Dialogue with Bulls boss
Schröder: “Only one player is indispensable”
The "Krone" met Salzburg's sporting director Rouven Schröder at the training camp in Albufeira for a big interview. The 49-year-old spoke about his impressions so far, former coach Pep Lijnders, new coach Thomas Letsch, the current team and potential new signings.
The "Krone" reports from Albufeira
"Krone": Mr. Schröder, how are you enjoying the training camp in Portugal so far?
Rouven Schröder: We have everything we could wish for here. The training conditions are great, the weather is fantastic, we have great rooms and perfect food. We are the only team in the hotel, we can work in peace and the training pitch is also in perfect condition. So we can be very satisfied so far. It's also important to me that we spend time together as a group. By that I don't just mean the team, but the entire staff. It's good for the players to see how many people care about the club and do everything they can to make sure we're successful.
How have you settled in Salzburg?
If you haven't seen Salzburg by the age of 49, then you've done something wrong anyway. I've been here a few times before, I was a scout at the Grödig Stadium and also at the Red Bull Arena. I've always followed soccer in Austria and have always felt at home in the country. And I don't need to say much about Salzburg as a city. It's a great city that has everything. I love the nature and the mountains and feel right at home in my new home.
How did you find the transition from Leipzig to Salzburg?
It all happened very quickly, it was a bit unusual. One day I had a game in Leipzig and the next day my first day at work in Salzburg. That was certainly a challenge. All in all, it was my absolute wish to come here and it was a very good move for me. Of course, there was no start-up time in Salzburg, you had to work immediately, get to know people, observe and draw conclusions. Fortunately, I had an important contact in Stephan Reiter, who made it easy for me to get into the club. It didn't take long for us to make important decisions.
You've already mentioned it. How did the separation from former coach Pep Lijnders come about?
Stephan and I said when I took over that we would look at the three and a half weeks together. Stephan had of course already gathered impressions beforehand, but deliberately left me alone with them. And that was important for me. It was clear to us that we would get together after the games in December and put everything on the table. The most important thing for us was to make the decision in the interests of the club, because the club is the most valuable asset. It was also important to us that we were fully committed to the team at the start of preparations. We knew that the fall didn't go the way we wanted it to and that failures in the new year would have made us much less resilient to stress. In the end, it was clear to us that we wanted a new input.
Thomas Letsch is supposed to provide this. How did this decision come about?
I think his career has undergone a beneficial development. He has managed to break free abroad and celebrated great successes in locations that are not easy. If you ask around at his ex-clubs how he dealt with the players and the club management, you know that he is exactly the right coach for us at this time. I had contact with him once before when I was at another club and found him very exciting back then. Thomas has developed further, stands for consistent work and a certain calmness that is needed in this business. We are glad that he chose us. Because not only we, but also other clubs were interested in Thomas.
Salzburg has been rather quiet on the transfer market so far. Why is that?
It's definitely not quiet, but you can't convey this daily hustle and bustle to the outside world. We have done some things that we wanted to make clear. We wanted to bring an experienced striker into the team and we've managed to do that with Karim Onisiwo. We believe he enriches the group and will be an important character in the dressing room. We sold Fernando to Brazil, which was the best thing for everyone involved, because although he is a great player, he was often injured and wanted to return to his home country.
Do you not want to sign any more players?
We have said that we will only do something if we are completely convinced. We have a new coach, which means that the competition has been completely rekindled. Players who got less playing time in the fall are now getting a new chance. We feel and see that the group has a lot of potential. Every day, we think about the squad and how good individual players are. If a potential new player isn't better than the one we have, we won't make a transfer. That would be hugely detrimental to the group. If a player comes, he also has to fit in on a personal level and identify with the club. Making transfers just to keep the public happy is pointless. We only want players who are keen to play for us. Maybe we won't make any more transfers at all. Maybe Thomas Letsch is the best winter transfer we've had. Ultimately, it's all about achieving results in the spring, that's how we'll be judged.
But wouldn't there be a need in some positions?
Of course, that also depends on whether we sell players. Basically, we are looking very closely at all positions. The fall has shown that no player is indispensable. Except for Maurits Kjaergaard, who we miss everywhere on and off the pitch because he is simply a top player. But at the end of the day, we're checking the entire market and making ourselves smart.
What goals do you have with Salzburg in the spring?
I thought it was good that Thomas made it clear that we want to win both titles. With our squad, it's definitely possible to become champions and cup winners. Our goals won't change either.
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