“The city, the club and the fans are all great” | OneFootball

From youngster to captain – Marco Friedl’s journey at Werder will continue (Photo: W.DE).

Interview with Marco Friedl after extending his contract

The captain is going nowhere! Marco Friedl has extended his contract to keep him at SV Werder Bremen. In an interview with WERDER.DE, the defender, who has now been at the club for seven years, talked about his reasons for staying, his second home and his personal development at SVW.

WERDER.DE: You arrived here on loan in 2018. Did you ever imagine back then that we’d be sitting here seven years later talking about your future at the club?

Marco Friedl: I didn’t, no. Things happened quite quickly back then, I didn’t think for too long about coming here. After a year and a half, I felt like I’d settled in quickly and then knew I might stay here for a while, though I didn’t think it would turn out to be for seven years.

WERDER.DE: What was the main reason for you extending your contract?

Marco Friedl: The conversations I had with the club were really positive, open and honest. I know what the club’s plans are for the future. The city, the club and the fans are all great, as is our vision for the coming years.

WERDER.DE: What makes this city and this club so special?

Marco Friedl: Werder are one of the biggest and most unique clubs in Germany. The fan culture, history and everything about the club is special. I think I speak for everyone when I say that. We’re always happy playing at home or away because our fans are always there. It’s always special playing for this club.

WERDER.DE: Moin Marco, we’re currently sat surrounded by a number of your shirts from recent seasons. Could you maybe tell us why we’re here and how you’re feeling right now?

Marco Friedl: I’ve just extended my contract, so I’ll be here for a bit longer yet. I’m naturally really happy and settled here. Everything is perfect right now.

WERDER.DE: Your life has changed in a big way over the past year after you became a father. How much did your family have an influence on your decision?

Marco Friedl: We did discuss it together, though the little one wasn’t obviously able to have a say yet (laughs). I spoke to my girlfriend, my parents and with my agent, but ultimately, I’m the one who has to make the decision. I knew that if the discussions with the club went well and I felt like Werder have solid plans for the coming years, then SVW would be priority. I’ve said all along that I could see myself staying here if all parties could come to an agreement.

Marco Friedl

WERDER.DE: You come from Kirchbichl in Austria and came through FC Bayern’s youth academy. During all your years here, have you missed your home at all?

Marco Friedl: I naturally miss it back home. It’s obviously difficult to go home as a footballer, it’s not really worth it for one or two days. That means you can only go home for an extended period of time over the winter and summer. I really enjoy being back at home, time goes really quickly when I’m there. Nevertheless, Bremen has become a second home for me. I’ve been here for so long, I’m right at home here and know the city extremely well.

Marco Friedl has now been at Werder for seven years (Photo: W.DE).

WERDER.DE: We just spoke about the club and the city. You arrived here when you were 19 and have grown into an adult during your time here. How did the club and city help your personal development?

Marco Friedl: When you’re far away from home as a young player – Munich was only an hour away – you have to change a lot of things in your life. You have to take time to settle in, grow up and do a lot of things for yourself. I was lucky to have a good team that welcomed me with open arms, so that made things easier. My parents came to see me a lot and are still at a lot of our home games these days, so I’m still close with them. As a young player, you have to take a few steps in your career that won’t be easy to start off with if you want to continue your development.

Friedl: "Keep maturing as captain"

WERDER.DE: You’ve definitely developed a lot during your time here. When you arrived in Bremen, you had played just one Bundesliga game but have now reached 150. What does this milestone mean to you?

Marco Friedl: The last seven years have gone extremely quickly. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been here for that long. I think I’ve been able to enjoy every moment, at least to some extent. You never know what’s coming next, things happen so quickly in football. Playing 150 games is a great achievement but I hope I can play plenty more.

The captain is staying (Photo: W.DE).

WERDER.DE: You have been captain now for three seasons. How have you grown into this role?

Marco Friedl: The first year was difficult, I mentioned that on a number of occasions, but the team and the coach showed their faith in me and reiterated that I deserved this role. It’s something that you have to grow into. It came really early on in my career, I was a young player still. I struggled at the start but in the second and third year in particular, I’ve been able to do a good job by finding the right balance between what’s important and what’s not. I’ve found a good mix.

WERDER.DE: We’ve spoken a lot about the past few days, but now let’s take a look into the future. What are your plans for the future?

Marco Friedl: I have a number of plans. The most important thing is that we take the next step as a team and keep on improving. For me personally, I want to stay fit and help the team like I’m doing now. I want to keep maturing as captain with each year and lead from the front even more in the future.

WERDER.DE: Congratulations on your new contract! We’re pleased that you’re staying, Marco!