Stefan Kuntz is due to announce his squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Hungary next week. Mainz 05 forward Jonathan Burkardt has every chance of being part of that setup, having played 22 Bundesliga games this season, more than any other potential candidate. DFB.de spoke to the 20-year-old about his excitement and expectations for the tournament.
DFB.de: Jonathan Burkardt, Stefan Kuntz will be naming his squad for the EUROs in Hungary next week, with Germany’s first game set for 24th March. How excited are you for the players to be announced?
Jonathan Burkardt: There’s obviously quite a bit of excitement. I hope that I can be part of the U21 EUROs because it’s such a big event and a great platform for us players. I’ve been speaking to a lot of the other players, whether at Mainz or in group chats – everyone wants to be a part of it as it’s such a huge deal.
DFB.de: You have played in five of the last six U21 games, scoring quite a few goals and regularly featuring in the starting line-up. How good are your chances do you think?
Burkardt: I was able to showcase myself in the European qualifiers and I’m a regular at club level, so I’m hopeful that I will get the nod.
DFB.de: How happy were you with your performances for the U21s?
Burkardt: I was quite happy. I’ve always put in a decent performance when I’ve been called upon and scored two goals as well. I think my U21s career so far has been successful.
DFB.de: The EUROs will be a lot different this time around. It’s split into two parts with the group phase in March and the knockouts taking place at the end of May. Do you think there will still be that tournament feeling?
Burkardt: It’s a good question. It’s certainly a trickier situation than with your usual EUROs, because you haven’t got that build-up together as a team; you’re plucked from your respective clubs and are thrown into three massive games. I think the week itself will have that tournament feeling though, as we’ll be fully immersed in it. It’s a major tournament and there’s a lot at stake.
DFB.de: Germany’s first game is against hosts Hungary, then you’ll face the Netherlands and finally Romania. What do you make of the group?
Burkardt: I don’t really know the other teams that well. The Netherlands had a more dominant qualifying campaign than we did, so I think that makes them slight favourites. Hungary are the hosts and so will no doubt be tricky opponents, and I expect the same of Romania. Our aim is to win two of the three games, and we’ll have to if we want to be sure that we progress.
DFB.de: Have you researched your opposition players already?
Burkardt: We’ll get information on them ahead of the games. I personally haven’t seen any of the other U21 national teams’ games. I think it’s more important that we focus on our own performance. If we produce our best, then we will come out on top.
DFB.de: Germany made it to the final of the last two U21 EUROs, finishing as winners and as runners-up. What’s the goal for 2021?
Burkardt: It’s too early to answer that I think. Our main attention has to be on the three games in the short international break. We need to focus on getting out of the group, then we can start to think about how far we can go.
DFB.de: What is your relationship with head coach Stefan Kuntz like?
Burkardt: He’s nominated me a few times now and put me in the team too. We have a good relationship. He is a good leader and will set us up well for the three group games.
DFB.de: Has he spoken to you individually and given you feedback?
Burkardt: He contacted me before he first called me me to explain the U21s’ playing style and talk about the special atmosphere in the team and among the whole staff and just prepared me for it all. We haven’t had a chance to go into more detail since.
DFB.de: Who is your best mate in the U21 squad?
Burkardt: We’re a really great group as a whole. No matter where you’re from, where it’s the lads who play in Belgium, or players from other Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 clubs, it’s always a great bunch. I get on best with Finn Dahmen from Mainz because we have gotten to know each other quite well over the years.
DFB.de: Did you have a role model as a young player?
Burkardt: No, there wasn’t a stand-out role model for me.
DFB.de: Let’s put it differently then. Which striker do you feel you can learn the most from?
Burkardt: In the Bundesliga it’s of course Robert Lewandowski. He’s the best centre forward in every department for me. Cristiano Ronaldo is someone that amazes me too, the way he’s managed to deliver top performances year in, year out. They’re both top players.
DFB.de: You’re featured in almost every Bundesliga game for your club this season, starting in many. How pleased are you with your own personal development in recent months?
Burkardt: The year was difficult at the start, because I was on the bench a lot. My goal for the season was to establish myself among the first 12, 13 players so that I’d always be playing. I think I’m moving in the right direction. My development overall has been very good, now I’d like to start more games
DFB.de: Was the step up to the first team easier than you imagined?
Burkardt: No, it definitely wasn’t easier than I thought. There are always highs and lows that you have to deal with. It depends how you deal with them. In the first season in the Bundesliga, I started four games in a short space of time, but then barely featured for the rest of the season. That hasn’t easy. On top of that, you also have to get used to the completely different level of intensity.
DFB.de: Who has helped you the most?
Burkardt: I wouldn’t want to single out any coach. Every coach has supported and helped me in some way. Bo Svensson as my youth coach on the brink of the first team, Sandro Schwarz gave me my debut. And it just goes on like that. There hasn’t really been one person who has given me the most support.
DFB.de: Where do you see potential to improve?
Burkardt: My record in front of goal could be better. I can definitely score more goals and need to be more clinical in my finishing. But I think that’ll come with time.
DFB.de: Compared to most of your colleagues, you have no social media presence.
Burkardt: I’m not on Instagram, not on Facebook and not on Twitter. I don’t have any of it.
DFB.de: Why?
Burkardt: I don’t want to be part of this fake world where on the one hand you get too much positive feedback, and on the other too much negative. People want to show a perfect image of themselves. I don’t need that. I’ve done quite well without social media, I’m missing nothing and don’t have the distraction.
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Stefan Kuntz is due to announce his squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Hungary next week. Mainz 05 forward Jonathan Burkardt has every chance of being part of that setup, having played 22 Bundesliga games this season, more than any other potential candidate. DFB.de spoke to the 20-year-old about his excitement and expectations for the tournament.
DFB.de: Jonathan Burkardt, Stefan Kuntz will be naming his squad for the EUROs in Hungary next week, with Germany’s first game set for 24th March. How excited are you for the players to be announced?
Jonathan Burkardt: There’s obviously quite a bit of excitement. I hope that I can be part of the U21 EUROs because it’s such a big event and a great platform for us players. I’ve been speaking to a lot of the other players, whether at Mainz or in group chats – everyone wants to be a part of it as it’s such a huge deal.
DFB.de: You have played in five of the last six U21 games, scoring quite a few goals and regularly featuring in the starting line-up. How good are your chances do you think?
Burkardt: I was able to showcase myself in the European qualifiers and I’m a regular at club level, so I’m hopeful that I will get the nod.
DFB.de: How happy were you with your performances for the U21s?
Burkardt: I was quite happy. I’ve always put in a decent performance when I’ve been called upon and scored two goals as well. I think my U21s career so far has been successful.
DFB.de: The EUROs will be a lot different this time around. It’s split into two parts with the group phase in March and the knockouts taking place at the end of May. Do you think there will still be that tournament feeling?
Burkardt: It’s a good question. It’s certainly a trickier situation than with your usual EUROs, because you haven’t got that build-up together as a team; you’re plucked from your respective clubs and are thrown into three massive games. I think the week itself will have that tournament feeling though, as we’ll be fully immersed in it. It’s a major tournament and there’s a lot at stake.
DFB.de: Germany’s first game is against hosts Hungary, then you’ll face the Netherlands and finally Romania. What do you make of the group?
Burkardt: I don’t really know the other teams that well. The Netherlands had a more dominant qualifying campaign than we did, so I think that makes them slight favourites. Hungary are the hosts and so will no doubt be tricky opponents, and I expect the same of Romania. Our aim is to win two of the three games, and we’ll have to if we want to be sure that we progress.
DFB.de: Have you researched your opposition players already?
Burkardt: We’ll get information on them ahead of the games. I personally haven’t seen any of the other U21 national teams’ games. I think it’s more important that we focus on our own performance. If we produce our best, then we will come out on top.
DFB.de: Germany made it to the final of the last two U21 EUROs, finishing as winners and as runners-up. What’s the goal for 2021?
Burkardt: It’s too early to answer that I think. Our main attention has to be on the three games in the short international break. We need to focus on getting out of the group, then we can start to think about how far we can go.
DFB.de: What is your relationship with head coach Stefan Kuntz like?
Burkardt: He’s nominated me a few times now and put me in the team too. We have a good relationship. He is a good leader and will set us up well for the three group games.
DFB.de: Has he spoken to you individually and given you feedback?
Burkardt: He contacted me before he first called me me to explain the U21s’ playing style and talk about the special atmosphere in the team and among the whole staff and just prepared me for it all. We haven’t had a chance to go into more detail since.
DFB.de: Who is your best mate in the U21 squad?
Burkardt: We’re a really great group as a whole. No matter where you’re from, where it’s the lads who play in Belgium, or players from other Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 clubs, it’s always a great bunch. I get on best with Finn Dahmen from Mainz because we have gotten to know each other quite well over the years.
DFB.de: Did you have a role model as a young player?
Burkardt: No, there wasn’t a stand-out role model for me.
DFB.de: Let’s put it differently then. Which striker do you feel you can learn the most from?
Burkardt: In the Bundesliga it’s of course Robert Lewandowski. He’s the best centre forward in every department for me. Cristiano Ronaldo is someone that amazes me too, the way he’s managed to deliver top performances year in, year out. They’re both top players.
DFB.de: You’re featured in almost every Bundesliga game for your club this season, starting in many. How pleased are you with your own personal development in recent months?
Burkardt: The year was difficult at the start, because I was on the bench a lot. My goal for the season was to establish myself among the first 12, 13 players so that I’d always be playing. I think I’m moving in the right direction. My development overall has been very good, now I’d like to start more games
DFB.de: Was the step up to the first team easier than you imagined?
Burkardt: No, it definitely wasn’t easier than I thought. There are always highs and lows that you have to deal with. It depends how you deal with them. In the first season in the Bundesliga, I started four games in a short space of time, but then barely featured for the rest of the season. That hasn’t easy. On top of that, you also have to get used to the completely different level of intensity.
DFB.de: Who has helped you the most?
Burkardt: I wouldn’t want to single out any coach. Every coach has supported and helped me in some way. Bo Svensson as my youth coach on the brink of the first team, Sandro Schwarz gave me my debut. And it just goes on like that. There hasn’t really been one person who has given me the most support.
DFB.de: Where do you see potential to improve?
Burkardt: My record in front of goal could be better. I can definitely score more goals and need to be more clinical in my finishing. But I think that’ll come with time.
DFB.de: Compared to most of your colleagues, you have no social media presence.
Burkardt: I’m not on Instagram, not on Facebook and not on Twitter. I don’t have any of it.
DFB.de: Why?
Burkardt: I don’t want to be part of this fake world where on the one hand you get too much positive feedback, and on the other too much negative. People want to show a perfect image of themselves. I don’t need that. I’ve done quite well without social media, I’m missing nothing and don’t have the distraction.
