European Champion Förster: “The winner in Marseille will lift the trophy“

Karlheinz Förster - European Champion 1980, EURO runner-up 1982 and 1986 as well as a German Champion with Stuttgart in 1984 – spent four successful years at Olympique Marseille between 1986 and 1990. The Germany international, who was capped 81 times for his country, was the outstanding leader of Marseille’s defence as they won two national cups and the French Championship in 1989 and given the title “King of Marseille”.

It‘s the city where France and Germany will face off on Thursday (21:00 CEST). It will be the 28th duel between the two footballing heavyweights and Wolfgang Tobian sat down to speak with the 57 year old in a DFB.de interview about his time in the seaside town, his experiences against Les Bleus, the memorable penalty shootout in 1982 in the World Cup semi-final in Sevilla and the recent shootout drama against Italy. He also obviously gave his thoughts on the teams’ positions going into the fight for a place in Sunday’s final (21:00 CEST) in Saint-Denis.

DFB.de: France versus Germany in Marseille. This EURO 2016 semi-final surely can’t take place without Karlheinz Förster, don’t you think?

Karlheinz Förster: Apparently it can, as case looks to be here unfortunately. I have thought intensively about it because having this game in this city will be amazing. I have been busy consulting players and unfortunately didn’t have the time at present to fly to Marseille. Even though the stadium looks totally different to how it did in my day it’s still in the same place.

DFB.de: Your four-year stay in Marseille was the third most important chapter in your career after VfB Stuttgart and the Germany national team. What should Joachim Löw and his team expect in Marseille from your knowledge of the conditions?

Förster: The stadium will be an absolute cauldron with an unbelievably intense atmosphere. It’s definitely easier in any other stadium in France. I expect that France be backed by a raucous crowd with plenty of fanatical fans. That alone will make it extremely difficult for us on Thursday evening.

DFB.de: What do you think of the 2000 and 1996 European Championship winners’ positions?

Förster: No offence to the teams in the other semi-final, but I have to say that this match the expected final. Okay, we finally managed to break our decade long poor run against Italy in the quarterfinal. On the other hand we are something of a nightmare for the French after winning our last three competitive matches against them in 1982, 1986 and 2014. However, now we have a very difficult task ahead of us. We of course definitely have a good chance because when it comes down to it we show a lot of fight.

DFB.de: How do you see it for France?

Förster: The French have slightly disappointed me since the beginning of the tournament but they are definitely extremely strong going forwards. We have seen them improve in each game they have played so far. They couldn’t have it much better with having a home semi-final in Marseille. It will be a big advantage for them.

DFB.de: Germany impressed tactically against Italy first and foremost, while France played confidently against Iceland. Which team do you see coming out on top in the fight for the final?

Förster: France’s midfield is really strong going forwards but they have a few problems defensively. You need all of your fighting spirit, creativity and the right tactics to win semi-finals such as this. It also doesn’t work without a small amount of luck. Above all, infinite fighting spirit is invaluable. We showed against Italy that we are well practiced in being resilient. We deserved to win that game.

DFB.de: With respect to the correct tactics, ARD’s expert Mehmet Scholl was very dubious?

Förster: I don’t really understand why Mehmet Scholl was so critical. Jogi Löw is a very experienced national coach with a distinguished coaching team. It’s simply the case that the team is able to play a number of different tactical systems. You have to be more adaptable than in the past. Jogi Löw knows his job inside-out and when he wants to adapt the team tactically to a different opponent, he does it really well. Nevertheless, France versus Germany will be an extremely hard game that will be extremely interesting and played at a high level.

DFB.de: Will the winner in Marseille also triumph in the final?

Förster: I believe that the winner from Marseille will be the new European Champion.

DFB.de: There are questions over whether Bastian Schweinsteiger will play in the semi-final, while Mats Hummels, who is suspended, Sami Khedira, who is injured, and Mario Gomez, who is out of the rest of the tournament, will not be available. How pivotal will these absences be?

Förster: These absences are definitely a disadvantage for us. The centre-back pairing of Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels has been like a wall so far in the tournament. Mario Gomez will also be a big loss. He is a striker with reputation and class who is very important because he keeps two defenders occupied and always looks dangerous. Khedira’s large amount of international experience will also be missed. However, even with these conditions it’s possible to beat France.

DFB.de: How do you think that Jogi Löw will look to solve these problems?

Förster: He no longer has the option of having an out-and-out striker playing down the middle. Maybe Thomas Müller could move into the centre with Julian Draxler and/or Mario Götze on the wings. That could work. Gomez and Hummels have played amazingly well in the tournament so far. Shkodran Mustafi or Benedikt Höwedes will now have to partner Jerome Boateng, maybe even both of them.

DFB.de: How would you solve the defensive midfield problem if Schweinsteiger isn’t fit or is only provisionally fit?

Förster: Theoretically, Joshua Kimmich could play in that role. Julian Weigl or the robust Emre Can could also be options. Löw has a squad that has a number of strong alternatives which still makes it possible for him to play a competitive side.

DFB.de: As a long-standing international player, what experiences did you have with France in general and the Equipe tricolore in particular?

Förster: Looking back over my international career, a real disappointment is connected with France as a country. When they were hosting EURO 1984, we were knocked out in the group stages. Back then our manager was Jupp Derwall and he was already written off ahead of the tournament. Correspondingly, the tournament went terribly for us. As an opponent though, we twice beat outstanding France sides at World Cups - 1986 in Mexico and 1982 in Spain, both in the semi-final.

DFB.de: Without a doubt, it was dramatic in Seville in 1982.

Förster: That’s fair to say. Trailing 3-1 against France in extra time but then fighting back and going on to win the penalty shootout - it’s a game that remains forever in your memory.

DFB.de: Have you ever experienced or seen a penalty shootout like last Saturday’s against Italy?

Förster: Despite my best efforts, I can’t remember a shootout in which two top quality teams like Germany and Italy have required 18 penalties to settle the match. That was unbelievably nerve-wracking.

DFB.de: Especially due to the fact that usual takers like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Müller andMesut Özil all missed their spot-kicks. However, youngsters Julian Draxler, Joshua Kimmich andJonas Hectorall scored. How do you explain that?

Förster: For me, it’s inexplicable. That’s football. Unpredictable! You quite simply have to say: Hats off to the young players. It’s very impressive how they, including the experienced players, withstood the immense pressure. Especially when you consider that it’s a penalty shootout in the semi-final of a major tournament. Many established players would tremble at their knees.

DFB.de: Therefore you never took a penalty in the 1982 Seville thriller against France and were never really seen stepping up to the spot?

Förster: (laughs) Quality is knowing exactly what you can and can’t do. Therefore, I never stepped forward in Sevilla. During the course of my long career, I only ever took two penalties - one in a friendly against VfR and once for VfB in a cup tie in Saarbrücken. I didn’t convert on either occasion. I wasn’t a bad footballer but penalties simply weren’t my forte. I tried to avoid them.

DFB.de: You played ten years professionally for VfB Stuttgart and four years for Marseille. Looking back, which of your successes do you hold the highest – the German title in 1984 or the double with Olympique in 1989?

Förster: I always say winning the German title with Stuttgart, even though achieving the double in France is considered to be that little bit better than we consider it to be in Germany. Winning the league and the cup in France is a huge thing – they go crazy for it. However, in 1984 I was Stuttgart’s captain, and we all felt a very strong link between the club and our own identity, which is something that is not found so much in modern football.

DFB.de: How did your move to Marseille in 1986 come about?

Förster: Two agents made the first contact just before the World Cup in Mexico, and then the day before our departure president Bernard Tapie came to see me personally. We spoke for a very long time, and he would not give up until it was a done deal.

DFB.de: Due to injury, you were forced to bring your professional career to an end in 1990. What sort of connection do you have today with the port town on the Mediterranean?

Förster: I still have contact with one or two people from the club, and a few well-known people in the town. However, my trips to Marseille have become more and more infrequent, especially as Olympique have a lower status now. But in hindsight I can now see that the four years in Marseille were a very good time in my life. With my committed style of play, I was a real fan favourite and I was received very well out in public. In a sporting sense also, we were unbelievably successful.

DFB.de: Do you still hold a French passport, after taking up citizenship there in 1989?

Förster: At the time I clearly stated that I would return to German citizenship after my time in France was done. The whole thing with the French passport only happened so that Olympique were able to have another foreign player on their books – this was Abédi Pelé, the sensational playmaker from Ghana.

DFB.de: The club that you hold most dear to you was then, is now, and will always be VfB Stuttgart. How do you see their chances for the planned promotion back to the Bundesliga?

Förster: After eleven years as a player and five further years in different positions, you really feel like a part of the club. The last few years and our continuous battle against relegation has been really difficult, and it was eventually going to come to an end – this happened at the end of last season. But in this I see a new chance for the club. As the season ticket sales have so far shown, there is going to be huge support from the fans. I guess around 30.000 to 35.000 home fans per match in the second Bundesliga, and I think that it will come down to either us or Hannover for promotion.

DFB.de: And finally, what are your predictions for the semi-final in Marseille?

Förster:2-1 to Germany after 90 minutes. Maybe Jogi’s boys could even bag three goals.