After “three beautiful” seasons and most recently a “difficult six months” at SC Freiburg, centre-back Dominique Heintz has joined 1. FC Union. In a media roundtable on Wednesday, the 28-year-old spoke about his move and being booted out of Breisgau.
He has only been in Berlin for a few days, so he still has to get his bearings. Dominique Heintz was able to report that he had already found a flat in the capital. But in which part of town his new accommodation is located, “I can’t reveal that, because I don’t know yet,” confessed the centre-back.
Starting eleven appearance against Leverkusen would be surprising
From a sporting point of view, the first winter addition to the 1. FC Union squad is likely to need some time to settle in. Should coach Urs Fischer call the defender into the starting eleven for the Eisernen’s second-round opener at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, it would come as a surprise, as Heintz has only been taking part in team training since Sunday.
After three and a half seasons at SC Freiburg and six months before the end of his contract at Breisgau, the 28-year-old joined FCU in the new year, who will have to do without top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi (Africa Cup) as well as Sheraldo Becker and Pawel Wszolek (both tested positive for COVID-19) at Leverkusen. Ahead of the away game at the Werkself, Heintz spoke about his departure from Freiburg, which was probably not too difficult for him due to the past months in which he had only made one appearance for SC, and the move to Union.
Dominique Heintz on:
.. the debut in Berlin:
“I’ve been well received by the team, I already feel comfortable. I’ve already found a nice place where I can move in soon. So far everything is going very well. “
Schlotterbeck knowledge wasn’t really necessary
.. his knowledge of Union and tips from his Freiburg teammates Nico and Keven Schlotterbeck, who played for Union on loan:
“I didn’t reveal that much in Freiburg because I’m not a player who talks about that kind of stuff in the dressing room. But I picked up one or two tips. I also had good talks with coach Urs Fischer and manager Oliver Ruhnert. I didn’t need that much from the Schlottis. I’ve also seen Union play, it’s not my first year in the Bundesliga. I know what this is all about. “
Union has made a “great effort “
.. the reasons for his departure from Freiburg:
“Everyone saw that the last six months were not easy for me. There were various factors for that, but I don’t want to go into them. I have put that behind me. It was a difficult six months. That’s why it was clear that I wanted to reorient myself, take on more responsibility again and be back on the pitch. I was happy to have found such a good club in Union, who made such an effort to find me. We had been in contact for a while. Now it’s just been a perfect fit. The change of scenery is very good for me.”
.. his ouster at Freiburg:
“That came as a surprise. It says it all if I don’t say much about it. It’s taken enough out of me in the last six months. I want to leave it at that. I don’t want to open things up. “
Everyone has seen that the last six months have not been easy for me. There were various factors for that, but I don’t want to go into them
.. the question whether it was a goal to catch third-placed Freiburg in the second half of the season:
“I don’t have the goal of beating Freiburg. I had three great years there. The last six months weren’t so good. Now I’m with Union. Our goal is still to collect enough points so that nothing happens at the bottom. The league is very tight. “
.. the reasons for the switch to Union:
“The conversations with Mr Ruhnert and the coach. The conviction they have of me, what they see in me. After half a year in Freiburg, it was nice to hear that there are still people who believe in you and see what you can do. (…) The style of play suits me very well. What the coach said to me about how he wants to play out from the back, I can see myself doing that. My strength is building up from the back with my left foot. (…) What else is very important: Union is an absolutely traditional club. I’ve often been allowed to play here as a guest, and that wasn’t easy. Now I’m happy to be on the other side and to have such fans behind me. I’m just happy to have found such a good club again. “
