When Thomas Müller speaks to the media, it’s a given that he’ll be in a good mood. The FC Bayern talisman has wasted no time in making some of his famous jokes at Germany’s training camp in Blankenhain ahead of the Euros. Müller sat down on Tuesday morning to speak to DFB.de about the upcoming home European Championships and his goals with the Germany national team.
Thomas Müller on...
...the quality of the squad: I’m happy with the results in March, but we’ve got to believe in our ability to beat the big teams. You can’t deny that we have players who are operating at a world-class level. We shouldn’t hide but, at the same time, we can’t expect everything to land in our laps. It’s about more than scoring a nice goal. It’s all about going the extra mile, about helping your teammates out. That doesn’t mean every player out there on the pitch has to be friends - it means everyone has to know what it takes to win as a team. It requires players who know that you have to be bold, but also stay humble. It’s also not a case of the squad being made up of Bayern players. On the contrary, you need players who know what they need to do to win and whose ways of doing things work.
...speaking to the head coach about different roles: It’s easy to boast about the division of roles being the secret to a successful tournament. In 2010, it was clear how things were going to be from the outset. The players essentially assigned roles for themselves by virtue of their performances at club level and their individual quality. It was also clear in 2014 – Joachim Löw communicated it very clearly. The Dortmund players made the biggest stir in 2012 after they won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal and people expected more of the same from them when they joined up with the national team, but Löw also had faith in the Bayern players. The mood in the dressing room was tense. You never feel fully secure in your role – we’re constantly in competition for places with one another. The most important thing, however, is to know the coach’s plan A and get an idea of whether you’re more likely to start, or be on the bench. It means you avoid feeling disappointed half an hour before the match, which can influence how things go. I think it’s a good measure taken by the coach.
...his own role: You know what I’m like. I’ve actually always gotten positive feedback about my outlook. I’m not faking it – I want to have fun. That being said, it’s about working, winning and improving, as well as finding time to relax and having fun while playing. You don’t go the extra mile because someone tells you to, rather because you feel like it. My job isn’t to entertain, because you don’t get very far doing just that. It’s a case of helping players to integrate so everyone can bring their A-game.
...his quality: People know what I’m capable of. I’m a predictable player – I’ve been doing the same thing for 15 years now. But when I look at the stats, even the last Bundesliga season shows that I’m doing things right. When it comes to creating chances and expected goals per 90, this old timer’s still got it.
...the importance of the opening match of the Euros: The first game is always important. It gives the team an initial boost. It’s the thing you’ve been working towards. You’ve been thinking about it more than anything else, as well as about the fact that it needs to go well. It helps to break the shackles.
...Toni Kroos announcing his retirement: I want to thank him once again. It’s not over yet. We’ve still got a month and a half to go. We know each other very well both on and off the pitch. We played for the U19s together. We’re two players who are all about football – our lives revolve around football. I can sense how he plays the game and how he handles himself.
...possible retirement: I’m not personally thinking of stepping back yet – I’m fully focused on the task that lies ahead of us. We’ll see what happens after that. I didn’t know if I’d be picked for the national team after Qatar. It’s never a guarantee. I’ve tried to make my feelings clear. I’m feeling more and more comfortable here. I’m always proud and happy to play for that national team – I give it my all.
...Sané and Musiala’s injuries: It’s never easy when you’re carrying an injury, but they’ve knuckled down, worked hard and are doing everything they can to come back as soon as possible. They’re also doing extra training sessions. I think they’ll both be ready to help us out by the start of the tournament.
...Rocco Reitz and Brajan Gruda: They’re both talented players with special skills. They’re very strong physically, love to put in the hard yards and are proper footballers. They can both push through the pain barrier, too. Now, it’s all about being consistent.
...the atmosphere in Thuringia: Everyone’s starting to get excited, not just me. The whole team is looking forward to the upcoming challenge and finally getting things started. People have been talking a lot about the tournament since Christmas and we’ve also started thinking about it more and more. We’re happy that people are starting to come together now that it’s close to starting.
...the fans: Everyone here is excited – I think the games in March have helped things in this regard. The reception we got here in Thuringia was amazing. It’s normal to see people going about their business wearing Germany kits here. I used to be one of them. Back in the day, I always used to wear either a club shirt or a national team kit. There were no two ways about it when I was going out. I hope the fans use the Euros as an opportunity to feel as happy as possible. If the national team contribute towards that in any way, people should get behind us and show their gratitude as much as possible. That being said, we want to put in performances that even our biggest critics can’t help but applaud.
...the public training session: We trained in front of a sold-out crowd. It was fantastic! In fact, it was almost too fantastic – to the point where it was difficult to train because it was so loud. We struggled to hear the instructions for the training drills. It was a great way to start things off, with Mexican waves to boot.
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When Thomas Müller speaks to the media, it’s a given that he’ll be in a good mood. The FC Bayern talisman has wasted no time in making some of his famous jokes at Germany’s training camp in Blankenhain ahead of the Euros. Müller sat down on Tuesday morning to speak to DFB.de about the upcoming home European Championships and his goals with the Germany national team.
Thomas Müller on...
...the quality of the squad: I’m happy with the results in March, but we’ve got to believe in our ability to beat the big teams. You can’t deny that we have players who are operating at a world-class level. We shouldn’t hide but, at the same time, we can’t expect everything to land in our laps. It’s about more than scoring a nice goal. It’s all about going the extra mile, about helping your teammates out. That doesn’t mean every player out there on the pitch has to be friends - it means everyone has to know what it takes to win as a team. It requires players who know that you have to be bold, but also stay humble. It’s also not a case of the squad being made up of Bayern players. On the contrary, you need players who know what they need to do to win and whose ways of doing things work.
...speaking to the head coach about different roles: It’s easy to boast about the division of roles being the secret to a successful tournament. In 2010, it was clear how things were going to be from the outset. The players essentially assigned roles for themselves by virtue of their performances at club level and their individual quality. It was also clear in 2014 – Joachim Löw communicated it very clearly. The Dortmund players made the biggest stir in 2012 after they won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal and people expected more of the same from them when they joined up with the national team, but Löw also had faith in the Bayern players. The mood in the dressing room was tense. You never feel fully secure in your role – we’re constantly in competition for places with one another. The most important thing, however, is to know the coach’s plan A and get an idea of whether you’re more likely to start, or be on the bench. It means you avoid feeling disappointed half an hour before the match, which can influence how things go. I think it’s a good measure taken by the coach.
...his own role: You know what I’m like. I’ve actually always gotten positive feedback about my outlook. I’m not faking it – I want to have fun. That being said, it’s about working, winning and improving, as well as finding time to relax and having fun while playing. You don’t go the extra mile because someone tells you to, rather because you feel like it. My job isn’t to entertain, because you don’t get very far doing just that. It’s a case of helping players to integrate so everyone can bring their A-game.
...his quality: People know what I’m capable of. I’m a predictable player – I’ve been doing the same thing for 15 years now. But when I look at the stats, even the last Bundesliga season shows that I’m doing things right. When it comes to creating chances and expected goals per 90, this old timer’s still got it.
...the importance of the opening match of the Euros: The first game is always important. It gives the team an initial boost. It’s the thing you’ve been working towards. You’ve been thinking about it more than anything else, as well as about the fact that it needs to go well. It helps to break the shackles.
...Toni Kroos announcing his retirement: I want to thank him once again. It’s not over yet. We’ve still got a month and a half to go. We know each other very well both on and off the pitch. We played for the U19s together. We’re two players who are all about football – our lives revolve around football. I can sense how he plays the game and how he handles himself.
...possible retirement: I’m not personally thinking of stepping back yet – I’m fully focused on the task that lies ahead of us. We’ll see what happens after that. I didn’t know if I’d be picked for the national team after Qatar. It’s never a guarantee. I’ve tried to make my feelings clear. I’m feeling more and more comfortable here. I’m always proud and happy to play for that national team – I give it my all.
...Sané and Musiala’s injuries: It’s never easy when you’re carrying an injury, but they’ve knuckled down, worked hard and are doing everything they can to come back as soon as possible. They’re also doing extra training sessions. I think they’ll both be ready to help us out by the start of the tournament.
...Rocco Reitz and Brajan Gruda: They’re both talented players with special skills. They’re very strong physically, love to put in the hard yards and are proper footballers. They can both push through the pain barrier, too. Now, it’s all about being consistent.
...the atmosphere in Thuringia: Everyone’s starting to get excited, not just me. The whole team is looking forward to the upcoming challenge and finally getting things started. People have been talking a lot about the tournament since Christmas and we’ve also started thinking about it more and more. We’re happy that people are starting to come together now that it’s close to starting.
...the fans: Everyone here is excited – I think the games in March have helped things in this regard. The reception we got here in Thuringia was amazing. It’s normal to see people going about their business wearing Germany kits here. I used to be one of them. Back in the day, I always used to wear either a club shirt or a national team kit. There were no two ways about it when I was going out. I hope the fans use the Euros as an opportunity to feel as happy as possible. If the national team contribute towards that in any way, people should get behind us and show their gratitude as much as possible. That being said, we want to put in performances that even our biggest critics can’t help but applaud.
...the public training session: We trained in front of a sold-out crowd. It was fantastic! In fact, it was almost too fantastic – to the point where it was difficult to train because it was so loud. We struggled to hear the instructions for the training drills. It was a great way to start things off, with Mexican waves to boot.
