Stanislawski: “There's a lot of anticipation surrounding us”

Holger Stanislawski about...

... the training facilities in Zuzenhausen:

When you're driving down the street and you see the layout I was thinking: it looks good, this could work (laughs). Then you enter the main building, where you're completely taken care of. Every single employee gave us a warm welcome and that makes it that much easier for us to be open around them in return. The training facilities are optimal for a football club it makes you want to lie down on the grass and just stroke it. In certain areas of the training ground we'd most likely get lost if we weren't with someone. Conditions like these are not normal and they have to be appreciated and that's what we expect from each of the players.

... the reception from the fans:

We were pleasantly surprised and felt honoured to have been welcomed so warmly. We immediately took the opportunity to exchange a few words with the fans and we got the impression that there was a lot of anticipation surrounding us. Naturally, we've got to meet their expectations. We want to take the fans with us and inspire them with our style of football.

... the first impressions of the club:

Over the past few days we've taken the time to meet with each of the players on a one-to-one basis, we've talked with the coaching staff and the scouts to address everything we could while we were at the training centre. We had quite a packed schedule and won't be booking a holiday anytime soon. However, along with all the positive stress that's been created, we can feel the anticipation surrounding the club. The next few days will be intense, as we try and get to know everything and everyone involved with this club. We're definitely looking forward to the task and hope that we can all move this club forward together.

... the current squad and their performance this season:

There's a lot of individual ability within this squad, but the setbacks they've suffered have made them wobble and doubt themselves instead of bringing them together as a team. They were the better team in a lot of the matches they played this season, especially on a football level. We want to get to a point where they can play with self-belief until the final minutes, so that we can actually utilise their individual qualities. We gained valuable personal insight during the interviews we held and despite their being a lot of positives; we're looking to put our own touch on proceedings.

... Holger Stanislawski

The work is going to be intense, but it'll be a pleasure and we'll have fun while we're do it. In front of the players I will conduct myself in a business-like manner, sometimes quietly, but I can be loud if necessary. Those of us within the coaching staff have a lot of fun doing our job and we're looking to convey that to the players and set an example for them. I reckon that this club also brought me in for, among other things, being able to be the crazy coach from Hamburg!