Schultz: "It was terrible having to sit idly by and watch"
Friday, 10. December 2021, 13:28 Uhr
The boss is back! After a fortnight self-isolating at home, Timo Schultz made his first appearance at the Kollau on Friday morning to take a host of questions from the media before returning to the training ground.
Timo Schultz on...
...possible changes to the side: "We've made a few changes in the last few weeks but the way we play football remained the same. We have some really good alternatives pushing for a place in the starting lineup, such as Maximilian Dittgen up front. Etienne Amenyido is making up for lost time and for Finn Ole Becker not to be on the pitch from the start is a luxury. In defence, Jakov Medić is knocking on the door again despite having to wear a mask. Basically, our setup stays the same, partly because the lads have played consistently well and earned the trust of the coaching team as a result, though I'm not ruling out one or two changes against Düsseldorf."
...his state of health: "I feel good. I haven't slept this much in 16 years since the birth of my first daughter. I don't know where I got infected, it's just speculation. We're as careful as we can be here at the Kollau, but the numbers are going up and me and someone else in the camp were the ones who got it. That's how it goes, unfortunately. We're still taking care to keep the contacts to a minimum and comply with the hygiene rules as best we can.
...quarantining at home for 14 days: "I was barricaded in my room and lived there the whole time. I watched a lot of television and a lot of football. I watched our games, of course, but I don't want to have to do that again. It was terrible having to sit idly by and watch. I sweated buckets, not because I was ill but because I was urging the lads on. It was a lot tougher mentally than healthwise. I had a cold for two or three days, but the symptoms were very mild because I'm vaccinated. I'm glad it's over now and I'm allowed out again. Back in freedom, I took my daughter Frieda to school this morning. I took a deep breath and am just glad to be back to normal. Fortunately, my family came through OK, though my kids were also in quarantine at first. We were very careful and no one got infected. It wasn't a good time for any of us, but we wanted to prevent the kids from catching it. We tried to make the best of it and are glad it's over."
...the games against Nürnberg and Schalke: "It was hard for me not being able to come to training and have to watch the games without being involved. I made a list of positives and negatives and the only positive thing when you watch at home is that you can go to the toilet during the game (he laughs). Just about everything else is unbearable."
...opponents Fortuna Düsseldorf: "They have a very experienced second division squad with lots of really good players. I think it'll be a meeting of equals. They haven't really got going yet this season and are still looking for what's right for them. They played very at Darmstadt last time out and deservedly won 3-1. Winning there is anything but easy, as we know to our cost. They'll definitely be out to trip us up as well."
Photos: Witters
