Werder’s vice captain Per Mertesacker is set to play centre back for the German national team at the 2010 World Cup. After the first 24 hours in South Africa, he took questions...
Werder’s vice captain Per Mertesacker is set to play centre back for the German national team at the 2010 World Cup. After the first 24 hours in South Africa, he took questions...
Werder’s vice captain Per Mertesacker is set to play centre back for the German national team at the 2010 World Cup. After the first 24 hours in South Africa, he took questions from media members at the German Football Federation’s official press conference. WERDER.DE wrote down the most important notes. Here is Part Two of his comments.
One of the players who will face you in the match against Australia is Joshua Kennedy, someone who is known in Germany from his stops in Wolfsburg, Stuttgart, Cologne, Dresden and Karlsruhe. Have you ever dealt with him on the pitch?
Yeah, I know him and have my experiences. Though I cannot remember any particular matches. I also don’t know if I played against him during my Bremen or Hannover times. He is a robust player who is good in the air and is tough in the area.
Many teams are playing with just one striker and three offensive midfielders. What does that mean for you as defender?
That is correct. That seemed to be the model of success already at Euro 2008. Back then we did some switching here and there. It gave us more stability and gave us defenders more players to pass to in the midfield. It can be a weapon too if someone like Mesut Özil can rush forward from this area with a lot of tempo.
Is it then easier to defend against only one striker?
You can’t really say that. It is even more dangerous for a centre back because the other teams take advantage of that just like we do. The midfielders are also coming at you with a lot of speed. You cannot get pulled out too early.
The star of Australia’s team is Tim Cahill of FC Everton. You scored against him two years ago in a test match with Werder – a 2-2 draw in Goodison Park. Is that a good omen?
Tim Cahill has gotten a lot of great experience in England over the past few years. He has really developed. The game will go through him. If we can keep him busy then we have a good chance of winning. We have to mark him closely and not let him get into open space. It will be tough enough though. He is very agile and very dangerous in front of goal.
For you it seems that Australia is a team that has a special meaning. Your first opponent in your first big tournament was Australia, where you also scored your first goal. But would you be satisfied again with a 4-3 victory?
We want to start with a victory. Of course as a centre back you don’t want to allow so many goals. But it was a strange game. I even scored. I believe I would do everything the same if I had my choice.
Your former Bremen team-mate Miro Klose would also like to recapture some of his old days as he has been struggling. How do you see his situation? He has seemed more confident of late.
We all support one another. Miro is a very experienced player at the World Cup. He can estimate himself the best. I have full faith in his comments. I am looking forward to seeing what he can do. The team absolutely supports him.
