Lars Stindl: “It’s going to be tricky”

Looking at it purely from a statistical point of view, one thing looks set to be certain in the last 16 of the DFB Cup: Lars Stindl is going to score a goal. That is because the Borussia Mönchengladbach captain has found the target at least once in each of his four cup games so far for Borussia.

And Stindl obviously would not complain if he is able to extend that good run of form on Tuesday at second-tier side SpVgg Greuther Fürth, which would give Borussia a better chance of reaching the next round of the competition.

The 28-year-old speaks with Dfb.de about his dream of getting to Berlin, cup draws being made after midnight, his role as captain, life behind the scenes for the Gladbach team, offers for millions from China and his love of football.

DFB.de: Mr Stindl, as the current captain, you keep taking all the questions, especially when things aren’t going so well. How much has that annoyed you in the last few weeks?

Stindl: I’ve unfortunately had to do that more often than not in my career (laughs). I think that we have a good mix in the team. The captain is there to act as a kind of spokesman but it is not an obligation. There are also days when I see no reason for me to say anything. In addition we have a lot of players who have strong opinions and will make those known.

DFB.de: Everyone interprets the role of being captain differently. Can you be more specific about what it means to you?

Stindl: I try to come to decisions with the rest of the group and to push things through. I always give my opinion and try to get a feel for what the group is thinking. I can read my teammates well. It’s important to me to get on with people but also to be able to address things that aren’t quite right. But in doing so you should always make sure you remain down-to-earth and keep the bigger picture in mind.

DFB.de: How did changing the head coach affect the team?

Stindl: Irrespective of the change of coach, the two week break was good for us. You set yourself new demands and new targets in the new year anyway. Then came the change of coach as well. It made everyone come together to make a new start with the atmosphere in the team. Dieter Hecking has new demands, new ideas, new incentives, just like every coach does. He has tried right from the beginning to familiarize us with these things.

DFB.de: How has Dieter Hecking gone about things since he came in?

Stindl: He’s been in the business a long time and because of that, he’s been in many different scenarios. He has brought his experience to the job from day one. He knew that there was a certain level of frustration in the dressing room, so he tried to bring back the courage and our belief in our strengths. But we all know that we haven’t fully developed yet and there is still a long and difficult road ahead to get there again.

DFB.de: You face second division side Fürth in the cup. You are clearly the favourites for this one.

Stindl: We know that we’ll be the favourites. It’s the cup, the game is under the floodlights, Fürther are really up for it and they want to do something special, but we have the chance to get through to the next round of the competition again. With a bit of luck, playing well on the day and also a good draw, you can get pretty far in the cup very quickly. It sounds cliché but the cup is special. We’ve seen in the past that anything is possible and anything can happen. That’s why we should also be warned.

DFB.de: Is the preparation for facing a second-tier side different mentally than a Bundesliga outfit?

Stindl: When you go to a team that is in a lower league than you in the first round, it is always slightly special. You try to make sure that you get through without any doubt. It is the first competitive game of the season and you don’t exactly know where you stand after pre-season and the coach is urging caution. But in the last 16, where you really are heading towards the big games, everyone is focused and concentrating. We’ve seen in previous years that you can’t make any mistakes.

DFB.de: Are there any experiences of the cup that particularly stick out in your mind?

Stindl: Unfortunately just negative ones (laughs). I’ve never got very far in the cup in my career. Nevertheless it is always really fun. It has a certain appeal and charm.

DFB.de: At what point can you start dreaming of Berlin?

Stindl: I think that every team in the Bundesliga dreams about getting to Berlin right from the beginning. When you see which clubs have already made it there, such as Arminia Bielefeld a few years ago with their sensational run, you think you can do it.

DFB: Has becoming a father changed your perspective on football?

Stindl: I try to separate my job and private life as well as I possibly can and when we do badly, I try not to bring that feeling into the house. That was something I had to learn. Now I’m able to differentiate between the two well. I really want to be a family man more than anything else with other things to do and think about.

DFB.de: You recently played your 200th Bundesliga game. Looking back, would you do anything differently.

Stindl: No, not a lot, I'm unbelievably proud I’ve been able to achieve this. 200 games is an absurd amount. It hasn’t been an easy journey, constantly uphill. Step by step, I’ve worked hard and had the necessary luck, I'm happy to have done everything like I have.

DFB.de: Is the icing on the cake, playing for Germany, still missing?

Stindl: Not anymore, I’ve distanced myself from these thoughts to a certain extent. At the start and during your career, you have the dream to represent your country at least once. However, I can realistically see that Germany have a lot of quality players. I can understand to a certain extent why it has evaded me.

DFB.de: What are your next plans in your career?

Stindl: At Gladbach, I still have a contract until 2020 so I haven’t thought about it. Nevertheless, my family and I want to go back home some time – close to Karlsruhe. When you have children, you realise you miss being close to your family and home even more. In the coming years, the plan is to stay at Borussia, maybe I’ll be able to stay longer, or maybe I’ll be forced out because I’m too old (laughs).

DFB.de: Would an experience abroad be something for you?

Stindl: It’s hard to say, I wouldn’t be against it, but I’m not actively thinking about it – I feel very comfortable in Germany. I've always liked the structure of the clubs and the league so I don’t see any reason to change. However, maybe I’ll receive an opportunity sometime which I find interesting.

DFB.de: China is very popular at the moment, does the current situation worry you at all?

Stindl: It tough, at the moment it’s a big topic. Many players are going to China for the money and I can understand that to a certain extent. When you’re confronted with an offer like that and so much money, it’s normal to think about it. However, aside from the money it’s also maybe culturally interesting, but I can’t tell how important something like that is. However, you can see every weekend how fun the Bundesliga is. In football it’s our most precious asset which we should know to cherish.

DFB.de: The phrase, “football is Saturday, 15:30 CET” came from you. Are you still a fan today?

Stindl: If you saw our game in Leverkusen (3-2 win after being 2-0 down at HT), absolutely. When you see the joy in our eyes, but also the celebrations in the stands, how the game enthralled the fans, what kind of atmosphere there was in the stadium – that’s the reason we love football so much and why it’s so fun. It’s amazing, it excites us players too, and these moments are why we became fans in the first place. And therefore I’ll always be a fan.