’s better at, or I am, but overall, we’re very well set up in this position.” 

…dealing with competition in his career so far: “I’ve found myself in several situations during my career where I was either playing or not. It’s about believing in yourself, knowing your own strengths and continuing to develop every day. That’s only possible if you’re prepared to do things that make you a bit uncomfortable. I’m 30 years old now and have already experienced several moments like that. I’ve had some great times as the back-up goalkeeper during my career. However, I’ve recognised that I’m more interested in the bigger picture. I want to feel that I’m part of something and that I can help bring something into existence.” 

…interest from Werder: “We were already in touch at the start of the World Cup. But I’d told myself during the World Cup that I wouldn’t put myself under any pressure to make a decision, as I had too many important games to deal with. Our talks were ongoing, which is why everything went so quickly after the tournament.” 

…choosing Werder: “The club, the fans and the values that are lived here are all a perfect fit for what I was looking for. My talks with the club reflected the way that they operate here: open, honest and on an equal footing. Those are the values that I try to live by, and from the start, it’s what made me believe that this would be a good fit. Of course, I also know some of the players from the national team, which allowed me to gain a better insight. From them, I heard that the team have a great spirit. In the end, that all contributed, as did the opportunity to play in the German Bundesliga.”

…joining a Bundesliga club: “I’m not getting any younger. It all just felt so perfect right now. The World Cup came at the right moment and my performances were also just right. It’s always been my goal and my dream to play in one of the top five leagues. 

…his role in the national team: “I called Ralf Rangnick and spoke to him about the situation. After all, there’s a possibility that I end up as the number two here. That’s why it was important to me that I involve him in my decision. He backed up my impression that I had of the club and told me that he could picture it as being a good fit. In the end, that helped confirm that I was making a good decision.” 

…his goals at SVW: “Putting in a more consistent campaign than last season, without needing to worry about getting dragged into a relegation battle or anything over the last matchdays. Together with the fans, it’s important that we have a reputation for being a tough away game for any team, the way it’s been in the past. When we’re on the road, then I want teams to have the same feeling. If we’re able to find ourselves in a good position in the table as a result, then that would be an important step in the right direction.”  

…his first impressions of Bremen: “The hotel where I’m currently living is right in the city centre. I’m trying to go out and familiarise myself with everything. My family will also move to Bremen as soon as things have settled down a bit. I hope that we’ll be able to move into a flat soon.”