Interview mit Mirko Votava (englisch)

Geschrieben von: PACG

Dienstag, den 19. August 2008 um 10:02 Uhr

On Thursday 6th February 2004, we, Peña Atletica Centuria Germana, had the large possibility to speak, with the present head coach of Union Berlin, Mr. Mirko Votava. Mr. Votava, who is most Germans in the memory, because of his successful time with Werder Bremen. He played from 1982 – 1985 in the dress of the Rojiblanco.

Mirko Votava is next to Bernd Schuster, the only German who ever played for Atlético. Because of this our fan club is proud to welcome Mr. Votava.

PACG: Mr. Votava, first of all our sincere thanks that you took yourself the time for an interview with us.
Your trainer colleague and handball European champion with the German national team, Heiner Brandt, lost lately after they won the EM title, its trademark, the moustache. The fans in Madrid have your moustache still in their memory. Did you ever cut off your moustache in the last 20 years, or would the fans in Madrid still recognize you, nowadays, by your moustache?

MV: I think they will recognize me and will keep it. Otherwise I would get problems with my wife.

PACG: You moved from Borussia Dortmund to Spain in 1982, why did you turn your back to the domestic national league, (in which you played 6 years), and why did you are choose Spain?

MV: It was a new challenge, especially because my contract had run out in Dortmund. With the hard President Dr. Rauball, I came unfortunately on no denominator so that the offer from Madrid came just to the right time. I changed for 1.2 million marks to Spain and haven’t regretted the three years afterwards.

PACG: Atlético is a special club in Spain, what was for you, next to the thing with the president, the reason to go to Atlético and to not to another club? How did you become a Rojiblanco?

MV: I only had the offer from Atlético Madrid. At that time Vicente Calderón was the president, I got to know Gil y Gil later. I looked at a couple of game and decided then. At that time I had with Luis Aragones, who is now trainer in Majorca, a coach that I have learned to appreciate similar to Otto Rehhagel and who knew also, what he had at me.

PACG: What kind of feeling was that for you, as a player to walk into the stadium Vicente Calderón? Or was there no difference to the German stadiums, for example to the Weserstadium or the Westfalenstadion in which you also successfully played over a couple of years?

MV: You know also if you changed as a defensive midfield player for a high sum to Spain, you just have to play what you played before in the national league. You don't have to play Brazilian you just have to play for what you have been bought for. I underestimated the league first of all but I was able to be more successful from time to time. In Spain, they have huge stadiums, for example Nou camp or Bernabeu. We always sold 50,000 seasons tickets and the people came to every game. Altogether it was a giant thing in the Vicente Calderón.

PACG: What was the best experience you had as a player in Madrid and what was the worst one?

MV: We won the Cup and there was a giant celebration. You know hat the Spaniards can celebrate and live very well. This motivated me to win further titles, but unfortunately we didn’t have the chance to.

PACG: Do you miss something from your time in Spain and/or Atlético, which you would like to experience again? And if yes, what?

MV: I am going on vacation in Spain every year, because I really like their mentality. In addition I like how people sell themselves in the public, they are still just humans. In the villages and cities, there are many café - in contrast to elsewhere the Spaniards live more on the street than at home.

PACG: You just mentioned Luis Aragones. Did the "Atlétischool" teach you special experiences which you nowadays teach as a trainer?

MV: It is really an experience if you go abroad, you learn a new language and get to know a new mentality, this is a huge kind of experience for a young man. I have good connections to Atlético and also Luis Aragones, which never will be interrupted. Although it's been a while that I played for Atlético, people still recognize now as ever. How you already said, perhaps it's my moustache.

PACG: Does this mean you still keep in touch with friends or players out of that time?

MV: In any case! Some of them are yet always on the way like the present lawyer Clemente or Pedraza, who is meanwhile a player adviser. When we made a training camp on Majorca, I called the manager Carlos Peña and he provided me tickets, so that we were able to view a game with the entire team.

PACG: Are you still interested for Atlético Madrid today and do you catch yourself how you view after the results of the Rojiblanco?

MV: I catch myself naturally always. They lost unfortunately 3:0, but they are on the best way to qualify for the international business. I would grant this. I don't know at all if it is going to be better through Gil y Gil?

PACG: You just addressed it: Yesterday the President Jesus Gil y Gil was confirmed its shares majority, over 95%. The club suffered the last years under the Gil regime. Many wish Vicente Calderón back for president. What can you say about president Calderón?

MV: He unfortunately died just after I left Atlético. He was great person, but at that time the club had already financial problems. We players didn't think about very much. Somehow it went further and further until Gil y Gil came, who put a couple of million into the club. And how you can see it still goes on today.

PACG: What would you like to say to the German Atlético fans at last?

MV: Remain like you are!

PACG: Mr. Votava, in the name of the Peña Atletica Centuria Germana, I would like to thank you for the time, that you took for this interview. It was a real honour to speak with you. I wish you the best with Union Berlin and your further career. Much good fortune and health for you and your family and who knows, maybe we will meet one day in Bremen or Dortmund to a Champions League game between 2 former clubs.

Muchas Gracias !!!

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