Six games, six goals at the Olympic Games. 27 games, 11 goals for Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. Two games for the Germany national team and three goals. Serge Gnabry’s record in the last twelve months speaks for itself. Now the 21-year-old is in the Germany under-21 squad for the European Championship in Poland. Stefan Kuntz’s side have been training in Grassau ahead of he tournament starting on June 16. It will be Gnabry’s second under-21 Euros.
Gnabry spoke to DFB about his development in the last year, his difference between senior and under 21 level and his crucial role in Stefan Kuntz’s team this summer.
DFB.de: Serge Gnabry, you’ve just had your first training session with the under-21s. How are you feeling?
Serge Gnabry: Thank you I’m feeling good, and ready. We have some great facilities here and great training pitch. The first session was all about getting used to things again because most of us were playing for the first time. I’m looking forward to the work intensifying and working towards our goals at the Euros.
DFB.de: Are there some of you guys who rather have made Joachim Löw’s Confed Cup squad instead of Stefan Kuntz’s under-21 group. Including yourself?
Gnabry: Not at all, I spoke to both coaches. I chose to play for the under-21s and there is an open exchange between the two teams. The ideas and the playing system are also very similar.
DFB.de:How did those talks go?
Gnabry: Of course I would loved to have been part of the Confed Cup squad. That was always the case. The coach decided that I should stay with the under-21s and I was very excited about that. I have known these boys for a long time now and am friends with them off the pitch, so I feel very at home here. I also have a very different role here. With Jogi Löw I would have been a new young player while with the under-21s I am somewhat more of a leading figure.
DFB.de: How are you approaching your role as a leader?
Gnabry: In the sense of responsibility and performance I’m going into the game with the same mentality. In every training session and training session I want to lead the way without putting myself too much in the forefront of things. I want to carry the others with me through hard work and motivation.
DFB.de:The tournament in Poland will be your second. In summer 2015 you had a brief appearance in the group game with Horst Hrubesch. Then last year you scored six goals in six games at the Olympics in Brazil. Can you explain the rise in your form in the last year?
Gnabry: Before the competition two years I was injured and went to the Czech Republic not fully fit. As a result I only got a brief run out. I was 100% fit at the Olympics and then everything has just gone so well since then. I always knew my qualities, so I have not been so surprised by everything that has happened. Then all you need is a bit of self-belief and you’ve got a good thing going.
DFB.de: You had a fantastic run with Werder Bremen in the second half of the season after switching from Arsenal. Unfortunately though injury limited you from getting even more game time.
Gnabry: Yeah that was a real shame. I wanted to play from the start obviously. But when the boys were on a role there was no place for me in that side. When I came back from injury I gave absolutely everything I had to offer.
DFB.de:How would you summarise your first season at Bremen in the Bundesliga?
Gnabry: Very positive. I played over 20 games and had a decent scoring rate. I can always build on that. After Christmas everything was obviously really good, we had a brief chance of qualifying for Europe and finished nicely inside the top half of the table.
DFB.de: Back to the under-21s- When do you think when you hear the words: “Write your own history.”
Gnabry: Our coach says that on the the training pitch a lot and it is our slogan for the tournament. It’s all about having it in our own hands. We know about the quality of the other teams who will be in Poland but we want to demonstrate our strengths and bring home the trophy at the end of it. If we work hard and stay disciplined that could definitely happen. The communication is also important. We want to be able to talk to each other openly and the coach makes that clear every time he speaks to us.
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Six games, six goals at the Olympic Games. 27 games, 11 goals for Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. Two games for the Germany national team and three goals. Serge Gnabry’s record in the last twelve months speaks for itself. Now the 21-year-old is in the Germany under-21 squad for the European Championship in Poland. Stefan Kuntz’s side have been training in Grassau ahead of he tournament starting on June 16. It will be Gnabry’s second under-21 Euros.
Gnabry spoke to DFB about his development in the last year, his difference between senior and under 21 level and his crucial role in Stefan Kuntz’s team this summer.
DFB.de: Serge Gnabry, you’ve just had your first training session with the under-21s. How are you feeling?
Serge Gnabry: Thank you I’m feeling good, and ready. We have some great facilities here and great training pitch. The first session was all about getting used to things again because most of us were playing for the first time. I’m looking forward to the work intensifying and working towards our goals at the Euros.
DFB.de: Are there some of you guys who rather have made Joachim Löw’s Confed Cup squad instead of Stefan Kuntz’s under-21 group. Including yourself?
Gnabry: Not at all, I spoke to both coaches. I chose to play for the under-21s and there is an open exchange between the two teams. The ideas and the playing system are also very similar.
DFB.de:How did those talks go?
Gnabry: Of course I would loved to have been part of the Confed Cup squad. That was always the case. The coach decided that I should stay with the under-21s and I was very excited about that. I have known these boys for a long time now and am friends with them off the pitch, so I feel very at home here. I also have a very different role here. With Jogi Löw I would have been a new young player while with the under-21s I am somewhat more of a leading figure.
DFB.de: How are you approaching your role as a leader?
Gnabry: In the sense of responsibility and performance I’m going into the game with the same mentality. In every training session and training session I want to lead the way without putting myself too much in the forefront of things. I want to carry the others with me through hard work and motivation.
DFB.de:The tournament in Poland will be your second. In summer 2015 you had a brief appearance in the group game with Horst Hrubesch. Then last year you scored six goals in six games at the Olympics in Brazil. Can you explain the rise in your form in the last year?
Gnabry: Before the competition two years I was injured and went to the Czech Republic not fully fit. As a result I only got a brief run out. I was 100% fit at the Olympics and then everything has just gone so well since then. I always knew my qualities, so I have not been so surprised by everything that has happened. Then all you need is a bit of self-belief and you’ve got a good thing going.
DFB.de: You had a fantastic run with Werder Bremen in the second half of the season after switching from Arsenal. Unfortunately though injury limited you from getting even more game time.
Gnabry: Yeah that was a real shame. I wanted to play from the start obviously. But when the boys were on a role there was no place for me in that side. When I came back from injury I gave absolutely everything I had to offer.
DFB.de:How would you summarise your first season at Bremen in the Bundesliga?
Gnabry: Very positive. I played over 20 games and had a decent scoring rate. I can always build on that. After Christmas everything was obviously really good, we had a brief chance of qualifying for Europe and finished nicely inside the top half of the table.
DFB.de: Back to the under-21s- When do you think when you hear the words: “Write your own history.”
Gnabry: Our coach says that on the the training pitch a lot and it is our slogan for the tournament. It’s all about having it in our own hands. We know about the quality of the other teams who will be in Poland but we want to demonstrate our strengths and bring home the trophy at the end of it. If we work hard and stay disciplined that could definitely happen. The communication is also important. We want to be able to talk to each other openly and the coach makes that clear every time he speaks to us.
