Philipp Ochs: "I love playing football"

Hello Philipp, you have just returned to TSG after the European U19 Championship. What did you think of the tournament?

Philipp Ochs: It was an amazing tournament. The stadiums were sold out at every game and the atmosphere was great. Clearly we wanted to do better from a sporting perspective at the tournament but we still managed to achieve our minimum aim. We came back well after our defeats in the first two matches and were able to qualify for the U20 World Cup in South Korea.

What stopped you from achieving more?

Ochs: We didn’t convert enough of our goalscoring opportunities – especially in the game against Italy. We made too many careless mistakes against Portugal which lead to us conceding. We were quite often not purposeful enough. Those were the main reasons.

The tournament was a successful one for you personally. What have you taken back to Hoffenheim from it?

Ochs: I played 90 minutes or more in four matches so I feel very fit. I want to take this freshness into the training camp and give a good account of myself.

Pre-season and a European Championship – When have you managed to have some down time?

Ochs: I didn’t have any holiday really. I had school exams following the end of the season and then it was the European U19 Championship and now I am back with Hoffenheim. I didn’t do any sport during my exams and that was good because I passed and have now got my qualification.

How do you feel physically at the moment?

Ochs: I feel fit at the moment. I have to make sure that I use the recovery periods well so I don’t encounter any problems. However I hope and think that it won’t happen.

And mentally – you are still up for playing or would a couple of days of rest not go amiss?

Ochs: I love playing football. I am massively excited that I am back with the team and I can’t wait for the training camp. I would like to show what I can do here now.

How difficult is it to join up with the team in the middle of pre-season?

Ochs: I don’t think it was a disadvantage for me. I was working hard throughout the European Championship and I reckon that the training schedule there was just as hard as the one the players have had to follow here. I have simply had to carry on doing what I was doing.