Mainz had left Anton Stach for Hoffenheim because he was deployed beyond his beloved center. Now the midfielder is needed further back
The first attempt by coach Pellegrino Matarazzo was rejected. “The coach actually asked me last year, when I said I actually saw myself more on the six,” reveals Anton Stach, explaining: “I didn’t have any preparation back then to practise it.” It was only late in the transfer window that TSG completed the midfielder’s move from Mainz for eleven million euros.
“This time he took me aside again and asked me how I felt and how I saw it,” Stach continues, this time he was open to the retraining. “Sure, we’re still missing a few players and if you can train it, then it’s at this stage to get the processes in. But I also told him that I would very much like to play in the six, because that’s my favorite position. But it’s not a disadvantage to be flexible. Especially because we also have more workloads. “
Skill shortage in the defense
Not only the shortage of specialists in the back line, but also the at least eight additional games in the Europa League require an alternative to the current leader of the back three, Florian Grillitsch, who will only rejoin the team this weekend after his European Championship vacation
So Stach will once again have to deal with a role beyond his favorite position. Curiously, the 25-year-old left Mainz for this very reason. Back then, the six-man was often deployed further forward and even on the outside. After a year in the Hoffenheim center as a six or sometimes as an eighth, Stach is now trying out the player opener in the back line
Where it still hangs
“It’s unusual, I’ve never played that before. But I come from the center and my height and the tackles mean I can definitely play it,” Stach recognizes, “of course I first have to get used to the processes and learn everything. But I have good coaching and also watch videos on the subject, it’s basically good to be flexible so that I can play an additional position.”
Of course, there are still a few hiccups here and there. “There are still little things in tricky situations that I have to learn, where I don’t push out in time, for example, but I’m learning very quickly and I want to,” assures Stach, realizing the increased responsibility. “You have to communicate more because you see the whole pitch. It’s a very important position because there’s only the goalkeeper behind me.”
Basically, Stach wants to help stabilize the shaky defence, whether at the back or in the middle. For his second year at Hoffenheim, his personal goal is “that I take the next step, that I become louder and lead the way and be a leader. And with the team, it’s these small goals of getting better in defense and playing a good round and attractive soccer. “