Hej dà¥, Pelle!

Pelle, you just said a very personal goodbye to the team. How hard will it be for you to leave these familiar and comfortable surroundings?

Leaving has hit me hard. I talked about it with my wife yesterday and said to her that I knew it wouldn't be easy. But when I saw the boys again, it became really difficult to find the right words. It's definitely the most difficult speech I've ever given.

3 years at 1899 Hoffenheim are behind you now. What has made your time at the club special?

I had an outstanding time, in which I have been able to meet so many incredible people. This club will always be close to my heart and I look forward to returning when I get the chance.

Which memories will you be taking with you?

Winning promotion to the Bundesliga was definitely the high point of my time here. When I arrived at Hoffenheim I never imagined things would progress so quickly. We made history with our success and our positive and enthusiastic style of football.

What was it that ultimately led you to turn you back on Hoffeneheim and move to Nürnberg?

The reasons were purely sport related. From my perspective I have a better chance of playing football at Nürnberg. I would never have left Hoffenheim if I believed I had a chance to play regular football. I'm confident it was the right decision and that I will be able to enjoy myself in Nürnberg.

With both you and Timo Hildebrand leaving the club has lost two big personalities. Who do you see stepping into your shoes to take a lead role at the club?

One candidate for the position would be Sejad Salihovic. He has been through all the high and lows that this club has experienced and has created a fantastic relationship with the club. Tobias Weis is also a possible choice for the same reasons. The other three to watch out for would be Marvin Compper, Andreas Beck and Christian Eichner. I reckon that the responsibility has to be spread across a number of players instead of one individual.