There are just a few hours until the match finally kicks off (20.45 CEST). Germany against Finland will be Löw's mens' first game after this summer’s European Championships but will also be Bastian Schweisteiger’s last in the Germany shirt. Germany’s assistant coach Marcus Sorg speaks to DFB.de about the current situation, the latest news and the atmosphere surrounding the team.
DFB.de: Mr Sorg, does being Joachim Löw’s assistant coach make you proud?
Marcus Sorg: Yes, absolutely (he laughs). We have said many times that the work in Joachim Löw’s set-up - with Thomas Schneider, Andreas Köpke, Oliver Bierhoff and the whole support staff - works amazingly. Particularly at the European Championships we realised how important it is to split up the workload. I felt I could meaningfully bring my own ideas to the table and I’m very happy that the others saw it that way too. Die Mannschaft embodies the DFB and I’m extremely pleased to be part of this set up.
DFB.de: You were immediately working again after the European Championships in France. Firstly at the under 19s European Championships in Germany and then you were in Horst Hrubesch’s coaching staff at the Olympic Games. How do you have this much energy?
Sorg: I don’t see working as a chore, more as just experiencing new things. What I experienced in France and Brazil will stay with me forever. All the tournaments were great for me as I got to work for great teams, with great players and colleagues – that’s not a chore. I found the tournaments rewarding, not tiring. My batteries are full, I don’t need a rest and I’m very motivated to carry on working.
DFB.de: Germany’s first game after the Euros takes place this evening against Finland in Mönchengladbach. How much significance does this match hold?
Sorg: It will be a good test for us. It is a match in which we have a chance to give an opportunity to several young players to show how well they fit in to our squad. And of course the match is special because Bastian Schweinsteiger’s international career is coming to an end. For more than a decade he has been an iconic figure of German football and the national side. For me it has been absolutely brilliant to have experienced all he has had to offer as a player. As captain he made sure that I was welcomed and accepted in the team from the very beginning and that I felt comfortable. German football has a lot to thank him for. Under Bastian’s leadership we have grown and grown, and I hope that he gets the sendoff he deserves.
DFB.de: But the match of course still has some sporting value to it. How do you assess Finland’s game?
Sorg: Finland’s game is very compact. Until recently they had had a few defensive problems, but they reacted to it and brought in the very experienced Swede Hans Backe as their new head coach. He has ditched the traditional 4-4-2 formation and Finland instead lined up against Italy, Norway and Belgium in a 5-3-2 system. It has given them a strong game plan, both defensively and offensively.
DFB.de: How will that affect the Germany team?
Sorg: For us, the way the opposition plays has been become increasingly unimportant. In every match we play we manage to create space, so it is crucial that we feed off that. In France we were on the right track, but we want to improve even more as we set our sights on Russia 2018.
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There are just a few hours until the match finally kicks off (20.45 CEST). Germany against Finland will be Löw's mens' first game after this summer’s European Championships but will also be Bastian Schweisteiger’s last in the Germany shirt. Germany’s assistant coach Marcus Sorg speaks to DFB.de about the current situation, the latest news and the atmosphere surrounding the team.
DFB.de: Mr Sorg, does being Joachim Löw’s assistant coach make you proud?
Marcus Sorg: Yes, absolutely (he laughs). We have said many times that the work in Joachim Löw’s set-up - with Thomas Schneider, Andreas Köpke, Oliver Bierhoff and the whole support staff - works amazingly. Particularly at the European Championships we realised how important it is to split up the workload. I felt I could meaningfully bring my own ideas to the table and I’m very happy that the others saw it that way too. Die Mannschaft embodies the DFB and I’m extremely pleased to be part of this set up.
DFB.de: You were immediately working again after the European Championships in France. Firstly at the under 19s European Championships in Germany and then you were in Horst Hrubesch’s coaching staff at the Olympic Games. How do you have this much energy?
Sorg: I don’t see working as a chore, more as just experiencing new things. What I experienced in France and Brazil will stay with me forever. All the tournaments were great for me as I got to work for great teams, with great players and colleagues – that’s not a chore. I found the tournaments rewarding, not tiring. My batteries are full, I don’t need a rest and I’m very motivated to carry on working.
DFB.de: Germany’s first game after the Euros takes place this evening against Finland in Mönchengladbach. How much significance does this match hold?
Sorg: It will be a good test for us. It is a match in which we have a chance to give an opportunity to several young players to show how well they fit in to our squad. And of course the match is special because Bastian Schweinsteiger’s international career is coming to an end. For more than a decade he has been an iconic figure of German football and the national side. For me it has been absolutely brilliant to have experienced all he has had to offer as a player. As captain he made sure that I was welcomed and accepted in the team from the very beginning and that I felt comfortable. German football has a lot to thank him for. Under Bastian’s leadership we have grown and grown, and I hope that he gets the sendoff he deserves.
DFB.de: But the match of course still has some sporting value to it. How do you assess Finland’s game?
Sorg: Finland’s game is very compact. Until recently they had had a few defensive problems, but they reacted to it and brought in the very experienced Swede Hans Backe as their new head coach. He has ditched the traditional 4-4-2 formation and Finland instead lined up against Italy, Norway and Belgium in a 5-3-2 system. It has given them a strong game plan, both defensively and offensively.
DFB.de: How will that affect the Germany team?
Sorg: For us, the way the opposition plays has been become increasingly unimportant. In every match we play we manage to create space, so it is crucial that we feed off that. In France we were on the right track, but we want to improve even more as we set our sights on Russia 2018.
