Angerer: I will definitely do some work as a goalkeeping coach at some point. Beyond that I am completely open. I am also a trained personal trainer and physiotherapist.
Question: Where do you see the national team at the moment?
Angerer: I speak to Silvia Neid now and then. I know that the team is in a good position. The young players have been in the team a while now and there are a few personalities in the squad. They are still developing, but there’s definitely a level of coolness in the team. My successor Almuth Schult is a real character too. She’ll keep everything together. I am fairly confident that the team will finish in the top three at the 2016 Olympics. There are also new players like Mandy Islacker and Lina Magull that have brought new momentum into the team.
Sasic: When players that have been in the team for so long suddenly quite, there’s always an element of change. Roles change, players take on new positions in the team. It’s completely normal that you have to find your place in the team again. This team has so much potential that I am not too worried. On top of that, there are plenty of youngsters coming through, therefore I am excited about their development.
An emotional farewell in front of a home crowd: Nadine Angerer and Célia Sasic will receive an official send-off ahead of the Germany women’s’ against England in Duisburg this evening (18:00 CET).We caught up with the two European and world champions for an interview:
Question: Are you enjoying life as a retired footballer, Ms Angerer? What’s your day-to-day rhythm like now, Ms Sasic?
Nadine Angerer: I thought I would have more time when I stopped playing football, but I have so much to do! But it’s all fun stuff.
Célia Sasic: Life is different, but it’s good. There was a lot of hype initially. I told myself I want to have my own peace now. Now I am knuckling down at university again. It’s very relaxed, but I want to finish in the foreseeable future. You have to find a new rhythm because you no longer have a fixed schedule. It takes some getting used to.
Question: Is that difficult?
Sasic: It doesn’t happen overnight. A big part of my life is gone, and it takes time to find a new daily routine. But all of a sudden you can do new things. When you’re invited to a birthday, you can say yes, of course – even on a weekend!
Question: Is there anything you miss from being professional footballers?
Sasic: It’s strange having less people around. I was always in such a big team and was always having new experiences. I enjoy having lots of people around me.
Angerer: It was a truly wonderful and defining time, but I’m happy the way things are now. I’m definitely not nostalgic though. I can watch football now. I saw a goalkeeper training video recently and thought “man, I could do that three or four months ago.” I wouldn’t be able to catch a ball now. I’ve completely finished with that now.
Question: Do you play football occasionally, or play any other sport?
Sasic: I play with a team of former pros for a good cause. It’s very informal. I also go running and play tennis now and then, but I don’t have a regular schedule.
Angerer: I played my last game in Portland back in August. At the moment I have absolutely no interest in doing sport. Luckily I haven’t put on any weight… I have been running a few times, that was good for me. But I like the feeling of not having to do anything if I can’t be bothered. I’ll get involved in sport again at some point – I have decided to run a half-marathon.
Question: Ms Sasic, you retired quite early at just 27. Will your official send-off be especially emotional for you?
Sasic: I’ll wait and see, I’ve very excited. These players were my teammates for such a long time, it’s wonderful to be able to see them all again and to catch up. It still feels a bit like a long break for me at the moment. I don’t think there will be any nostalgia. It will be a great day.
Question: What are your plans for the future career wise?
Sasic: Obviously it would be a dream to work in football in some other form. The one thing I can’t imagine myself doing is becoming a coach. At least in the adult game. The management side interests me because you know the processes. But it doesn’t have to be football straight away, I could also imagine working in the media or as a pundit on TV. As long as football is involved, there are many things I can imagine.
Angerer: I will definitely do some work as a goalkeeping coach at some point. Beyond that I am completely open. I am also a trained personal trainer and physiotherapist.
Question: Where do you see the national team at the moment?
Angerer: I speak to Silvia Neid now and then. I know that the team is in a good position. The young players have been in the team a while now and there are a few personalities in the squad. They are still developing, but there’s definitely a level of coolness in the team. My successor Almuth Schult is a real character too. She’ll keep everything together. I am fairly confident that the team will finish in the top three at the 2016 Olympics. There are also new players like Mandy Islacker and Lina Magull that have brought new momentum into the team.
Sasic: When players that have been in the team for so long suddenly quite, there’s always an element of change. Roles change, players take on new positions in the team. It’s completely normal that you have to find your place in the team again. This team has so much potential that I am not too worried. On top of that, there are plenty of youngsters coming through, therefore I am excited about their development.
