Energie Cottbus sporting director Steffen Heidrich talks to bundesliga.de about new signings and realistic targets for the new season.
bundesliga.de: Steffen Heidrich, FC Energie were able to keep all key players at the club this summer. Has the transfer policy or the financial situation changed?
Steffen Heidrich: No, surely not. We have always said that we want to improve the team year by year. If a lot of money is offered for a player, of course we think about it. But there was no such offer this summer. We're delighted that we could keep our squad together.
bundesliga.de: Together with the new signings, you have two players competing for each place.
Heidrich: We have clearly improved in depth if I think back to when I started two years ago. And finally we have players waiting in the wings who can replace the regular players without two much difference in quality.
bundesliga.de: What do you expect from the new signings?
Heidrich: In Savo Pavicevic we have an absolute regular at right back. He's an athlete, 1.85 metres tall and will surely start. We're also delighted about the signing of Cagdas Atan, who previously played for Besiktas and Trabzonspor. He is a set-piece expert and already scored two stunners in pre-season. We also expect a lot from Emil Jula up front. He has a few problems with the adjustment at the moment, but that's nothing unusual. Marco Kurth from Erzgebirge Aue is a very clever player and very important for the team structure. He shall put the regular players under pressure, and the same goes for Philipp Pentke, our number 3 goalkeeper.
bundesliga.de: What about trialist Ivica Iliev?
Heidrich: He convinced us in training. He played for Partizan Belgrade, Messina and PAOK, all good clubs. He has the needed quality and is out of contract. If we can agree terms then we'll sign him.
bundesliga.de: The season starts with the DFB Cup match at TB Berlin this weekend, one week later the Bundesliga starts against 1899 Hoffenheim. How do you assess the preparations so far?
Heidrich: I have seen a lot during my 20 years in professional football, outstanding pre-seasons and very negative ones. Everything is irrelevant when the competitive games begin. The most important thing is that you don't have too many injuries, like it's the case here at the moment. The results differed, but that's not unusual given the versatile programme under Bojan Prasnikar and the various test games. We won the last test 2-1 against Dutch top-flight club Willem II and showed very good approaches.
bundesliga.de: Bojan Prasnikar's contract has been extended until 2010 and is even valid for the 2. Bundesliga. Is he the prefect coach for Energie?
Heidrich: He is a worker with incredible football expertise. He still goes into detail. His tactics board is already well known. He often interrupts training, steps in and corrects. He's seen that through until today, that's demanding. It's always easy to discuss things with him and he simply fits in. We have found common ground in most cases, and results reflect that.
bundesliga.de: Is the only goal to avoid relegation?
Heidrich: Of course. Our philosophy is not to moan, we're the only ones that can help us. If you're realistic than dreams of tenth place are out of place. That's simply down to our financial situation. You just have to look at the budgets of the three promoted teams Cologne, Mönchengladbach and Hoffenheim. We want to avoid relegation, and the players have to internalise that.
Interview: Mark Schnell and Tim Tonner / Translation: Christof Greiner
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