Things are going well for Marwin Hitz and FC Basel this season.Image: KEYSTONE
interview
Basel goalkeeper Marwin Hitz has had a very special path. In an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency, he talked about one of the reasons why FCB is doing so well right now.
Marwin Hitz played his first Super League game shortly before his 35th birthday. That's because, in 2008, after playing in the Challenger League with Winterthur, he moved to Bundesliga club Wolfsburg – where he knew he could only be the number three goalkeeper.
“I saw the opportunity to play under a coach (Felix Magath) who had a good reputation in every aspect and was a team that wanted to attack,” Sheets told Keystone- The move was explained in an interview with the SDA news agency. “Of course, I knew I needed a lot of patience and that I had to catch up physically. A lot of people were waiting for me to come back in the winter. But then I stayed in Germany for a while (laughs).”
This suspicion drives Sheets. “I had very little support in football other than my family. I have few good memories of my childhood there; I experienced so many disappointments that I learned how to deal with them. I developed a strong Resilience.” Sheets' development in football later than others also had something to do with him completing a three-year apprenticeship in business. “I was very tired during this time, very tired. But the training was very important to me from the beginning.”
thanks for the opportunity
He stayed at Wolfsburg for five years, although he only made 13 appearances in the Bundesliga. «I always draw energy from this difficult period. I'm grateful for this opportunity,” said Hitz. In 2013, he moved to league rivals Augsburg and started in the top flight in November of the same year. What makes this successful time even more special for him Yes, he married and the first two of his three children were born.
In 2018, Hitz moved to Borussia Dortmund despite knowing that his compatriot Roman Bürki had the lead. “For me, this is the only club in the top 15 in Europe and I see my chance to be number one at some point,” Sheets said. “The attraction of playing for a club like this in a stadium with such 'walls' was so great that I took the step. It was worth it.”
Marvin Sheets' contract with BVB runs from 2018 to 2022Image source: Associated Press
This, though, was another disappointment for him. Because after he became Dortmund's number one goalkeeper in late January 2021 and extended it to 2023 a month later, Dortmund signed another goalkeeper, Swiss Gregor Kerber, for the 2021/22 season. Sheets had to fall behind again. “Then I quickly realized that at my age, it was impossible to top him because he was performing at the top level,” Sheets said. That's why he decided to terminate his contract early and join FC Basel. So he entered the Super League very late. FCB will welcome Servetus on Sunday.
Interview with Marvin Sheets:
FC Basel's Marwin Hitz had an outstanding performance. You have won five of your last six games and are one point behind second-placed Zurich. Why are things going so well right now?
Marwin Sheets: We prepared well and set ourselves goals to improve in every aspect. We did score points at important stages last season, but it wasn't the style of play we wanted. And then a lot of good people came in, character-wise as well. We have the best quality team since I've been here. This results in a good level of training. Everyone pushes each other, and everyone wants to succeed without getting too cocky. It's a very positive relationship.
Marwin Hitz interviewed.Image: trapezoid
You are the team that has scored the most goals in this league and conceded the fewest goals along with Zurich and Lugano. This shows that there is a good balance within the team.
That's not unusual, but it's certainly a very good sign for the team. However, in my opinion, we still allowed too many shots and great chances. We also got a little lucky in a way. But the path is definitely the right one.
How much does the team's rise have to do with signing Xherdan Shaqiri?
He brings tremendous quality and is very selfless. But since he was of course also dependent on his teammates, it didn't work out well at first. At first, it was a matter of “finding myself.” He is probably the most successful Swiss footballer, a fact that amazes many. When players like this speak, people listen carefully.
A little over a year ago, it felt very different. FCB are at the bottom of the table with five points from their first 11 games. This situation can be especially difficult for a thinking person like you.
It was definitely the most difficult period of my football career, even though I went through a lot of ups and downs. I felt helpless – that's one of the worst things to do on the pitch, but off the pitch too. A lot of things went wrong and a lot of things came together. However, what I am very proud of at this stage is that we never broke up. We never blame each other or pass the buck. This is undoubtedly one of the reasons for the current good performance. There are many people staying here, and this situation naturally brings people together.
Things didn't go as planned at FC Basel last season.Image: trapezoid
In this case, can you still consider yourself a spiritual person?
This thing has been spinning in my mind many times, sometimes even at night. It's humbling when you look so bad and play so bad. The road to training is relatively long. Then it's not that fun to drive past everyone because you feel like you're responsible for the whole thing. This is especially true in a city where football is popular.
At 37 years old, you are already old enough to play football. In this way, wouldn’t it be easier to deal with such a difficult situation?
As a young player, I always thought it was easier when you had a certain status. But honestly, that's not the case. I'm increasingly worried that if things don't go well, I'll feel more responsible. But I think that’s a prerequisite to being able to stay there for such a long time. If you no longer feel responsible, then this level cannot be maintained.
Speaking of maintaining standards: How much more effort do you have to put in today?
Luckily, I started taking care of myself early on. I'm constantly picking up stuff from other players and learning more. I have always done yoga, not only on the massage table but also as a practice on my own. I studied nutrition early on. There is also genetic luck. But there's definitely a lot of hard work and discipline behind it and I can still play at this level.
The contract with FCB expires next year. Is there already a trend for what will happen next?
I was just talking to my family last weekend about this long and hard thing because the original plan was to end in 2025. I am someone who always needs a goal and wants to work towards something. We have decided now that I will continue to play for another year if possible. At my age, it no longer makes sense to look to the future. Basel, as a club where I feel very comfortable at the moment, was of course my first point of contact and it always has been that way for me. Otherwise I would have played for more clubs.
Marvin Sheets' contract expires next summer.Image: trapezoid
Either way, in real estate, you've found your footing after your career is over.
For me it's always important to do things on the side, exchange ideas with people outside football and learn something new that you haven't done a hundred thousand times. This gives me a level of security and allows me to make decisions without pressure. But of course, it’s not easy to stop.
Back to FCB. The last championship was seven years ago. Are you hungry for the championship trophy?
Our average attendance this season has been really good. However, I'm not hungry for the title because I think we've got our feet on the ground in recent years. However, we can feel the joy of the fans as most of us are once again playing good football. But no one ever talked to me about winning the title, although there were certainly fans who dreamed of it. Everyone is grateful that the club is back on track and everyone is pulling in the same direction. Spectators who have not been to the stadium recently are returning in increasing numbers. This is the best thing about the situation right now. (Ritz/SDA)
HCD manager Marc Gianola said that the contract with Andres Ambühl will be extended by another year until 2026. The current HCD captain is likely to become one of the founders of the future HCD championship team after resigning.
It's actually a ridiculous idea. But there are many unrealistic realities in our sport of hockey: One club has a popular forward whose contract is expiring, he is the captain of the team and the captain of our national team at the Four Nations Championship in Helsinki. He has no intention of leaving the club. The worrying question, however, is: Will the contract be extended?
