WERDER.DE: This hasn’t been the first contact...
Martin Harnik: "I never lost contact to Max – we always supported each other, met up on our holidays if we had the time. Werder first made contact over Christmas with a request, and Max got involved straight away. I said at the time how appealing that is to me and that I’d love to do it. I did also make clear though, just as I will now, that I would respect Hannover’s decision and stay on the contract if they so wished. There were no problems, and despite missing Bremen, I always felt comfortable in Hannover."
WERDER.DE: Assistant coach Tim Borowski and sporting director Frank Baumann aren’t the only old acquaintances at Werder – you share some special memories with the current head coach as well...
Martin Harnik: "Yes, definitely – he’s the first manager I can speak to informally (laughs). Flo and I played for the amateurs together – he was third choice goalkeeper and often trained with us. We got along really well back then, but I would never have expected him to pursue a career in coaching, and I never knew he had that in him. I was chuffed when Flo was given the chance. Even when he was an assistant coach I’d heard only good things about him, and the fact that he started so well as first-team coach, unfortunately with a win against Hannover as well, I thought was a really nice story."
WERDER.DE: So Florian Kohfeldt was another reason for you wanting to play for Werder again?
Martin Harnik: "The coach is the most important position for any player. If there’s no understanding between them, there’s no point. During our talks we got on really well, just as we used to: his ideas sound good and I like his philosophy – I want to be a part of that."
WERDER.DE: You left Werder when you were 21 to go down a different path. Now you return as an experienced Bundesliga player. Was that always your plan, to come back here and show everyone?
Martin Harnik: "I don’t feel the need to show everyone – we had an unbelievably strong team when I was at Werder, played on an international stage, so there wasn’t much chance for a young player. That was the same for Max Kruse, so I never saw myself as a failure, I just had to gain experience. I did that at Düsseldorf and at Stuttgart I took my chance, but I never lost my love for Werder. I loved returning here as an opposition: the fans always gave me a warm welcome, and now I’m pleased to be returning as a player."