Rose returns with Bournemouth: “There’s already plenty of Mainz 05 in this team”

Marco Rose is back in Mainz, this time as head coach of AFC Bournemouth, who finished sixth in last season’s Premier League and will compete in the UEFA Europa League. Ahead of Saturday’s friendly between his new club and Mainz 05’s first-team squad at the MEWA ARENA (15:30, tickets available in the online shop), held as part of the Mainz 05 season opening weekend (all information here), the 49-year-old discusses his first few weeks in England, the parallels between Bournemouth and Mainz 05, and the challenges of international football. Above all, however, it becomes clear just how closely Rose, who played for FSV from 2002 to 2011, remains connected to the Rhineland-Palatinate state capital: his daughter was born in Mainz, he still has many friends in the city, and he describes the period in which Mainz first won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2004 as the best time of his playing career.

“We want to maintain intense, active football”

What particularly appealed to you about the Bournemouth job?

Rose: I had a good feeling from the start with the people I spoke to, and then of course with the team as well. I looked at them, watched them play and saw what they bring onto the pitch: intensity, desire, mentality, but also quality. With Junior Kroupi, for example, who is unfortunately injured, we have a top talent. In Rayan, we have a player who was involved at the World Cup, and in Alex Scott a young player who unfortunately cannot travel because of a suspension. On top of that, there are some good, experienced lads. This combination of quality and intensity very quickly got me excited about the club.

What should Bournemouth under Marco Rose stand for in the future?

Rose: We want to continue the way of playing that the club has stood for up to now. I think that is also why Bournemouth decided to bring me in. We want to maintain this intense, active football. We may adjust a few structural things in our game. The big challenge will be that we are now playing internationally and therefore have even more matches. That is something Mainz and all clubs playing internationally for the first time know about. It will be a big challenge, but one we are happy to take on. In the end, it is always about managing ambitions and expectations as well as possible.

“For me, it was the best time of my playing career”

On Saturday, you travel to Mainz for the friendly. What does it mean to you to come back here?

Rose: It is always nice. I’m looking forward to it and I always enjoy coming back to Mainz. My daughter was born here. I had the best time of my playing career at Mainz 05, and I still have contacts and friends there. That’s why I’m always happy to return.

Are you still in touch with former companions from that time?

Rose: Irregularly with Kuhni (Stephan Kuhnert, Mainz 05 goalkeeping coach, editor’s note), Walter Notter, Darius Salbert, Christian Heidel and the team from back then. For example, Niklas Weiland, Dimo Wache or Fabian Gerber, who is now in Erfurt. I’m still in touch with the lads from time to time. It was a special period.

Goosebumps at Bruchweg

You made almost 200 competitive appearances for Mainz 05’s first and second teams. How did the club and the city of Mainz shape Marco Rose, both as a person and as a footballer?

Rose: I became a father in this city. As a team, we celebrated endlessly. Mainz was special: Carnival, losing games, it didn’t matter — we went out and wanted to win the next match again. We wanted it badly, we were ambitious and we were excited about the club, the city and the people. And the people were excited about us. That was the time when everything started to explode a little and grow. When I played my first game, the old opposite stand was still there. The main stand was being built, and we were still changing in a small little building. Then came the stands behind the goals, the corners were closed. Bruchweg always gave me goosebumps. The relationship with the people in the city was always special. That is why, for me, it was the best time of my playing career.

What setbacks teach you in life

You experienced the disappointment of missing out on promotion in 2003, before helping Mainz 05 achieve their first Bundesliga promotion one year later. Do those experiences still help you as a coach today?

Rose: Yes, of course. That is part of life too. And those were setbacks that you could hardly explain. In the first year, it was one point, although I wasn’t there yet. In the second year, it was one goal. And then you go up with 53 points. Of course, you take that with you in life and keep reminding yourself of it. You learn how to deal with setbacks. You also learn to appreciate good moments, titles or something special that you have achieved. And yet, of course, we all know how the business works. As a coach, I have now been able to experience that once or twice as well.

“You have to stay true to yourself”

Did you realise early on that coaching could be your path? At Mainz, you initially started as a playing assistant with the U23s, before your journey took you through RB Salzburg, Mönchengladbach, Dortmund and Leipzig to the Premier League.

Rose: I definitely wanted to stay in football, but not in an office. I wanted to be out on the pitch, and I enjoyed that. Back then, I was already coaching the Baku brothers in school training. And then I went my way step by step. Mainz 05, of course, helped me along that path.

You have worked under many coaches. What did you take from them?

Rose: I had really good coaches. Everywhere you go, you look around a little and take something with you. But then it is important that you also learn the job from the ground up, take your steps, make mistakes and get things right. In the end, I think the most important thing is always that you stay true to yourself and remain authentic.