Pavao Pervan and VfL Wolfsburg face Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday. Ahead of the clash in his homeland, the 33-year-old spoke to kicker about his team’s form crisis, a possible contract extension and ÖFB team boss Franco Foda.
Mr Pervan, after a strong start to the season, VfL Wolfsburg have now been winless since 11 September. Can you explain what has happened in the past month?
It’s not that simple. In the beginning we won everything. There were a few little things that always went in our favour. Now it’s the other way round. Even in the game against Union Berlin (0:2 defeat, note) we weren’t worse. Of course we have higher expectations of ourselves and want to play even better football, but we are not Bayern Munich. If we score the first goal against Union Berlin, we’ll probably win. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Union took the lead with the first chance and that’s how we lost the game. In the other games, you could also see that our performance wasn’t that bad. But it was also not at the level we expect from ourselves. When you add the aforementioned little things, you get into a winless streak like that.
In the Champions League, Wolfsburg are also still waiting for a win after two draws. On Wednesday, they will play against league leaders Salzburg. What do you expect from this match?
I still know Salzburg from my time with Austria. I know that they will demand everything from us. It will be a highly intense game. I don’t think I need to warn my colleagues. We are all football enthusiasts and know that Salzburg have made a very good name for themselves, even at Champions League level. Everyone who is even a little bit involved in football knows the Red Bull philosophy. Salzburg brings out top talent year after year. You can see from that alone how well they work there. They won’t give us a minute’s rest and will press us extremely hard. We have to be better defensively than in the past games and we shouldn’t play every ball out the back. We just have to be clever. On the other hand, we will try to let Salzburg run. Then spaces will open up automatically. We have enough quality to do that. We will prepare well. It would have been easier with a win at the weekend, but we can’t change that now. The good thing about an English week is that we quickly get the chance to make amends.
What role will Xaver Schlager play in the match preparation? He’s injured now, but he played for Salzburg until 2019.
I personally haven’t spoken to him about the game. He has enough to do with his rehab and is busy at the moment. On the other hand, I am sure some players will enquire with him. But there are enough videos from which you can study the opponent well. Salzburg has always stayed true to its line in the past years. Therefore, not much will change in the approach. Like Salzburg, we will try to get to the top with few ball contacts and win the second balls. If we manage to do that, we’ll have a chance to win there.
“We always have the ambition to play for the international places. “
PAVAO PERVAN ON GOALS WITH THE VFL
You yourself haven’t played a minute for VfL this season. How do you deal with that and how is the communication with coach Mark van Bommel regarding your situation?
A new situation has arisen for me since I left Linz. I knew what I was getting into and I accept the situation 100 per cent. But I would also like to emphasise that I have developed both athletically and personally. I try to deliver my performance on the training pitch and help the team in this way. My job is to challenge Koen Casteels and push him to his best. I also have a lot of conversations with my teammates and create a good atmosphere. I have a good exchange with the coach and get the appreciation that you want as an athlete. Nevertheless, every football player loves to be on the pitch. I work very hard for that every day. When I don’t get to play, I try to contribute in other ways. We have a good team spirit and have been able to master many situations together. I’ve already played a few games for VfL, so I want to keep going. Wolfsburg is a top team in the German Bundesliga. We always have the ambition to play for the international places. I want to be part of that. It’s also fun because I’m challenged every day.
Koen Casteels has been acting as captain of VfL since this season. In view of this fact, do you see any realistic chance at all of getting past him?
I always get my hopes up. I wouldn’t be a sportsman if I gave up without a fight and didn’t believe in myself. My aspiration is to get a bit closer to it day by day and to get better personally. That’s all I can do. I try to implement what the coaching team gives me. I also learn a lot from Koen and he also learns a few things from me. At least that’s what I hope. That’s what makes our relationship. I think it’s not just us who benefit from it. The whole goalkeeping team is constantly learning something new. My gut feeling therefore tells me that I’m at the right club. I always give my best. That’s the most important thing for me: If I look in the mirror at the end of my career and can say that I gave everything, it’s not so bad if something didn’t work out. Then I will always go to sleep with a clear conscience.
You have already emphasised in numerous interviews that you feel extremely comfortable in Wolfsburg. Your contract expires next summer. Do you already know what will happen to you after this season?
I have a plan. I have also told the people in charge. We have already had one or two good talks. I hope that we will come to an agreement in the foreseeable future – whatever that may be. We will discuss once again in detail whether, how and in what form things will continue here. But I am not worried. I invest a lot every day and I know that the people in charge also see that. I have great confidence in the decision-makers. There is no reason not to be open and honest with me. The only thing I would like is a timely decision. I am not the type to play poker until the last day. I expect myself and the other side to play with open cards. Then we will find a good solution.
You mentioned your plan. Can you reveal what it looks like?
It would not be correct to anticipate. But when I say that I feel very comfortable, it means that I can very well imagine continuing in this position. I hope that the club also sees it that way. I also want to see what the prospects are for the time after my active career. I am no longer 20 years old. That’s why I’m already allowed to think about the time after that. As I said, I feel very comfortable here and can well imagine staying here for a long time.
Following on from that: So a career end is not yet an issue for you?
No. I feel much too good to stop now. Everyone I’ve spoken to about it so far has advised me to play football as long as possible. There is nothing better. I’m far too ambitious and obsessed with developing as a sportsman. The career is short enough as it is, I don’t need to make it even shorter. Fortunately, I haven’t had any major injuries in my career, so my health is also doing very well.
Is a return to LASK also conceivable for you?
I have always said that I felt just as comfortable at LASK as I do here in Wolfsburg. I played there for eight years and experienced extreme highs and lows. Of course, that has left its mark on me. I still have many friends there with whom I am still in contact. That also goes for some of the people in charge, players and coaches. That shows that I have identified myself very much with the club. Whether I come back or not, LASK will always have a special place in my heart, just like Wolfsburg and all my other clubs. I was always at my stations for a longer period of time. I need this consistency and am prepared to invest a lot for a club. Fortunately, that’s always been easy for me so far.
You have just mentioned the topic of consistency. For a long time, this was also the case at the top of the ÖFB, but since Sunday there has been a new president in Gerhard Milletich. What is your assessment of this personnel?
I must honestly say that he hasn’t spoken to me yet. He probably has other things to worry about at the moment. There are many tasks waiting for him and I am curious to see what is in store. But I trust that the ÖFB knows what to do. It was an honour for me to meet former president Leo Windtner. He was a formative person for Austrian football. Personally, though, I’m concentrating first and foremost on the sporting side of things and trying to return to the national team myself. I am very grateful for all that I have been able to experience in the national team so far. I am also ready to help Austria at any time. A phone call is all it takes.
“You shouldn’t blame him for everything bad. “
PAAVAO PERVAN ON FRANCO FODA.
The past few games have gone anything but well for Austria. How do you rate the development of the national team and the role of team manager Franco Foda?
It hurts that the European Championship euphoria has fizzled out again after only one training course. I’m not a fan of just picking on one person and not questioning anything else. I think it’s very harsh how Franco Foda is being treated. He does everything to make the team better and successful. He shouldn’t be blamed for everything bad. I’m very grateful to him for taking me to the European Championship, even though I didn’t play for the club. I give him a lot of credit for that. I’m not going to stick a knife in his back because I don’t forget things like that. The trigger for the bad mood was the 2:5 defeat in Israel. Then it’s hard to get out of this negative run. I really hope that we qualify for the World Cup. We have the quality for it, even if it won’t be easy. After the European Championship, that would be the next big step.
So you hope that Foda will remain team manager?
I wish him to stay and give him the chance to turn things around. If only because he stood by me when I wasn’t playing. I really appreciate that and so I don’t wish him anything bad at all – quite the opposite.
Before the European Championship, you were considered the hottest candidate for the goalkeeping position. In the end, Foda opted for Daniel Bachmann, and you weren’t even in the squad for the last few games in the World Cup qualifiers. What reasons were given to you for these decisions?
First of all, I want to emphasise that Franco Foda and Robert Almer (goalkeeper coach, note) were always honest with me. They told me that I would not be called up again, on the one hand because of a lack of playing practice at the club and on the other hand because of Heinz Lindner’s strong performances at Basel. Foda also wanted to reward him for that. I can understand that. I know that the team manager trusts me anyway. Conversely, he can rely on me. But it’s clear that he also wants to give other goalkeepers a chance and not give me a free pass. I’m not angry with him at all. As I said before, he took me to the European Championship despite my lack of match practice, and for me, the current situation doesn’t mean that I’m out for good. I’m on call and he knows what he’ll get from me.
So you would be ready for a return to the national team?
Yes, you just have to call me. Then I’ll be ready right away.
