Rosen: "I believe we're very well-positioned"
Alexander, there was quite a lot going on behind the scenes, once again, at the end of the winter transfer window. Lots of work for you, how would you rate the outcome?
"Very positive. We were able to bring in Jacob Bruun Larsen from Borussia Dortmund, which is an excellent signing. But, for other players who haven't had as many chances recently, we were also able to find good solutions for them to get game time again and, through that, give them a new path for their own development. The transfer window is ideal for exactly this type of thing. You need to analyse and then adjust. What isn't quite working, how can we organise ourselves more efficiently, and what can we do to create the best possible conditions for our current squad?"
The transfer window isn't limited to just "Deadline Day", however, and TSG were already working on shaping the squad during the winter break.
"I always stress that squad planning is dynamic and always on-going. We work on our development meticulously, on and off the pitch. I believe we're very well-positioned. In Munas Dabbur, we were able to sign a top-class striker from Sevilla who is known and sought after across Europe. At the same time, Kevin Akpoguma has signed a long-term extension until 2024. He's a strong character who has been with us since the U23s and has developed into a solid Bundesliga defender. On top of that, we were able to agree a long-term deal with Ilay Elmkies, a highly talented graduate from the academy, and have found a top-quality solution to our goalkeeping problems in Michael Esser, as we've sometimes found ourselves with three injured 'keepers. We also found good opportunities, however, to keep the squad at a desirable size."
After such a hectic Friday, is the manager even happier to take his place in the PreZero Arena at 15:30 CET on Saturday for our game against Leverkusen?
"I'm always really looking forward to our games, regardless of the hectic closing stages of the transfer window (laughs). But seriously, I have great confidence in our team. They work hard with the coaching staff every day and display tremendous fitness and mentality on the pitch. This is clear from just a glance at the statistics: Almost half of our goals have come in the final 15 minutes – that's the highest in the league!"
With the visit of Leverkusen comes some familiar faces: Kevin Volland, Kerem Demirbay, Nadiem Amiri and Ramazan Özcan. Does that add some particular excitement to the game?
"It certainly doesn't happen every day and, naturally, we're happy to welcome the guys back. We had an amazing time together, during which the players gave everything for the success the team shared. So, I hope that the crowd gives the players an appropriately fair and friendly reception. I believe that Kerem and the others deserve to always be treated respectfully by Hoffenheim fans and hope it can be accepted that footballers will, at certain points in their relatively short careers, seek new challenges. That being said, both the team and the fans will go into the game full of confidence, aiming to win, and won't be looking to do our guests any favours."