19.08.2011
News-Archive

Veh: Psychological Advantage

For the first time in nearly 50 years Eintracht and FSV will meet in a league game again on Sunday (kick-off at 13.30h CET). A crowd of around 45,000 is expected to make their way to the Commerzbank Arena for the 'Frankfurt derby'. FSV have decided to hold their home match in the Eintracht ground for capacity reasons. In today's pre match press conference Eagles manager Armin Veh offered his views.

Mr Veh, has the derby fever got you?
Not really, that usually starts on the day of the match or one day before.

You already have derby experience from your time as Stuttgart and Hamburg manager. What were those matches like?
Those were always completely different games. Whether it was with HSV against St. Pauli or with Stuttgart against Karlsruhe - there was always big rivalry.

But how do you approach the derby with Eintracht being favourites?
We have to handle the role as a favourite and deal with the pressure. The team needs confidence and the large crowd will motivate them.

First 'home' win this season then?
Although we are the away team we see the match as a home match, we want to offer a good derby to the supporters and we want to leave the pitch as the winners.

Did you watch FSV manager Boysen and his team during their training today at the ground?
Our training session was scheduled at the same time but our scouts of course observed them and will brief us in detail.

How does it feel to be welcomed by FSV as the guests in the very own stadium?
I had a similar situation during my time at Greuther Fürth when we passed on the home match to Nürnberg. Back then I was the 'Boysen' if you wish. We won the match 2-1. In the cup the same situation arose, the match was held in the Nürnberg ground and again we won. Twice Nürnberg was beaten in their own ground by Fürth hence I am cautious. There is a psychological advantage but also more pressure.

Hans-Jürgen Boysen gained work practice with you for quite some time. Did you provide him with hints back then that come in useful for him now?
No, he was always an experienced manager. We know each other for a while, he is a nice and likeable person. I appreciate him as a professional and as a human being. He was out of contract at the time and hence the work practice was set up. But he did not need hints.

Are you concerned about your team's inferiority in the air?
I am a little worried about that. In fact i think about it regularly. That is why I keep saying that we need a striker who is strong with headers and that we need to bear that in mind in the recruitment process.

What are the strengths of FSV?
During the match against Ingolstadt they reacted quickly and created many chances which they did not convert though, they could have won the match. Set piece situations are definately one of their strengths. And being the underdog is an advantage for them also.