"I want to give 100% day in, day out "

Jean-Manuel Mbom interview
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Jean-Manuel Mbom wants to persevere with SV Werder (Photo: nordphoto).
interview
Thursday, 20.08.2020 / 17:00

Jean-Manuel Mbom had an exciting time last season, although not with SV Werder Bremen. The 20-year-old has now returned to the club, having spent last season on loan at third-division side KFC Uerdingen.

WERDER.DE spoke with Jean-Manuel Mbom about his time with KFC Uerdingen and his aims for the new season.

 

WERDER.DE: Moin Manuel. It’s great that you’ve found time for an interview with WERDER.TV here in Zillertal.

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “I’m happy to be here.”

WERDER.DE: You already know Zillertal quite well, having been here before. How have the first few days been?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “Yeah, I was also here two years ago and it really impressed me. Firstly I wanted to get settled back in, now I want to give it my all and stay fit.”

WERDER.DE: You were only away for a year, yet a lot has changed around the team. How did it feel to return to the club and meet your new teammates?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “It was actually really easy. They’ve all welcomed me and taken me in so there were no issues at all. Right from day one when I entered the dressing room, everything was really relaxed. I already knew one or two of the lads from before.”

WERDER.DE: Let’s talk briefly about your loan spell at KFC Uerdingen. How did you follow Werder during your time away?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “I obviously used the Kicker app, and Sky too. I was rooting for them right to the end.”

WERDER.DE: How good has playing in the 3. Liga been for your development?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “It’s helped me develop in every way, especially away from the pitch. I picked up some really useful things from experienced players like Jan Kirchhoff, Dominic Maroh and Kevin Großkreutz. They are all well-respected names in football. When you’re playing by their side, they can give you some advice. As a person I have matured, and I think that this shows in training as well as in my general character.”

WERDER.DE: How important was it for you to get out of your comfort zone here in Bremen? You had to find your way with a new club, having spent a long time in the academy here.

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “For me it was extremely important to jump in at the deep end, and I reckon that it’s done me a lot of good. My aim was to compete for places and to establish myself in the team, something which I managed to do in the end - I had a really successful year. ”

WERDER.DE: Your time in Uerdingen was actually quite turbulent. There was a change of manager and a surprising amount of attention for a team in the third tier. How did you get through the situation?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “Honestly, it’s not easy to move as a young player - especially when you arrive in Uerdingen from Werder Bremen. That’s already a huge change, but I tried to focus on the basics. I concentrated on football, my own development, and giving it my all every day. I tried to switch off and ignore everything else.”

I want to help the team with my playing style, my aggression and my presence.
Jean-Manuel Mbom

WERDER.DE: Many of your Uerdingen teammates lived in Düsseldorf, yet you deliberately chose to live in Krefeld. Why did you decide to do this?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “If I’m honest, it was because of my past experiences here with Werder. In my first year here I went to boarding school in Bremen and had an apartment here. After this I had to get used to the new journey time, which meant that I had to wake up a bit earlier due to the traffic. I didn’t want to take any risks during my time with KFC, so I stayed in Krefeld. It was only a short trip to Düsseldorf if I wanted to go somewhere nice to eat. But I was primarily there to play football.”

WERDER.DE: You were in agreement with the Werder staff that a loan would be a good move for you. Can you describe why you felt that you had to take this step back?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “I wouldn’t describe it as a backwards step. I just think that it was a good move for me to show what I can do, and to convince the people at Werder that I am an option who can be relied on. I wanted to mature as a footballer and as a man, so I wouldn’t say that it was a detour or anything like that. It was an important step in my career.”

Jean-Manuel Mbom had the chance to show what he can do against Braunschweig and Linz (Photo: nordphoto).

WERDER.DE: You are now back with SV Werder Bremen. Frank Baumann and Florian Kohfeldt have said that you should persevere here, as you will be a part of the first team squad. So what are your personal goals for the season?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “Like Flo and Baumi have already said - I want to establish myself here and keep giving 100% day in, day out. As a lad from Bremen, playing for Werder and running out onto the pitch at the Weserstadion would be the most wonderful thing imaginable. But I have to be very patient - I have to stick around and prove myself first.”

WERDER.DE: There is huge competition for places in the midfield. What makes you so positive that you can make regular appearances this season?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “It’s obvious that we have great players like Maxi, Möh, Davy and many others. But I think that I can help the team with my playing style, my aggression and my presence. When I’m out there on the pitch, I give my all for the team. That’s what I can contribute.”

WERDER.DE: With Tahith Chong, Romano Schmid, Felix Agu and of course yourself, there are several young players now at Werder. Florian Kohfeldt has also said that he enjoys working with young players and seeing them develop. Does training reflect this feeling?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “I'd say he’s good at communicating with us and he talks to the whole team a lot. He gives us the freedom to do our own thing, but he also stops us to give advice just like Boro and everyone else on the coaching staff. I think you can see this freedom in the way that we play, so when we’re playing well that’s the clearest sign everything is working."

WERDER.DE: In Zillertal, Werder have another friendly against LASK, so what are your goals for that game?

Jean-Manuel Mbom: “Whenever I’m out on the pitch, I want to give it my all so that I improve and leave a good impression. Winning the match is obviously important, too!”

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