The balancing act for Sebastian Prödl is no easy task. In Austria a star, in Bremen just the junior partner in an experienced back four. But the 21 year old is up to the challenge...
The balancing act for Sebastian Prödl is no easy task. In Austria a star, in Bremen just the junior partner in an experienced back four. But the 21 year old is up to the challenge...
The balancing act for Sebastian Prödl is no easy task. In Austria a star, in Bremen just the junior partner in an experienced back four. But the 21 year old is up to the challenge. For the historic win in Munich, the Bundesliga cracker against Hoffenheim and the point win in Milan, Prödl was involved on each occasion. WERDER.DE spoke to the young defender.
WERDER.DE: Hello Sebastian, you’ve had a similar start to the World Cup qualifiers with the national team as you experienced with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga - plenty of ups and downs! Have you weathered that well?
Sebastian Prödl: “On the whole, as I young player I can be satisfied. I came to Werder in order to play and gather experience in a strong league and on an international level. I’ve had more opportunities to do that so far than I expected to.”
Personally it’s gone well for you so far, from eleven competitive games you’ve taken part in nine.
Sebastian Prödl: “Yeah, but it could have been very different. In particular after Per Mertesacker returned, I thought that I would now need to be very patient - but that’s football! The trainer has had fate in me to play in a number of different positions and then came Per’s suspension. All that meant that there were not many long breaks for me.”
You are talking about the games against Bayern and in Milan when you somewhat surprisingly started in a wide position in the back four. Could that position prove a genuine alternative for you?
Sebastian Prödl: “The best position for me is still at the heart of the defence, but if the trainer considers me to have other strengths, then I’m happy to accept that. It’s real proof of the fate that he has in me. But I am realistic - I was just helping out as a full-back. When Clemens Fritz is fit, he is the better player in that position.”
Is it at all difficult to deal with the difference between being celebrated as a EURO-Hero in Austria and - let’s just say - being the junior partner in the experienced defensive body of Mertesacker/Naldo?
Sebastian Prödl: “I’m not putting any pressure on myself one way or the other. I don’t really take the headlines in Austria or the headlines in Bremen to heart. I like to make my own picture of the situation. That has always served me well until now.”
