Interviewer: You nearly scored in the 35th minute. Was it frustrating to see your shot come back off the crossbar?
Meyer: Yeah, of course. I hit the ball really well and I was hoping that it would go straight into the back of the net. But the important thing is that it went in eventually. It’s not so bad that I got the assist at least.
Interviewer: Did Markus Weinzierl’s decision to switch to a 3-5-2 formation have a determining influence on your recent success?
Meyer: Yes, you could say so. We beat Gladbach 4-0 and drew against Augsburg playing in our old formation. But we are playing better at the back in the new 3-5-2 formation. We moved the ball around well against Werder and created a lot of chances upfront. We’ve kept a good balance between attacking and defending. We have an extra man when defending because we have five at the back, but the wing-backs also get forward to support the strikers when we’re on the ball.
Interviewer: FC Schalke are now seven points off the international places, where do you want to be by Christmas?
Meyer: We want to reduce the points gap to our rivals. It’s not necessarily clear we’ll be in a Europa League spot by Christmas and we have our start to blame for that. We’re now on a good run; we haven’t lost in nine games and have much more confidence. If we keep performing like we have in the past few weeks, we’ll keep getting points.
Interviewer: Now you’ll travel to the national team with your friend Leon Goretzka. How will that be? Will you share a room or have to introduce him to the other guys?
Meyer: I imagine I won’t have to, he knows more guys than he doesn’t and there’s also some young players in the squad this time. There are no double rooms so we won’t share one - that’s different to Schalke where we always share rooms. Leon deserves to be there due to his performances. In the past, he’s had bad luck with injuries – if he didn’t have them he would have perhaps been selected sooner. I’m just happy that we’re able to play for the national team together, in the past we did with the U16s, and now we’re in the first team.
Interviewer: S04 sporting director Christian Heidel said he called Joachim Löw to ask about your current condition. Did the national team coach call you before to ask how your foot is?
Meyer: He wrote to me to ask if I’m able to train again and if I feel fit, I said yes.
Interviewer: Of course you said yes!
Meyer: (laughs) But I definitely am fit, it wasn’t a lie.
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The Schalke number seven’s fierce strike against the bar in the 35th minute led to his side’s first goal against Werder Bremen on Sunday and set them on their way to victory. Max Meyer turned, dribbled and shot, showing no signs of the injury he picked up eight days previously in the derby against BVB. With their 3-1 win over Werder on matchday 10 of the Bundesliga, Meyer demonstrated exactly why Joachim Löw has chosen him for the World Cup qualifier on Friday in Serravalle against San Marino, and then for Die Mannschaft’s encounter against Italy in this classic fixture in Milan on 15th November.
The 21-year-old speaks to DFB.de in an interview about his good form, his new role at Schalke, his excitement at being called up to the Germany first team and his roommate Leon Goretzka, who alongside world champion Benedikt Höwedes make up the three Schalke men available to Joachim Löw.
Interviewer: Max Meyer, how did you manage to hit a shot like that in the 35th minute, so soon after a double ligament rupture?
Max Meyer: I took a painkiller before the match, got taped up and we did some good work during the week to reduce the swelling, so it was actually fine.
Interviewer: Wouldn’t you actually prefer not to be involved during the international break (due to such a recent injury)?
Meyer: No (laughs). I really enjoy playing for the national team. It gives me the opportunity to develop further, even just in the training we do because there are so many good players there. The speed of the game is a lot quicker and technically it is a lot better. I’m just happy to be there.
Interviewer: Your game has been a lot more varied this season, particularly in terms of pressing the opposition. Rarely have we seen you put in so many challenges than this year. Is that something you’ve particularly worked on?
Meyer: I have been playing in a different position and as a result, I have had to sprint more and put in more challenges, because I have been directly pressing the centre-backs. It wasn’t like that when I was a number ten. In that position, you’re not involved in as many tackles because you have to move between being a striker and a defensive midfielder. Where I’m playing now is definitely more fun and I’m more involved in the game. So far it’s worked really well.
Interviewer: Is your current position one that you have warmed to? Because you did always say that playing at number ten was your favourite.
Meyer: I’m certainly not an out-and-out striker. That is the Raul position really, when he was playing here. I sit further back, but I can also push forward more and do sudden sprints into the opposition half. However I can also play deeper and that is not a problem. I did exactly that in the cup against Nürnberg. It’s gone very well so far and we have three very strong players behind me, meaning that we can create good opportunities going forward.
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Interviewer: You nearly scored in the 35th minute. Was it frustrating to see your shot come back off the crossbar?
Meyer: Yeah, of course. I hit the ball really well and I was hoping that it would go straight into the back of the net. But the important thing is that it went in eventually. It’s not so bad that I got the assist at least.
Interviewer: Did Markus Weinzierl’s decision to switch to a 3-5-2 formation have a determining influence on your recent success?
Meyer: Yes, you could say so. We beat Gladbach 4-0 and drew against Augsburg playing in our old formation. But we are playing better at the back in the new 3-5-2 formation. We moved the ball around well against Werder and created a lot of chances upfront. We’ve kept a good balance between attacking and defending. We have an extra man when defending because we have five at the back, but the wing-backs also get forward to support the strikers when we’re on the ball.
Interviewer: FC Schalke are now seven points off the international places, where do you want to be by Christmas?
Meyer: We want to reduce the points gap to our rivals. It’s not necessarily clear we’ll be in a Europa League spot by Christmas and we have our start to blame for that. We’re now on a good run; we haven’t lost in nine games and have much more confidence. If we keep performing like we have in the past few weeks, we’ll keep getting points.
Interviewer: Now you’ll travel to the national team with your friend Leon Goretzka. How will that be? Will you share a room or have to introduce him to the other guys?
Meyer: I imagine I won’t have to, he knows more guys than he doesn’t and there’s also some young players in the squad this time. There are no double rooms so we won’t share one - that’s different to Schalke where we always share rooms. Leon deserves to be there due to his performances. In the past, he’s had bad luck with injuries – if he didn’t have them he would have perhaps been selected sooner. I’m just happy that we’re able to play for the national team together, in the past we did with the U16s, and now we’re in the first team.
Interviewer: S04 sporting director Christian Heidel said he called Joachim Löw to ask about your current condition. Did the national team coach call you before to ask how your foot is?
Meyer: He wrote to me to ask if I’m able to train again and if I feel fit, I said yes.
Interviewer: Of course you said yes!
Meyer: (laughs) But I definitely am fit, it wasn’t a lie.
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