“We can’t waste any time to start winning games”

Since head coach Urs Fischer took up his position in December, Mainz have gone three Bundesliga games without defeat, but also without victory. There’s hope that record will change for the better after the draws against FC Bayern , FC St. Pauli and Union Berlin as FSV host 1. FC Heidenheim at the MEWA ARENA for a 20:30 CET kick-off on Tuesday night. The bottom-of-the-table clash is a crucial opportunity for Mainz to secure their first home victory of the season and celebrate a Bundesliga win in front of a home crowd for the first time since last February. “We’ve developed a real sense of stability over the last few matches and put in solid performances. We can hold onto those positives and build on it, but it also sets a minimum level that we have to live up to. I can’t take all the pressure off of anyone,” emphasised Fischer in his press conference the day before the floodlit affair, whilst also confirming that Nelly Weiper will be unable to take part due to illness. The head coach remains optimistic, though, ahead of what he expects to be a ‘hard-fought battle’, having taken mostly positive points from the draw at Union Berlin.

URS FISCHER ON...

…the desire for success on the pitch: “When you’re leading 2-0, it’s crucial that you have the wherewithal to get over the line and take all three points. We definitely have room for improvement in this regard. Ultimately, it takes those moments of success to make that the norm once again – you don’t get that for free. The team got a lot right in Berlin, they looked stable and worked as a unit. The way we worked toward the goals was brilliant on such a difficult pitch. The boys trusted themselves to play football. We need to carry that forward and take the next steps.”

…the frustration after letting the lead slip: “We were annoyed after the game, as we would have loved to have taken three points. You can’t be totally satisfied in that situation. Looking back now, though, the positive aspects outweigh the negatives.”

…the significance of this upcoming fixture: “The game against Union already felt like something of a final, and tomorrow is no different. After that, we’re halfway through the season and we have another 17 finals. Tomorrow isn’t make-or-break either – it’s a marathon, not a sprint. However, we can’t waste any time to start winning games.”

...the matchup with direct rivals Heidenheim: “It’s difficult to say what kind of game we need to set ourselves up for tomorrow. I think it will be an evenly-matched affair between two compact teams. The finer points, like set pieces, can be decisive in this kind of situation. We have a quality in this respect. It’s going to be a hard-fought battle, it’s not always easy to play football at this time of year. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how we pick up points, just that we do it.”

...the opponents’ style of play: “They’ve got great character as a side. They don’t let up for a single second until the final whistle blows. They’ve scored six goals in the last 15 minutes of play this season. They’re flexible in how they operate and how they approach games, they’re compact and want to threaten from out wide.”

...lessons from his first few weeks in the job: “We’ve developed a real sense of stability over the last few matches and put in solid performances. We can hold onto those positives and build on it, but it also sets a minimum level that we have to be up to. I can’t take all the pressure off of anyone. It’s going to be another tight game tomorrow, another battle. We need to try absolutely everything over the 90 minutes, we can’t do any more than that.”

...the squad situation: “It looks more or less as it did on the weekend. Silas has trained with the team, although tomorrow is just a bit too early for him to be involved. Weiper is ill, and so he won’t be available.”