FIRST TEAM
09/08/2016

Oliver Baumann: “We have to be more aggressive”

There's no doubting that Oliver Baumann is the TSG number 1. The keeper started the season against Leipzig with a brilliant performance and the 26-year old is set to make his 200th Bundesliga appearance against FSV Mainz 05 on Sunday. This was reason enough for achtzehn99.de to get the chance to chat with him…

 

Oli, you are set to make your 200th Bundesliga appearances. What does this number mean to you?

Oliver Baumann: It’s a small milestone in my career. By winning promotion to the Bundesliga and qualifying for the Europa league I’ve already achieved and experienced quite a lot. I hope I can add to my number of appearances and if I carry on like this I will.

Can you remember your first match?

Baumann: Very well in fact. I won 3-1 playing for SC Freiburg under Robin Dutt against Borussia Dortmund. It was the 34th match of the season and neither team really had anything to play for. At the time I was still second-choice goalkeeper behind Simon Pouplin. I got to play on the last day of the season. I was really nervous but it went well and we won the match.

When did you realise that you had established yourself at Bundesliga level?

Baumann: To start with I was second-choice goalkeeper for one and a half years. I observed the other goalkeepers a lot during the matches and always said to myself: “I’m also good enough to play in the Bundesliga like them.” I worked really hard to get where I am and was also lucky to gain the manager’s trust. I’m very grateful for that. I got there gradually and now I’m first-choice goalkeeper.

Who is better – the Oliver Baumann from the 2010/11 season or the Oliver Baumann of today?

Baumann: Of course today’s version is clearly better. Through the many games I've played, I've learnt a lot and I've also become more relaxed on and off the pitch. You learn a thing or two from having experienced so many games.

If you had to name a high and a low point of your career so far, which ones would you name?

Baumann: The highlight would be reaching the Europa League with SC Freiburg. How we played that season was incredible, even though we were knocked out in the first round. I can’t really name a particular low point. I've obviously had a few tough games in which I haven’t played well and it’s also not easy to play in relegation battles. But these situations make you stronger. I’m happy that I haven’t had a particularly bad low point.

Many players have been away on international duty, how does this change your training as a goalkeeper?

Baumann: For us goalkeepers it doesn’t really matter how many players are away on international duty but sometimes one of us keepers has to play outfield in a training match. The goalkeeper training in this period is harder; we do more jumping, more exercises for the legs. As a result, we get stronger for the next few games.

On Sunday you're up against Mainz, what do you expect from the game?

Baumann: I think we have to be ready for an aggressive game but I also believe it has to be aggressive. What I mean by this is that in comparison to the encounter with Leipzig, we’ll have to step it up a notch. When we have to ball, we should try to be more composed. Away from home, I hope we put in a good performance and bag our first three points of the season.

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