Tietz: “You could see how much it meant to everyone”

The 05ers were rock bottom of the Bundesliga when Phillip Tietz joined Mainz at the start of January. Since then, FSV have put together an outstanding run and a remarkable fightback. Last Sunday, FSV celebrated securing Bundesliga survival with two matchdays to spare after their win away at FC St. Pauli. Tietz played a major role in that, scoring the opener and producing a strong all-round performance. In this interview, the centre-forward discusses the well-earned celebrations, the second half of the season, his own record and his special relationship with the fans.

Hi Phillip, the win away at FC St. Pauli secured Bundesliga survival with games to spare. Did you celebrate it properly?

“The celebrations were definitely intense. They started on the pitch after the final whistle, then carried on in the dressing room, at the airport, on the plane, on the bus and in Mainz late into the night. I think we’d thoroughly earned it, though. A lot of pressure fell away from us, and moments like that are part of football. We then had two days to recover properly.”

What has stood out about you as a team over the past few months, both on and off the pitch?

“To be honest, I still can’t really understand how the first half of the season happened. There’s so much quality in this team, and the people here are outstanding too. We’re all pulling in the same direction and we work as a team. Then there’s the coaching staff, the whole backroom team – everyone has worked brilliantly together. This group feels like a little family to me. You could see it in people’s faces, just how much it meant to everyone to finally get it done with two games still to play. That was when it really hit us that we’ve had an outstanding few months. We can definitely be proud of that.”

Did the St. Pauli game sum up what this team has been about over the past few months?

“Yes, and our coach Urs Fischer and his coaching team deserve huge credit for that. We have a lot to thank them for. You could see the coach’s ideas straight away. He has got his approach across to us in a way that we could quickly understand and put into practice. That’s why it has worked so well. Everyone knows what they have to do on the pitch because the coaching team work on it with us constantly and in real detail.”

"Urs Fischer is the best coach I've ever worked with"

When you signed for Mainz, we were bottom of the table. What made you so sure at the time that Mainz 05 was the right place for you?

“I’m someone who often goes with my gut. The feeling was really good and I immediately wanted to come here. I was convinced by the quality in the squad. It was only a matter of time before everything clicked. Urs Fischer had also come in as the new coach – someone I see as a Bundesliga legend, someone everyone knows and someone who does a brilliant job. I can now say that he’s the best coach I’ve ever worked with.”

There must have been a certain amount of pressure on you as the player brought in to strengthen the attack. Is that something you thrive on?

“I’ve been in the professional game for ten years now, so I know what it’s about. Maybe that means I can deal with it better than someone younger. I knew what kind of move I was making and what the expectations would be, but I tried to block that out. I’m probably a bit mad in a good way and I can settle in quickly, but the team deserve real credit too. They’ve made me feel welcome from day one, and that allowed me to be myself very quickly.”

How satisfied are you with your own return at Mainz so far, with four goals and three assists?

“To be honest, I’m not entirely satisfied. I could easily have scored two or three more. Maybe that’s down to the six months before, when I barely played at all. The positive thing is that I’m getting into the right positions and having chances. I also know I can score more goals, and I feel like I’m slowly finding my rhythm again. But I still enjoy it even when I don’t score, as long as I can help the team. I look forward to every single game because I’m up for it. I’m sure there are plenty more goals to come.”

But the coach and your teammates surely don’t judge your value to the team on goals alone.

“Everyone has spoken to me a lot about that. I’m very meticulous when it comes to my game, but I also know it’s not just about scoring goals. It’s about working for the team and throwing yourself into every challenge. One of my strengths is flicking balls on and holding them up. I also think I read the game well enough to bring my teammates into play. The important thing is that we win our games. If I can help the team by holding the ball up, flicking it on, setting up a goal or playing the pass before the assist, then that’s enough for me as long as we pick up points. If I can add a goal on top of that, all the better.”

"We give everything over the 90 minutes too, but with the fans it’s about so much more than just those 90 minutes"

Was last Sunday one of your strongest performances over the past few months?

“Looking back at all the games, I’d say yes. The match away against Hoffenheim, when I scored twice, was great too. But St. Pauli had everything – winning at the Millerntor, staying up and my own performance. That made it a really special day.”

You haven’t just shown your value on the pitch – you’ve also led by example as a person, interacting with the fans and often stressing how much their support means. Why is that important to you?

“For me, part of it is treating every person with respect – saying hello to people, for example. Those are basic values I was brought up with, and I think everyone should have them. The fans give up so much time and even take holiday to watch a Conference League game. They spend six hours travelling by train, they get up at four in the morning. Of course, that’s part of a brilliant community too, but ultimately they do it for us and for the club. I think you should always keep the fans in mind and appreciate everything they put in. They’re standing or sitting in the stands, making noise and all they want is for us to win. We give everything over the 90 minutes too, but for the fans it’s about so much more than just those 90 minutes. That’s why I enjoy that connection with them, and I want to give something back through wins, but also by speaking to them.”

You’ve also had your first taste of European football with Mainz 05. What was that like for you?

“Those were incredible experiences. When I moved here, I didn’t think for a second about Mainz 05 playing in the Conference League. It only really sank in afterwards. I never thought I’d still get the chance to play in Europe in my career, so I’m very grateful to have had that experience and to be able to tell my children about it one day. It’s a very, very special feeling.”

The final home game of the season is coming up. What’s the aim against Union?

“Above all, it’s about thanking the fans again with a win. We’ll do everything we can to take all three points and end the final home game on a positive note, so that we can celebrate together afterwards. We’ve still got two games left, and we want to win both of them.”