Interview

“Vital to concentrate on the here and now“

In an interview with HSV.DE, goalkeeper Matheo Raab discussed the week of training ahead of the clash against Wiesbaden, his new role as first-choice ‘keeper, and the importance of the final phase of the season.

Matheo, everyone at HSV was disappointed with the result against Düsseldorf. Looking back, what were your thoughts on the game?

Our expectations were high and we had a good week of training prior to the match, so we travelled to Düsseldorf feeling positive. We were really up for it, which is why it feels that bit more disappointing to have come away empty-handed. There were moments where we struggled to create any chances going forward, so we’ll be placing a real emphasis on that this week in training. We want to, and have to be better in this area.

How do you feel about your own personal performance? There were multiple opportunities for you to prove your ability in the closing stages of the game, which is something that rarely occurred throughout the last few fixtures.

That’s true. As a goalkeeper, you obviously want to pull of saves like that in a game. The first moment where I was forced to act was their opening goal. After that, I didn’t have too much to do, as we were in control and had a lot of the ball. At the end of the game, I made one or two good saves. That will be beneficial in giving me a confidence boost for the upcoming games. I’ll be taking the positives from that and will continue to give my all towards helping the team progress.

How valuable are these moments for you as a player?

Unlike for an attacker, goalkeepers aren’t able to influence what comes their way. It really sucks when the ball comes at you, and there’s just nothing you can do about it. Therefore, moments like at the end of the game against Düsseldorf are that bit more important, as they give you confidence and reassurance in your ability.

HSV’s next opportunity to pick up some points will be when they face Wiesbaden at home on Sunday afternoon. What are your expectations going into the game.

We’re anticipating that yet another of our opponents will sit deep. Finding clever ways to advance into the final third will be the key to success this weekend. We want to be strong going forward, and, of course, get rewarded for that with goals. We’re all currently working together on progressing in this area.

How has the analysis of the game against Düsseldorf fit into the team’s preparations for the clash against Wiesbaden?

There’s a direct correlation between the two. At the beginning of the week, we had a discussion about our meeting with Düsseldorf, where we analysed both the technical and psychological aspects of the game. We highlighted the areas that we can improve on, and this was pivotal in shaping the coaching staff’s approach for the upcoming fixture, which we are currently implementing into our training sessions this week. Our main focus is on creating more danger and getting shots off in and around the opposition’s box.

How common is it for the goalkeepers to get involved in sessions with the outfielders?

Of course, the whole team is involved in the video analysis. With regards to pitch sessions, the goalkeepers tend to take part in position-specific drills separate to the team at the beginning of the week. As matchday draws nearer, we are integrated more and more into team training, where the focus of the sessions is on unit work, defensive organisation, and set pieces.

On the subject of goalkeeper training, your status in the squad has changed recently. Have you noticed any differences in how the team works together?

No. In goalkeeper training, we’re pushing each other just as intensively as we did before. We want to help the team as much as possible. For us, it’s just about giving 100 percent. We embody that attitude as a goalkeeper team. It’s always about supporting and pushing the first-choice ‘keeper, so he can put in the best possible performance on the pitch. That’s very important, and so the overall situation hasn’t changed. We all have the same aim: to have a successful season with the club and to do our bit towards that.

With all that team spirit, how does it feel for you to have made the jump from back-up to first-choice goalkeeper?

Of course, it’s had an effect on me. I’m very pleased that I’ve been given this chance and can now contribute to the team’s performance. I was already doing that before in training sessions during the week, but it’s different when you’re between the sticks on matchday. That much is clear. It’s the reason why you play football and become an athlete. It’s even better when you can do that for such a huge and wonderful club. That’s an incomparable feeling.

Before moving to HSV, you played for another huge club in 1. FC Kaiserslautern, where you picked up experience in the race for promotion and in dealing with setbacks. We’re now getting into the business end of the season – what will be key at this stage?

It’s vital to concentrate on the here and now. We’re in a difficult situation at the moment, but at the same time there’s still too many games left to play to start falling into a ‘what could’ve been’ mindset. That doesn’t help with anything. Wiesbaden is all that counts right now, and we have to get the three points. We just need to take it game by game. When we got promoted with FCK, we were in second place all season and then lost the last four games to drop into the promotion play-off spot. But we still managed it in the end. In the final phases of a season, you have to stick together whatever happens, and concentrate on what you can change.