Interview

Glatzel: "You can't expect anything from the victories".

In an interview with HSV.de, Robert Glatzel talks about his mindset as a striker, the feeling of scoring a goal and the away game at SV Sandhausen.

In the past two games, Robert Glatzel (28) has once again experienced the full range of a striker's life up close. While the Rothosen's top attacker (14 goals) was the celebrated hero after the match against Darmstadt 98 thanks to his historic four goals and could be found on every front page, he did not record a major chance of his own in the home match against Heidenheim (2:0). The match winners on this day were others. Nevertheless, Glatzel played a big part in the success with his team-serving style of play and was praised for it. In the HSV.de interview, he reveals how he experienced and came to terms with those days, why scoring goals only came to the fore later on and what he believes must be the foundation of success.

Bobby, there has been a lot of hype about you in the last two weeks. With your four goals in the 5-0 win in Darmstadt, you achieved something historic. What has happened to the ball you secured in the meantime?

Glatzel: The ball has been signed by the team and is in my cellar. As I've told you before, I have a football box there in which I've kept souvenirs from the football years. There are a few jerseys in there as well as newspaper articles and other small souvenirs like stadium newspapers or cool pictures.

How did the days after this historic event feel?

It was nice, no question, but to be honest, despite all the hype, I shrugged it off relatively quickly. If I had been a few years younger, I probably would have flown even longer. (laughs) But I was able to tick it off quickly. Nevertheless, it was of course unique and something very special.

The ball from the Darmstadt game has since found its way into Robert Glatzel's memory box.

In sport there is this saying: "You are only as good as your last game." Do you worry about putting that personal success down quickly and at what point did you flip that switch?

I know that phrase too. Basically, I flipped the switch after just one or two days. With the first training of the new week, I knew it was still nice, but the work goes on. We have many more goals and so the focus is on that.

With what kind of mindset do you go into the next game. You probably know yourself that you won't succeed like that again?

You try to block it out. Of course you are watched a bit more and everyone says: Last game he scored four goals, what happens today? My mindset was: There will probably be one or two good chances. I try to be there. Against Heidenheim it was now the only game where I didn't have a good or very good chance to score because they just defended well. But the chances will come again and then I have to be fully concentrated.

You mentioned the home game against Heidenheim. You didn't score, but the reports about you were very positive, because you had a big impact on the game - not least because of your pass that started the 1:0. Was this game an example that a striker should not only be measured by his goals?

Absolutely. You might think you can score another goal or two because you have a flow, but football is so unpredictable. Anything can happen. I was really pleased that we played such a good game as a team and that I was able to play my part even without scoring, especially because it was also against a direct competitor.

he plan worked: Glatzel pulls the defenders along with him through duels, which creates spaces for the others.

You are a very playful striker, who also drops sometimes and is very much into the duels. Is that an aspect you had to learn during your career?

It's always been in me because I wasn't always a striker. I had many other positions in my youth. Scoring goals came relatively late in my development because I played a lot on the football pitch. It was always about playing creatively and being involved in everything. Only goal scoring was still in the background. That only came with age.

Whether an assist or a goal is more beautiful should be a rhetorical question for a striker - but can you get a similar feeling from an assist?

No, not a chance. (laughs) A goal is by far the most beautiful moment in football. As a striker, you have to have that attitude, too. That's what you live for, that's what you get paid for. That can also be thankless, because sometimes you play well for several games but don't score a goal, but sometimes it's the other way round.

You were really tackled against Heidenheim. Do Schmidt and your old companions know you too well?

From a tactical point of view, Heidenheim played very man-oriented. The defenders ran everywhere with every opponent. That's why there weren't so many spaces for me as a striker. But our match plan worked out really well, like for example at 1:0, when I came up short, the defenders went with me and there was space for Baka, Sonny and Faride at the back. I was really happy about that because Heidenheim are hard to break down.

Now the next game is just around the corner. What can you expect in Sandhausen?

It will be just as difficult. We have to continue in the same way, stay with ourselves and not think about anything else. We have to do our work again, bring the intensity to the pitch, be tough and willing to run, and then use the self-confidence we've already gained to make the difference. But the foundation must always be there, there is no way around it.

Who is responsible for this mentality within the team?

A mixture of many factors. The coach says and emphasises it again and again in every analysis. Congratulations on the game, but now we have to move on. In addition, there are some players who, despite our very young team, have been around a bit longer. They know how quickly things can go in the other direction in football. You can't expect anything from the victories.