Fanshop
Kevin Vogt: "Ready to push on with the team!"
Hello Kevin, what’s your overall verdict on the year 2017?
Kevin Vogt: "We can be satisfied with what we’ve achieved in 2017, even though I don’t really like the word “satisfied”, because there’s always room for more. We have achieved a lot as a team; it was an extraordinary year. Last season was my first at Hoffenheim and for it to go as well as it did is fantastic. The highlights followed this season in the shape of those two Champions League qualifiers against Liverpool. The Europa League was also a great experience, even though, on the whole, we weren’t good enough to get through the group stage. 2017 was a year of positives with a few learning curves and I will look back on it with great fondness.
Christmas and New Year are behind us now. How did you spend the holidays?
Vogt: "In the first few days I just switched off and enjoyed my surroundings: I was lucky enough to get to Mexico with my girlfriend and her parents where I spent Christmas and the rest of the holidays. I had a wonderful Christmas on the beach in the sun. After a few days I started to look back on the previous months and it brought a smile to my face, much more than any feelings of sadness. Despite our Europa League exit, we’re looking good at seventh in the Bundesliga, considering the regular three-game weeks, which are unfamiliar to us.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
Vogt: "When you see how we dropped the odd point here and there in the run-in to the winter break, there are definitely aspects of our game we wish to improve on for the second half of the season. In the Bundesliga, the DFB Pokal and the Europa League, we’ve fallen short a few times, but that’s normal. We want to be choppier in future and start winning these games. Despite being on the right track, we’re not a top team yet, but we do have the potential to be one. We have to put these qualities on display more often. The silver lining of our DFB Pokal and Europa League exit, is that we can now focus week in, week out on the Bundesliga games, I am very ambitious, and itching to play football after the holiday. I’m pumped to start pushing on with my team!"
Was it nice to see the lads after your holiday?
Vogt: "Of course it was! We get along very well here and kept in touch over the holidays as well, sent each other pictures from the various holiday destinations and wished each other a Merry Christmas. We’re about much more than just playing together on the pitch, I really enjoy the lads’ company. Two weeks’ holiday was perfect, but now I am definitely pleased to see the team again."
What are your thoughts on the very short preparation time? Would you rather have gone to a training camp?
Vogt: "Given the conditions here at our training centre in Zuzenhausen, the best thing for us is to prepare locally. Our first game back against Werder Bremen is not far off at all (13th January 2018, 15:30 CET). After this first week of training we’ll be back to “normal” in preparation for Bremen. For this reason, I think it’s a good thing that we’ve stayed here, I’m glad."
Excitement for the tasks ahead?
Vogt: "Wir sollten immer ein Tor mehr schießen, als der Gegner. (lacht) Ich glaube, Vogt: "We should always score one more than the opposition (laughs). I think it’s normal that these dips in form are more frequent and that we’ve not been playing at our best due to the midweek games which we’re not used to. So I’m happy to now be able to work towards maintaining a high standard in all our games. If we do that we will have an excellent second half of the season – I’m sure."
