Torsten Frings and Per Mertesacker both have years of experience with the German national team. Frings is Werder captain and "Merte" is his deputy, and the current situation is new for them both. Therefore both leaders have come up with one goal: to correct as quickly as possible the current table standing. "What's important is to improve our situation," said Frings. "Having a sound year, calling up good performances and moving up as quickly as possible - that has priority now," said the 34-year-old. "We are looking forward and don't want to look back anymore," added Mertesacker. Both players are putting everything else aside to achieve the goal while also pushing their teammates. "Every individual just has to think about the team now and put his ego on hold. We need players who are on the same track," said Frings. "Everyone has understood that we need to do things better."
"What's important is that we have a good feeling going into the second half. That is not only being conveyed but also experienced," said Mertesacker. Frings agrees with this view. "I sense that we are working concentrated and intensively here. Everybody is pushing each other and we want to bring each other forward," said Frings. Both Frings and Mertesacker know they will play a special role in the build-up. "I have seen positive signals until now, but we have to continually ask ourselves what we can do better and where we can do certain things. Therefore I am also trying in training as well to point out certain things, to coach and urge on my teammates. It is very important that that takes place on the pitch. Afterwards is too late," said Mertesacker.
But it is not yet too late to have a good end to the season. "We can still impact everything ourselves," said Merte. "But we have to try to get points from the very start." And Frings is convinced that the first success can come straight away against Hoffenheim. "Here in Belek, we mostly concentrated on playing football since we really didn't lose too much strength in the short break. Things are clearly much more fluid, the passing game is working much better again and everyone knows that we can do things better," said Frings.
Everyone hopes that can start with a victory to start the second half against Hoffenheim. "Naturally that would be best for us and we are working towards that. Our goal has to be being top fit on 15 January," said Frings.