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16/08/2001 (www.fcbayern.de)
Exclusive interview with Pablo Thiam
'I�m available to play all positions'
Pablo Thiam has settled in quickly at Bayern Munich. Arriving at the club from VfB Stuttgart in the close season, he has wasted no time in becoming a central figure in Ottmar Hitzfeld�s defensive strategy.
�In terms of my character and my capabilities as a footballer, I think I�m pretty well suited to the role,� says Thiam to the Bayern Munich Online Team, referring to the position in central defence he has played for the past two matches.
But Thiam, who has played every position from defender to attacker, has a reputation as a highly versatile player and refuses to be pinned down to a specific role in the team. �I�m available to play all positions in the future,� he says
Pablo, are you satisfied with your first few weeks at Bayern Munich?
Pablo Thiam: Yes, I�m very happy with the way things have gone so far. I completed the full pre-season training program, played in all the friendlies, and have been in the starting line-up for the last two Bundesliga games. It�s a good feeling when you play regularly.
You were the central figure in defence against Schalke and Leverkusen. Do you feel comfortable in this role?
Thiam: In terms of my character and my capabilities as a footballer, I think I�m pretty well suited to the role and can carry it out quite well. But, to be honest, I don�t think a great deal about the position I�m playing in. I�ve played everything in my career, from the defender to attacker. Last season in Stuttgart I was playing a defensive role in central midfield. That�s why I�m available to play all positions in the future.
But as the central figure in defence, you�re automatically a prominent part of the team�s structure.
Thiam: That�s right, and it�s good to know that the coaching staff has faith in me. Of course, I�m now focusing on my current position and looking to improve all the time.
Are you happy with Bayern�s four points from three games?
Thiam: I think we can be satisfied with the last two games. The Borussia M�nchengladbach game was obviously a bit of a shock, even if Gladbach were strong against Kaiserslautern and Schalke. We have to aim to improve every week - and every one of us has to lift our commitment and will to win.
Are you concerned by the five-point gap between Bayern and Dortmund?
Thiam: No, we�re only three games into the season. I don�t think we should get carried away. And let�s not forget that we have an opportunity to close the gap when we play Dortmund on 8 September.
You�re not worried at all?
Thiam: No, not at all. But, of course, we know we have to raise our game - especially when you consider that a lot of other teams are also chasing the Bundesliga title. I know from my own playing days with Cologne and Stuttgart how we prepared and motivated ourselves for games against Bayern Munich. Bayern regularly play in front of capacity crowds and the atmosphere is usually fairly aggressive. As a new player, it takes a while to get used to it, but it can also be a great motivator. I�m still confident that we�ll head the table at the end of the season.
Your next match is against St. Pauli. Is victory a foregone conclusion?
Thiam: No, to think that would be a big mistake. This type of game is always dangerous because the opponents have nothing to lose. We know they�re going to stay behind the ball and give everything they�ve got for 90 minutes. It�s our job to match that commitment. If we�re not sharp from the first whistle and St. Pauli survive the initial part of the game without conceding a goal, we�re going to have a lot of problems.
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� 2001 - 2002 Ririn Utami
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