The ascent of 1899 Hoffenheim from the regional league to the Bundesliga has been sensational. With head coach Ralf Rangnick at the helm, the village of Hoffenheim and its 3,500 residents are under the spell of football fever.
bundesliga.de spoke with the “professor” about the last 90 minutes in the 2. Bundesliga and about the first plans for playing in the Bundesliga. Rangnick also touches on the dramatic transformation of 1899 Hoffenheim since his arrival.
bundesliga.de: Mr. Rangnick, congratulations on the promotion. How nervous were you before the match against Greuther Fürth on the 34th matchday?
Ralf Rangnick: The stakes were extremely high. There was more adrenalin in that match than in a normal one. That's typical of course. The work of the past months should be rewarded. It was much more difficult in the two, three days after the match in Offenbach. We were moving up into the Bundesliga until eight minutes before the final whistle until the controversial equaliser. That really bothered the team.
bundesliga.de: When did you say to yourself that we are a first class team?
Rangnick: After winning 3-0.
bundesliga.de: You were just on a short holiday. Are preparations for the Bundesliga now underway?
Rangnick: I'm still going to enjoy a long weekend with my wife and friends. But there isn't much more time to relax. We have two kids in school. When they have holiday again, I'll already be in preparation for the Bundesliga season.
bundesliga.de: There's a lot of talk about Carlos Eduardo and Demba Ba. But is there another player, or players, who aren't in the spotlight but who have nevertheless been pivotal in the promotion to the Bundesliga?
Rangnick: Yes, I'd have to mention the whole team there. It was important for us to work on our play against opponents when they had the ball. We were almost completely focussed on that aspect in our preparations. After the first leg, it was clear from the table that we'd given up too many goals. We played to a 2-2 result four times in away matches. And if you score two goals away and only come away with one point, then obviously you have to concentrate on that aspect. It was also important that we acquired three new players, who didn't play at their former clubs. They all helped to improve the individual qualities. Ramazan Özcan, Andreas Ibertsberger and Marvin Compper gave us more depth in our defence. I would also like to mention Matthias Jaissle or Luiz Gustavo, who is not so well known but had a fantastic season.
bundesliga.de: Ramazan Özcan was recently nominated for the EURO and also made it on the Austrian team. Even if he's not on the first team, how important is this in light of playing in the Bundesliga next season?
Rangnick: First, let me say that I'm shocked about the fact that Ibertsberger was not nominated. After the excellent way he played in the second leg, I absolutely can't understand that. For “Rambo”, the nomination is an additional positive. He also had an excellent second leg. And playing in the EURO - and in his home country - will contribute positively for what's to come.
bundesliga.de: There have already been personell changes at Hoffenheim. Are big changes to come?
Rangnick: We have been clear about the fact that the core of the team that have promoted will remain. The team simply earned our trust. We will definitely sign this or that player. But it will be a maximum of four players. But we want to remain true to ourselves and only pick up players between 18 and 24 years old. Another criterium for us is that the players are German or at least that they speak German.
bundesliga.de: Is the second leg, in which your team clearly had the best success among other teams in the 2. Bundesliga, perhaps the best work in your career as a coach?
Rangnick: The coaching I did with other teams wasn't so bad. I've also had success over a long period of time with my teams. In Hannover, we went 28 matches in a season without losing. With Ulm, it was 18 matches. The difference with Hoffenheim is that we have a really young team. The average age of the players in the last matches is 23. Only an amateur team is that young. And the way this young and inexperienced team dealt with the pressure was extremely impressive to me. Also, for the first time in my career, I had the chance to choose my own staff. There are so many subtle aspects in football.
bundesliga.de: Can you give us little insight into the club? How much have things changed at 1899 in the past two years?
Rangnick: There's been a quantum leap here. When I signed the contract here two years ago, there was only a white piece of paper. There was a certain amount of infrastructure already in place. The training complex, at which we continue to work until we move, very good for regional league conditions. But we were at the very beginning as far as the team and the team behind the team stood. The spectator average was around 1,500. There was only one fan club and only a few fans wore Hoffenheim jerseys. Step by step we began to fill the team with names and life. The coaching and support staff were filled. Then the scouts came. There were never scouts here. Now we have two here Germany and one in Brazil. Now we are proactively extending this network. In the end we are not a prominent club internationally. So we have to be faster than the competition and be convincing with players and consultants.
Interview by Sebastian Stolz
Aguirre Well Supported For Run-In
Milan eye Bayern pair
Bundesliga: top for goals
“Hoffenheim’s start didn’t surprise me”
Has the wanderer settled down?
Hats off to Hoffenheim