DFB.de: You played the whole 90 minutes in the DFB Cup first round 2-0 victory over Trier. Are you going to be included in the squad to face Wolfsburg in the quarter-final?
Kempf: It’s difficult to say. I haven’t played much recently so need to prove myself to the manager in training and then just wait and see what he says.
DFB.de: How do you rate SCF’s chances of getting through to the semi-final? There are worse fixtures than playing away against VfL Wolfsburg…
Kempf: Absolutely. If we have a good day and put in a solid performance and Wolfsburg have an off day, we stand a good chance of progressing.
DFB.de: Then you’d only be a step away from the final. Are you already dreaming of Berlin?
Kempf: Not really. First of all, we face a real tricky task against Wolfsburg and must focus completely on that game.
Marc-Oliver Kempf doesn’t get fazed easily. He remains cool on the pitch when up against the opposition’s strikers and tries to play his way out of awkward situations. And when he has to make a tackle, he doesn’t get beaten easily.
The 20-year-old is also staying cool ahead of SC Freiburg’s quarter-final in the DFB Cup against VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday (19:00 CEST). Kempf spoke to DFB.de about tackling and technique, his first season in the Bundesliga and SC Frieburg’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals.
DFB.de: Are you a battler on the pitch? How would you describe the way you play?
Kempf: I would say it’s a mixture. I’m a centre back who tries to play my way out of situations. At the same time I’m also a player who battles. I like to go into tackles and I always go in with 100%.
DFB.de: Germany Under-20 manager Frank Wormuth said that you can reach the next level with a few improvements. Where do you think you can improve?
Kempf: You can always improve. I would say that you’ve never learnt everything. I still need to improve on my passing game, my heading and my tackling. They are things that you can work on individually at training.
DFB.de: You’re following in the footsteps of Matthias Ginter at Freiburg. Are you able to learn anything from his development?
Kempf: What does “follow in his footsteps” mean? I think that I do my own thing at SCF. It’s clear that Matthias has developed well. He went to the World Cup in the summer as a Freiburg player, became a world champion and then signed for Borussia Dortmund. They are a top side in Germany. Obviously that’s a great development but I don’t look at other players and I’ll try to play my own game at SC Freiburg.
DFB.de: Do you have any role models who you would like to emulate?
Kempf: You obviously have the best players in the world as your role models. I would say that players such as Jérôme Boateng, Mats Himmels and Sergio Ramos are the best at the moment. I would be brilliant if I could be playing at that level in a few years time.
DFB.de: You started the season as an SC Freiburg regular and played for the whole 90 minutes against both Dortmund and Bayern; however, you’re yet to start a game in 2015. How do you think you’re developing as a player?
Kempf: The start of the season was obviously great because I came straight from the U19 European Championship into the SC Freiburg starting line-up. I had to miss a few games in the first half of the season through injury however, I fought back and featured in some matches before the winter break. Unfortunately, 2015 didn’t get off to the best of starts because I was suffering with a muscle problem and that set me back a few weeks. I’m now back in full training though and have recently played in two games for the reserve team. I’m fully fit, available for selection again and want to fight my way back into the first XI.
DFB.de: Are the different injuries a sign that you have to get used to your body being under a lot of pressure as a professional footballer?
Kempf: Yes, I think that’s a possible explanation. I played four games in quick succession at the U19 European Championship in summer and then came to Freiburg without a proper break. It puts your body under a lot of pressure and you really feel it in your muscles. It’s different in the Bundesliga to when you’re playing for the U23s for example because it’s much tougher and you have to withstand a lot more during the course of a game.
DFB.de: Your U20 teammate Marc Stendera was also out injured for a long period and won back his place in the Eintracht Frankfurt starting line-up. Why did you move from Frankfurt to Freiburg?
Kempf: Our situations and perspectives were simply very different. It wasn’t guaranteed that I’d get enough game time so I had to go my own way and leave the club. I think that I made the right decision coming to SC Freiburg.
DFB.de: You played the whole 90 minutes in the DFB Cup first round 2-0 victory over Trier. Are you going to be included in the squad to face Wolfsburg in the quarter-final?
Kempf: It’s difficult to say. I haven’t played much recently so need to prove myself to the manager in training and then just wait and see what he says.
DFB.de: How do you rate SCF’s chances of getting through to the semi-final? There are worse fixtures than playing away against VfL Wolfsburg…
Kempf: Absolutely. If we have a good day and put in a solid performance and Wolfsburg have an off day, we stand a good chance of progressing.
DFB.de: Then you’d only be a step away from the final. Are you already dreaming of Berlin?
Kempf: Not really. First of all, we face a real tricky task against Wolfsburg and must focus completely on that game.
