Tim Harris: Well Chris thanks for your time, healthy after a long time of being injured, how do you feel?
Chris: Well I am very happy to be healthy again and it seemed for awhile I had allot of bad luck with injuries but what is important now is for me to stay healthy and keep playing the best football I can play.
TH: What are the differences to you in playing in Brazil and playing in the Bundesliga?
Chris: The tempo in the Bundesliga is totally different. In the Bundesliga league a team can be winning 4-0 and they are going to still be giving 100% to get that 5th goal. Really a higher tempo and more aggressive mentality in the Bundesliga.
TH: How do you see the team doing this season?
Chris: Well we are doing ok. I mean we have lost allot of games that we should not have lost but with the injuries what can you do. We have been the better team a number of times but just did not have the ball fall our way.
TH: Where do you think the team can do to improve?
Chris: We got to play harder and we got to stay healthy. We have to give more in each and every game and stay focused on the way we play.
TH: Being the Defensive Boss sort of speaking and the most senior player in the defense how do you see Bellaid and Petkovic fitting into the team?
Chris: They are doing ok, they just have to get use to the Bundesliga and learn to stay in the defensive mode.
TH: Where would you like to see finish at the end of the season?
Chris: Well at least 40 points and I would like to win at least 2 of our last games. It would be good not to have to worry about regulation.
TH: Is there anything you would like to say to the readers of our newsletter?
Chris: Well I find it great that our fans try use so many different ways to stay in touch with how the team is doing and I thank them for their support.
*BONUS Section*
I had the chance to sit down with Christoph Preuss while he is going through physical therapy for his knee. It was a very unique opportunity for me as even though I write this newsletter I am also a fan and to have him invite me to share a lunch with him was an honor. I will tell you he is coming along very nicely and he might even start running again by the end of May. One thing I found interesting is the trainer Funkel has told Preuss to stay away from the stadium until he is healthy except to the homes games. Now some may feel that is hard for a trainer to say but Funkel is actually looking after his best interest. Funkel knows that if Preuss is around the team and the stadium that it will force Preuss to come back when he is not physically ready and it could possibly cause a career ending injury. Preuss’s contract is up for renewal at the end of the season and I hope we are able to keep him with us. We have invested allot time into his healing process and when Preuss is healthy he can be one of the best midfielders in my opinion in the Bundesliga.
