Fischer: “It’s about going back to the basics now”

Urs Fischer was officially revealed as the new head coach of 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Sunday and wasted no time in getting to work. Just a day later, he’d already taken charge of his first training session and held his first press conference alongside board member for sport and communications Christian Heidel. Mainz’s new boss seemed relaxed, in good spirits and full of positive anticipation ahead of what proves to be a challenging job. “Thank you to everyone at Mainz 05 who placed their trust in me and had the feeling that I was the right person for the job at this time,” said Fischer. Heidel once again emphasised that the club didn’t want to bring in an exact copy of Bo Henriksen, while also noting that the arrival of Urs Fischer was “a win for Mainz 05”.

“I spoke to Urs for the first time last Tuesday. We got to know each other and I was quite open and honest with him about the situation we find ourselves in. My initial feeling was that we had good chemistry. The day after the Gladbach game, we spoke with him and his management again and found a way for us to work together. We then met in person for the first time on Sunday, sorted out the contract and got all the documents signed,” said Heidel on the events of the past few days.

Urs Fischer on...

...his decision to choose Mainz: “Football is never easy. A change of coach often happens when things aren’t going well during the season. You just have to accept some situations as they are. For me, it’s important for a job to really appeal to me, which I made clear. Niko and Christian convinced me that this was the right opportunity for me.”

...the job he’s taken on: “It’s a relegation battle. We're six points off safety, which we'll obviously have to make up. There are still 21 games left and a lot of points up for grabs. The club knows and has been through these situations before though. That’s still no guarantee that things will go so well this time around. We just have to stay focused, reflect and do our jobs.”

...his first impressions of his new squad: “I got a good impression of the lads in my first training session, as well as on Friday when I watched the Gladbach game on TV. The team have tried everything and the fact that a lot of things didn’t work is down to the situation. Just the effort they put in deserved a point. Everyone was focused in training today and tried to implement what we asked of them. Obviously, not everything always goes to plan, but we accept that. We know we’re in a difficult situation. We have to keep going despite that, even if something goes wrong.”

...the squad: “The vast majority of the squad was part of the one that finished sixth last season and fought a long battle for a Champions League spot. They can’t have forgotten how to play football. It’s all to do with the results and the tricky situation they find themselves in. This is why I expect more from the experienced players when it comes to leading the way.”

...possible tactical changes: “I’m still being a bit cautious when it comes to the tactical changes I’ll make, as I don’t want to overwhelm the guys. We’ll start with the little things. We’ve already taken a step in the right direction today just on how we’re going to move around the pitch. I’m not going to change too much to begin with and will not be going with a back four for the time being. The boys need to play the way they know at the moment. Bringing in a completely new system takes time.”

...how he likes to play football: “The situation means it’s about going back to the basics now. I played against Mainz a couple of times when I was head coach at Union. We never enjoyed playing each other, as the two clubs are very similar in terms of their principles. Both clubs are all about being tough and relentless. Long balls are also a recurring theme. We’re focusing now on just nailing the basics.”

...his squad’s performances: “The boys aren’t too far off from what I saw in training today. But I’m not going to make comparisons with any of my predecessors. What I asked the boys to do today, they implemented well.”

...the upcoming opponents: “I’ve got the Poznan game in mind. We’ll do our analysis afterwards and then turn our attention to the Bayern game. I’ve already told the lads that. They need to take things game by game. The next game is the most important one and the one we want to prepare for as best we can. We don’t have much time to recover, but that’s just how it is in football.”

...the development of younger players: “First and foremost, it’s up to the experienced players to lead by example. Something’s gone wrong if we’re holding the youngsters responsible for things. But there’s always the chance for younger, hungrier players to make their mark in situations such as this. If the players make a good impression during the week then they’ll get their chances. At some point, you do have to just throw them in at the deep end.”

...his coaching staff: “Markus Hoffmann is my assistant coach. We’ve worked together before in Basel. Sebastian Podsiadly is here as well, who I know from my time at Union. It’s important to have people around just to make communication quicker and easier. They both know how I work and know exactly what I want in terms of analysis as well as the principles I want to implement. It’s important to bring staff with us. Michael Silberbauer will stay on as an assistant coach. The coaching team will work, I’m sure of it.”

...his own character: “It’s always difficult to describe yourself. I’d say that I’m down-to-earth, authentic and pragmatic. There won’t be any fireworks - that’s not my style. It’s important to be authentic as a coach.”