Werner: As a team, we didn’t perform as we had hoped, so we want to improve in the second half of the season. I’m very pleased with my figures, but I know there are still many aspects of my game that I can and must continue to improve. I’m working on that.
DFB.de: What can VfB achieve in the short-term and looking further ahead?
Werner: Right now, we’re completely focused on the home game against Mainz. We want to start well and take that momentum into the next few matches. Our aim is to have a single-digit position in the table at the end of the season.
DFB.de: Competing teams have also become aware of you. Can you imagine moving to another club?
Werner: I’m not thinking about that at all.
DFB.de: Do you have a role model?
Werner: I think Mario Gomez is great. He’s a complete striker and is such a threat in front of goal. Mario went all the way through the VfB youth ranks to the first team, was part of the team that won the Bundesliga title and then established himself at one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
DFB.de: You are often compared with Mario Gomez…
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In the first half of the Bundesliga season, a series of talented young stars and budding internationals caused a stir on the pitch. DFB.de set out to meet some of them before the second half of the season gets underway on Friday, starting with VfB Stuttgart’s Timo Werner.
DFB.de: Timo Werner, how are you dealing with the hype currently surrounding you?
Timo Werner: I try to stay relatively relaxed about it. I’ve been working with the club to find the best way for me to combine sport, school and media commitments.
DFB.de: There has been a lot to take in. Have you been able to process what has happened over the past few months?
Werner: Yes, I think so, but sometimes you need a little time until you really understand it, like after my first Bundesliga goal. That generated an unbelievable amount of interest.
DFB.de: Has the winter break provided a good opportunity to stop for a moment and take a deep breath?
Werner: Above all, it was nice to spend time with my family. Away from football, I still need to prepare for my exams, so that doesn’t leave much time for anything else.
DFB.de: Nevertheless, can you already say that you’ve turned your dream into a career?
Werner: I’m only 17 years old and have just played my first few Bundesliga matches. It would be better to say that I’m on the right track to turn my dream into a career.
DFB.de: What do those around you make of the situation, particularly your family and friends?
Werner: They have always supported me completely, and I’m extremely grateful for that.
DFB.de: You were considered to be a huge talent at a very young age. When did it become clear to you that you could make it as a professional footballer?
Werner: Yes, things went well for me in the youth system. Then, when I was allowed to train regularly with the first-team squad under Bruno Labbadia, I was hoping I’d get a chance – and when it came, I took it.
DFB.de: On Matchday 6, you scored your first goal for VfB in the 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt, making you the club’s youngest player to score in the Bundesliga. How did it feel to score in front of 60,000 fans?
Werner: It always feels great to get a goal. Of course, it’s slightly better to score in front of a crowd of that size. (laughs)
DFB.de: You had an almost perfect first half of the season, scoring four goals and providing four assists. What is your verdict on your first few months in the Bundesliga?
Werner: As a team, we didn’t perform as we had hoped, so we want to improve in the second half of the season. I’m very pleased with my figures, but I know there are still many aspects of my game that I can and must continue to improve. I’m working on that.
DFB.de: What can VfB achieve in the short-term and looking further ahead?
Werner: Right now, we’re completely focused on the home game against Mainz. We want to start well and take that momentum into the next few matches. Our aim is to have a single-digit position in the table at the end of the season.
DFB.de: Competing teams have also become aware of you. Can you imagine moving to another club?
Werner: I’m not thinking about that at all.
DFB.de: Do you have a role model?
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Werner: I think Mario Gomez is great. He’s a complete striker and is such a threat in front of goal. Mario went all the way through the VfB youth ranks to the first team, was part of the team that won the Bundesliga title and then established himself at one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
DFB.de: You are often compared with Mario Gomez…
Werner: That’s a real honour, of course, but Mario has established himself at the top level for many years. I’m still at the start of my career, but I’ll certainly do all I can to be as successful as him.
DFB.de: Like your idol, you have made several appearances for Germany’s youth teams. How important is it for you to have played for the DFB’s national youth sides?
Werner: Even as a youngster, the national team is extremely important. It’s a reward for strong club performances and it’s always great to link up with players from other clubs and play for your country.
DFB.de: Do you occasionally dream of being part of the squad at the World Cup in Brazil this summer?
Werner: There’s no harm in dreaming, but my first priority is to perform well for VfB and deliver a strong second half of the season with the team.
