Silvia Neid: "Our target is Olympic gold"

It is finally here: even before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, the men’s and women’s football tournaments get under way. Germany Women will play on the very first day. At 23:00 CEST today, Silvia Neid’s team will face Zimbabwe in their first group match in São Paulo.

The head coach doesn’t have many games left – ideally six. After eleven years of service in total, Silvia Neid is giving it up once the Olympics are over, and handing the baton on to her current assistant Steffi Jones. In an interview, the 52-year-old talks about the opening match against the team from Southern Africa, the targets in Brazil and her anticipation for a new chapter after 34 years as part of the Germany Women’s team.

Question: Silvia Neid, your time as head coach is coming to an end. Is there a feeling of melancholy in the run-up to the tournament?

Silvia Neid: I rarely think about it all coming to an end. I am just trying to enjoy it all.

Question: How huge is the anticipation for the Olympics?

Neid: The anticipation is building all the time. We are very happy that it is finally here and we are exceptionally well prepared. As soon as the players saw the beautiful, big stadium in São Paulo, they were very excited – all of them are focussed and ready.

Question: Are topics like the threat of terror or the Zika Virus dampening the mood at all?

Neid: We are constantly in contact with experts to keep up to date with Zika, and the numbers are gradually decreasing. And terror is a global theme. We hope that nothing will happen, and the security forces are on high alert. I am not worried.

Question: At the Olympics, it all comes down to the luck of the draw. How do you assess your first opponents, Zimbabwe?

Neid: They are a typically African team – always very fast, robust and uncompromising. Therefore, we will need to play very quick football, winning the ball back and immediately moving forward. However, there will definitely be space to exploit, and we need to make sure that that is what we do.

Question: However, the next opponents Australia and Canada are of a different calibre...

Neid: Australia are a very good team, who also have incredibly quick players. It is no coincidence that they are fifth in the World rankings. Canada will also be a tough opposition, especially with Christine Sinclair in attack. It is a very difficult group, but we want to progress. I hope that we don’t put too much into the group stage, because it will get really tough in the quarter-finals.

Question: Germany have already won three bronze medals: will the medal be a different colour this time?

Neid: Yes, our target is gold. We have never managed that before. That motivates us because it is our absolute goal and we believe that we can do it. But we are not the only ones. The players are extremely hungry and it is a lot of fun working with them. The Olympics are something very special. Unlike before the World Cup, the players have been on holiday this year, they have a clear head and have had four training courses to prepare. Therefore, we are very positive.

Question: Which nations do you count among the favourites?

Neid: The USA have taken gold four times, and the Olympics are the top priority there alongside club football. I also see Australia as joint favourites, because they look really good. Brazil, France and Sweden will also be up there. Canada came third in the 2012 Olympics. It would probably be easier to name those who aren’t favourites. (laughs)

Question: This will be your fifth Summer Games. What is the appeal compared to a World Cup or European Championship?

Neid: We see everyone the same and we are one big team. That is what makes it special: that everyone is working together to get a medal for Germany. And as the Women’s football team, it is important that we are there because our sport is spoken about so much.

Question: At the last major tournament, the 2015 World Cup in Canada, you “only” managed fourth place. What lessons have you taken from that?

Neid: It comes down to the fine details. Our players were missing a bit of coolness. I said from the start that they were mentally exhausted after such a long season without a break. And you have to be fresh in order to be creative in the final third. We are hoping that they will have cooler heads this time around.

Question: You have been part of the national setup since 1982, first as a player, then assistant and now head coach. How are you feeling about your new start after Rio?

Neid: I am looking forward to experiencing the Olympic Games again, but I also have a sense of anticipation about what is coming. I will have a new task. I will also have a bit more for time for myself, and I want to experience new things, go travelling, go to the theatre, educate myself further, and if I can, find a crocheting course. (laughs) I won’t be as present in the media and will be recognised less often – I can simply lead a normal life.

Question: You are taking on a new job at the DFB in the scouting department. What will be your focus?

Neid: I am responsible for trends. I work through what I see and pass it on to the new head coach. I will be present at major tournaments, and sometimes look into other types of sport. It is a new department which needs to be built up.

Question: That sounds like pioneering work...

Neid: Pioneering work again, yes. (laughs)

Question: You have devoted your life to women’s football. How should things progress with the sport?

Neid: I hope that it will continue to development. I also hope that our former players stay true to the sport and continue to bring it forward. That’s what women’s football really needs.