New signing Amos Pieper has been training with Werder for two weeks and has travelled to Zillertal for a training camp for the first time. He stated that it’s too early to sum up SVW’s time in Austria, but he’s happy so far.
New signing Amos Pieper has been training with Werder for two weeks and has travelled to Zillertal for a training camp for the first time. He stated that it’s too early to sum up SVW’s time in Austria, but he’s happy so far.
Trying to integrate into a tight-knit squad after such a brilliant promotion season is certainly a challenge, but not one that Amos Pieper is stressing about. “It’s completely normal that the squad are all really close after what they experienced together over the last few years. They’ve got a lot of moments that they’ve shared and that connects them. As a new signing, I obviously can’t get involved in discussions about last season, but that’s totally fine. We can definitely build on the momentum gained from promotion and use that now,” said the defender.
The former Arminia Bielefeld man revealed that his new teammates have really helped him settle in: “I’ve found my feet really easily – all the lads are really open and friendly. They’re happy to help and have answered any questions I have. We’re getting to know each other on the pitch too, so it’s all going well.” The 24-year-old is sharing a room with Jens Stage, another summer signing. Pieper reported with a smile on his face that Stage can understand a lot of German, even everything if he speaks slowly.
The centre-back has fond memories of the club from his childhood. “When I used to watch TV as a child, Werder were always mentioned in the same breath as Bayern and Dortmund. This club has so much history.” One thing Pieper is looking forward to in particular is the atmosphere at the wohninvest WESERSTADION. “I’m really excited for our first competitive game at home in front of the fans. Walking out into a full stadium will be something special.” Another match Pieper is eagerly awaiting is the trip to his former club Dortmund on matchday 3. “I can’t wait for that game too, I’ve got a lot of memories there. I was looking forward to playing at a sold out Signal Iduna Park as soon as I was promoted with Arminia Bielefeld, however that never happened due to the pandemic. Things are looking a lot better now thankfully.”
When asked who his toughest opponents have been in the Bundesliga so far, he quickly named Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland. “That’s no surprise,” he joked. Another tricky opponent was Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Breel Embolo: “He’s so quick and really physical too. I had almost the most problems with him.”
