DFB.de: How do you feel you have developed in the last year?
Meyer: It’s going well. If somebody had said to me that I would’ve played 100 games at the age of 20 I would’ve taken it in a heartbeat. I’m a regular starter and have never had such good stats.
DFB.de: At the age of 13 you turned down offers from Dortmund, Bayern and Gladbach to join Schalke. What was the attraction?
Meyer: Ultimately it came down to which was closest to home. It worked best as my parents could drive me and I could be home quickly. It fit in with my school schedule too which Schalke work hard to make sure of. We spoke about it and came to the decision that Schalke was the best option for me.
DFB.de: How important a role does money play for a young player?
Meyer: I would be lying if I said it meant nothing. But for me it’s the second or even third thing I think about. For me the potential of the team is important; whether I can reach my full potential in the team and whether I feel at home there is also important. The locations certainly has an influence for me.
DFB.de: Which coach was most instrumental in making you who you are?
Meyer: Norbert Elgert was my under 21s coach – I probably learned the most from him. The one-and-a-half years I spent under him were probably the most important. He pushes young talents very hard but is also a n ice guy.
Max Meyer hardly had time to sit down before being asked for an autograph. The 20-year-old takes his time to sign the Schalke kit. It’s no surprise the attention the player gets at Schalke. He moved to the club aged 13, and has become one of the key players in the team, having already made 92 Bundesliga appearances for the club.
In an interview with Andreas Reiners of DFB.de, the Germany U21 international looks ahead to the Bundesliga clash against Hannover 96 (Saturday, 15:30 CEST), the challenges facing young players, his role as captain of the U21 national side and his aims for the summer.
DFB.de: Max Meyer, were the 90 minutes against Bayer Leverkusen representative of Schalke’s season generally?
Max Meyer: You could say so yes. We had a bit of luck at the beginning of the season with our good run, but we are lacking that now. Not everything was perfect back then, just like not everything is bad at the moment. I do think we are playing better now than at the start of the season. We tend to be rattled when we concede a goal, which is something we need to address as quickly as possible.
DFB.de: At the beginning of the season the club said they wanted to win back the fans. Do you think you have done?
Meyer: I think that the fans have always been on our side, even when things haven’t gone our way. We’re undergoing a learning curve and it takes time. Things are actually going quite well even if they haven’t looked that way on the outside.
DFB.de: Are the expectations of the team too high?
Meyer: Schalke are a big club so naturally the expectations will be high, and rightly so. But when you make the right decisions and stay calm it pays off. Even if it’s not reflected in the table, Schalke are really in a good way.
DFB.de: How do you feel you have developed in the last year?
Meyer: It’s going well. If somebody had said to me that I would’ve played 100 games at the age of 20 I would’ve taken it in a heartbeat. I’m a regular starter and have never had such good stats.
DFB.de: At the age of 13 you turned down offers from Dortmund, Bayern and Gladbach to join Schalke. What was the attraction?
Meyer: Ultimately it came down to which was closest to home. It worked best as my parents could drive me and I could be home quickly. It fit in with my school schedule too which Schalke work hard to make sure of. We spoke about it and came to the decision that Schalke was the best option for me.
DFB.de: How important a role does money play for a young player?
Meyer: I would be lying if I said it meant nothing. But for me it’s the second or even third thing I think about. For me the potential of the team is important; whether I can reach my full potential in the team and whether I feel at home there is also important. The locations certainly has an influence for me.
DFB.de: Which coach was most instrumental in making you who you are?
Meyer: Norbert Elgert was my under 21s coach – I probably learned the most from him. The one-and-a-half years I spent under him were probably the most important. He pushes young talents very hard but is also a n ice guy.
DFB.de Talent is an advantage for up-and-comers; what does it take to make it?
Meyer: It’s important that you enjoy playing football. It doesn’t work if you don’t enjoy it. You also need a bit of luck and to be in the right place at the right time. You need to stay injury free and, of course, work very, very hard.
DFB.de Your contract runs until the end of 2018. Have you already had thoughts about it?
Meyer: Of course at times you think about it but two years is plenty time.
DFB.de Would you ever want to move on? Could you be tempted elsewhere?
Meyer: Difficult to say. At the moment I don’t really have anything in mind. I feel very at home in Schalke and can see myself playing here a long time. I can’t say what the future has in store.
DFB.de You were captain of the U21s recently. How was that?
Meyer: I have only been captain twice or three times in my life. It was a great feeling, an honour. I was proud to lead the team on the field.
DFB.de What did you do differently as captain?
Meyer: You have to look at the big picture. You have to make sure that everyone is on time for food and team meetings. It was hard at first but you get used to it after a couple of days.
DFB.de How are the team looking?
Meyer: There’s a lot of quality in the team. They are disciplined and have a lot of character.
DFB.de So, would prefer Rio or France in the summer?
Meyer: If I could choose then it would be France. But I wouldn’t be disappointed if I were to play in the Olympics. I’m leaving it open and I’ll give my all in the remaining games until such a time.
DFB.de You’re playing Hannover on Saturday. Is it a dead-set win against an already relegated side or could they be dangerous?
Meyer: On paper it should be a win for us but in reality it will be difficult because Hannover are free now. That’s the danger for us but we know that and we’re focused.
DFB.de Are you looking for fourth place?
Meyer: We’re just concentrated on our own game. We will try to get a win on Saturday and then in the remaining two games. If we get the nine points then we’ve done all we can.
