Oliver, what attracted you to the job at Eintracht Frankfurt?
“Eintracht Frankfurt are a club with a great tradition and are a big name in German football. I had the privilege of playing in a full Frankfurt stadium with Wolfsburg before the pandemic and getting a taste of the impressive atmosphere here.”
What needs to happen for you to say in May 2022 that it’s been a good season?
“We should have won a fair amount of matches – not just in the Bundesliga but ideally in the Europa League too. For me, the way we play is very important, the type of football we play and whether you see that individual players and we as a team are progressing in a positive direction. If we see that, coupled with as many points as possible, I’ll be very content and will look back on a very good season.”
Which club would be your dream opponents at Deutsche Bank Park?
“Liverpool.”
Up to now, we’ve mainly seen the calm Oliver Glasner. Is there also an emotional and loud side to you?
“In the odd training session you’ll notice when I’m not happy. Attitude is very important to me. It doesn’t have to be perfect every day and all go well, but I want to feel with every player that he’s giving everything.”
I like to read in the evenings before going to sleep, to wind down a bit. There’s not much time for anything else.
Head coach Oliver Glasner
What do you do in your free time, which must be rare as the head coach of a professional club?
“I try to spend the time with my family. I’ve already been to the golf course in Frankfurt a few times, too. I switch my phone off then. I like to read in the evenings before going to sleep, to wind down a bit. There’s not much time for anything else.”
Which teams or players have influenced you in your playing style?
“When I finished my playing career at the age of 37, it was Jürgen Klopp, who practised counter-pressing very successfully at Borussia Dortmund. My time at Salzburg as assistant coach to Ralf Rangnick and Roger Schmidt also influenced me. I saw that you can be very successful with an aggressive and active style of play and also improve the players. That was certainly the formative period of my career.”
Which players in football impress you in particular?
“Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been playing at the top level for over 10 years now and, if you include internationals, they play over 60 matches a year. They put in a lot of effort and are always willing because they love football so much. For me, that passion is the greatest things you can have in your career.
On Thursday 7 October, it was exactly 100 days since Oliver Glasner’s official unveiling as the new Eintracht Frankfurt head coach
