Union Berlin: It is time to take on the next challenge – Schäfer

– Do you speak German?
– I can make myself understood at a basic level. I learned the language in high school, but then Italian came into the picture, and then I put more emphasis on English," told our portal András Schäfer, whose contract was announced on Friday by Union Berlin, with which he signed a long-term agreement. – Fortunately, the basics of German have been preserved, and I hope this will help me with the integration, and in the years to come, I will have ample opportunity to hone my German language skills.

– If someone had said in January last year that you would play in the European Championship and then sign with a Bundesliga club, what would have been your reaction?
– I would have smiled at the person. Perhaps I can say without exaggeration that my last year went according to the best possible scenario. Playing in the European Championship was a dream come true, and even in the days before the tournament, I never thought that head coach Marco Rossi would make me a starter in all three group matches. These successes were all necessary for the contract with Berlin to happen, and I'm glad it turned out that way.

– When did you first hear about Union Berlin's interest?
– The club was interested in me in the last days of the transfer window last summer. As far as I know, they made an offer, but the deal didn't work out. I've heard from my agent in recent weeks that Berlin's proposal was still alive, but things have accelerated in the last few days, and that's when I really felt there was a chance of changing clubs. In addition to my manager, I am also grateful to my brother, not only because I could count on him in everything, but also because after the European Championship he helped me to handle the fuss in place. I didn't feel like the horse ran away with me, but if it did, he'd definitely put me back in place.

– What was your first reaction when the deal was reached?
– We're talking about the current fifth-placed team in the Bundesliga, so everyone can imagine it... Union Berlin's budget cannot be compared to that of the richest German clubs, and because of this, I am particularly honored that the managers saw me as an opportunity in the long term and decided to sign me. I hope I will find my role in the club and will not disappoint anyone.

– The fifth place shows that the Berlin club is running well. It's not easy to become part of the team now...
– It isn't, but as I said, the club and I are thinking about a long-term project. Of course, I would like to be in the starting line-up as soon as possible, I would like to get as many opportunities as possible, but the first six months should be about integration. We have to go step by step. The squad is not as big as at Bayern Munich or Dortmund because of the many matches they will certainly pay attention to rest the players enough, so sooner or later I will definitely get the opportunity. Then everything depends on me.

– In what ways is the current situation different than when you signed with Genoa in Serie A three years ago?
– In almost everything. I am three and a half years older, I now have played 15 national team matches, appeared in the European Championship, and have been a foreign player for three years – even if DAC is actually a Hungarian team. I've become a lot more mature over the last few years, I've improved a lot and I felt like it was time to take on the next challenge, and I have the best chance of switching now.

– Did you get a chance to say goodbye to your teammates in Dunajská Streda?
– Yes, on Wednesday I said goodbye to my teammates and the management, they were happy with the news. Not that I'm finally leaving, but that I can prove myself at a Bundesliga club. I've made a lot of friends at DAC, and I'm grateful that I've been given the opportunity to build myself up. I left with fond memories, and I hope we will have the chance to talk for a longer time in the next few days with the sporting director and the owner, Oszkár Világi. I want to thank them for everything they gave me. The club, the fans, the players all contributed to me being able to speak now as a player for Union Berlin.

– What do you expect from yourself in the next six months?
– I don't want to put extra burdens on myself. My goal is to spend as many minutes as possible on the pitch. I'm really looking forward to the six months ahead, but since I've just signed the contract, I don't want to make any promises. First, I'd like to map out the conditions here, get to know the squad, the tactics, and fit into the team. Everything else comes after that.

– When are you going to be in the match squad for the first time?
– I packed my suitcases on Wednesday, the official announcement was on Friday, so the next two or three days are probably about me to understand where I'm at. Everything is fine with my game license, so if they said I'd be sent to the pitch this weekend, I'd be ready to play, but it's head coach Urs Fischer's decision when he expects me to be in the squad for the first time.

– What would you like to talk about a year from now?
– I don't want to run so far ahead. Just the last year showed that it is more expedient to think in the short term. There's no need to talk about what might happen in a year or two. We have to prepare for the next training session and the next game – that's what I believe in, and I've been following this pattern. If I had been asked about the Bundesliga contract in January last year, I would not have seen any chance of it. It shows that the situation in football is changing extremely quickly. At the same time, I hope I've made the right decision and that my career is going in the right direction.

Translated by Vanda Orosz