Tietz: “My attitude is always the same”

On Saturday, things come full circle for Phillip Tietz in more ways than one. Mainz’s new signing heads to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei with FSV to begin the fightback in the relegation battle against 1. FC Union Berlin (15:30 CET) – the very place where he scored his first goal in professional football almost ten years ago. Back in March 2016, an 18-year-old Tietz, then playing for his boyhood club Eintracht Braunschweig, netted the equaliser. “I quite like scoring against Union,” the now 28-year-old smiled when speaking to the press on Wednesday.

Tietz has been at Mainz 05 since the start of training on 2nd January, having previously been on the books at FC Augsburg this season. “It honestly feels like I’ve been here since the start of the campaign,” he said, paying tribute to his new teammates, who have welcomed him warmly and even helped him find somewhere to live. “I’m having a lot of fun so far, but I’m also a very open person,” he added – something that has made settling in easier.

Keeping the bigger picture in mind

Tietz is full of excitement and anticipation about the challenge of the relegation fight. “It annoys me that it’s only Wednesday,” he admitted. Ideally, he’d already be on the way to Berlin with the team to “show a different side to themselves compared to the first half of the season”. He doesn’t feel any extra pressure, though, and believes that would be the wrong approach. “There’s a lot of quality in this squad, and in the end it doesn’t matter who scores the goals,” he said. “Of course I want to contribute with goals or assists, but also with the way I play. If we get ourselves out of trouble and I don’t score a single goal, then so be it. I’m looking at the bigger picture – I want us to be successful as a team.”

Whether or not he starts against Union Berlin on Saturday isn’t the most important thing for the Braunschweig native. “I’m just looking forward to the task ahead and to helping the team. Whether it’s five minutes, or maybe 70 or 90 – that doesn’t change how much I give. It’s not the deciding factor in whether I give 100% or only 70. That’s what the Mainz fans can expect from me. I never drop my head, I always give everything and try to do as well as I can. Sometimes things go really well, sometimes they don’t – but my attitude is always the same. I’ll give everything,” Tietz stressed.

A presence in the box

After working under Sandro Wagner and Manuel Baum in Augsburg, Mainz head coach Urs Fischer is already the third boss Tietz has played for this season. The striker spoke of Fischer’s “certain aura” when describing his first impressions. “He’s a coach who’s had a lot of success in his career, but has still stayed approachable. You can always talk to him. He gives you a sense of security, of being in good hands. He communicates a lot with the team and is very specific tactically.”

The 1.90-metre forward has usually operated as a central striker throughout his career. “I know where the goal is, but I can also hold the ball up and lay it off,” he explained. Above all, he sees himself as a strong presence in the penalty area – where he’s scored most of his Bundesliga goals. “I know how to position myself and I communicate a lot with my teammates so that we can gel quickly on the pitch.” Who provides the final pass doesn’t matter to him. For Tietz, good chemistry on the pitch also depends on getting along off it – something he already feels is the case at FSV. “It’s a really nice phase right now. I have a very good feeling that something is developing here.”

Optimism all round

His first impressions of the city of Mainz have also been positive. “It’s beautiful and I’m already looking forward to Carnival. But before that, we have to deliver so that we can celebrate on Rosenmontag,” he said with a grin. With his optimism and positive mindset, Tietz wants to bring help everyone around him. The message is clear: draw a line under the first half of the season, look ahead, and rediscover the joy in what you do. “What’s happened has happened, you can’t change it now. So it’s full focus straight ahead, and things will work out. I’m completely confident, and I’m really excited about this challenge.”