MAINZ – Achim Beierlorzer, once a school teacher, can be said: There are currently more important things than football. At the same time, the head coach of FSV Mainz 05 is also responsible for ensuring that after three weeks in the home office, his players look back at their work on the lawn. The Franke has been asking for units on Bruchweg again since Tuesday. Under strict conditions. Except for the injured goalkeeper Robin Zentner, all professionals are there. In a conference call with journalists, the 52-year-old spoke on Wednesday …
.. about the time in the home office:
We live in a beautiful country. I took long walks with my wife and dogs. I occupied her desk for work – my old teacher’s desk had to give way a few years ago. We have created strengths/weaknesses profiles for our players, developed new concepts. But I also worked in the garden and enjoyed spending time with the family.
.. about the contact to the team in this phase
I called every single player every week. In such an extreme situation, you get to know the boys from a completely different side. Otherwise, you only talk about football in the first place, but of course, they also think about it. It was nice to see that the players also communicated with each other. They asked each other: How do you cope with the situation? This can certainly cause a team to move closer together. Of course, the term “boredom” kept coming up. But we don’t need a psychologist now because we used to train at home for three weeks.
..to the first units in small groups:
We train until 3 p.m. every day until Saturday because that’s about the kick-off time. But one thing is clear: it is more a movement on the ball, not real training. We are far from training as before. We have the advantage that we have two places, so we can at least divide up well. We make fits, set up a technical course, play football tennis. We presented the concept for this to the health department, otherwise, it would not have been possible.
.. about the required conditions:
The all-important thing is distance. And we pay close attention to that. We don’t just keep 1.5 meters, but two meters away. A maximum of six players may be in each cabin, and showering takes place at home. During the first training session, we told the boys ten times, even though they already knew that we demand these rules always and everywhere. There are no headers, no duels. Nobody is allowed to pick up the ball or other material. Only the goalkeepers, of course, after all, they wear gloves. We trainers also have some, we are currently cleaning everything up.
.. on the procedure in the event of a suspected or infection case in the team:
We said to everyone: If you have the slightest suspicion that you don’t feel good, you stay at home. With the measures taken, we want to ensure that only this player would have to be quarantined.
..of the often criticized special statute for professional footballers. For example, there is the idea to have the players tested every three days:
We cannot yet puzzle out what could come. Such test variants are currently not morally feasible. We don’t need to discuss raising football above society. People’s health comes first. The fact that we are allowed to train now is because we practice this profession. We are not recreational athletes.
..to the possible resumption of play with ghost games:
That can only happen if there is also an opening in society when schools open again. How will games be without viewers? I haven’t thought about that yet. Of course, the rest of the season will no longer be an optimal situation. I think it’s important that as soon as it is clear that it will start again, the team training must be introduced across the country. It takes at least two weeks to prepare again.
..to the soccer bubble:
In three or four years at the latest everything will have levelled off again. I see no reason why something should change fundamentally. Maybe one or the other club thinks a little more about its financial situation. But the bubble stays.
