I love my job. Being together with the players, with my staff, and also now working on the details, analysing the games with our analysts and what we can improve and creating the spirit again… it’s not just on the pitch, it’s also off the pitch, therefore a training camp is good with many hours being together.
This is what I really was looking for after a few weeks at home. Of course I think at least every second day I had a call with the Chairman or with some other guys working for the club, working on transfers, having a few Zoom calls, so you’re never off from football!
But just being at home, spending time with my family, spending time with my friends, my battery is really recharged, and now we have a great environment, the players are doing well again.
This year, we’ve started on a complete different level and this is what we hope we can show from the beginning.
On the team trying Austrian food at the hotel…
When I came to England, I also tried English food, and I think if you come to Austria, let’s try Austrian food. If you go to Italy, I think we’ll all try Italian pizza!
It’s just giving you new experiences, and I think most of them like the Austrian desserts! I think we are really famous for desserts, and it’s also part of enjoying: it’s good food and you’re in a good mood, and this is what we want to have, because this is fundamental to performing at your best level, that you feel well in your environment, where you are, and then you can improve on the pitch.
This is what we try to create: an environment where everybody feels well, but also with a great work ethic to improve.
Match details
FC Augsburg v Crystal Palace
Friday, 1st August
15:00 & 17:00 BST (2 x 90-minute matches)
HF-Stadion Bad Wimsbach
Live on Palace TV+