Thommy: "Düsseldorf belong in the Bundesliga"

Speaking exclusively to bundesliga.com ahead of Fortuna's crucial relegation six-pointer against Paderborn on Friday night, Thommy talks personal form, playing football without fans and his own football journey...

bundesliga.com: Do you find it more difficult playing without fans?

Erik Thommy: "Definitely. Especially in a situation where you're stuck, you need all you can get. If the fans who've been behind us all season are suddenly missing for such an important upcoming match... it'll be weird for sure. There are moments whilst playing at home when you need a push from a late corner for example, with the fans cheering you on. That will all be missing. I'm curious to see how it'll feel but it definitely won't be fun."

bundesliga.com: Have you spoken about the fan situation amongst the team?

Thommy: "It's been a topic since yesterday. It's normal for us to be talking about it and discussing what to expect. In the end, we can continue talking about it but Friday is almost upon us so, I'm excited."

bundesliga.com: Is it a disadvantage for you to play without fans?

Thommy: "Yes. Even for Paderborn, it would've been difficult to come here and play in front of 40,000 or 50,000 fans. This way, they come and can tell themselves 'our fans are not here but neither are theirs.' I think it's a little disadvantage. We cannot change it though."

bundesliga.com: In the last few weeks it would be fair to say that Fortuna have played well without winning many games. What is the cause behind this?

Thommy: "Yes, definitely. We weren't rewarded with what we deserved. In most games we were equal to or better than the opponent. We haven't lost a game in the last three matches; we shouldn't forget that. However, we only managed one win. Five points in total. You can tell that the team wants it; that we're pushing hard. In the last match, we ran more, the percentage of duels won were good. The coach is pushing us on and we're using that. The only thing missing is goals and some effectiveness. I think we're on the right track."

Watch: Thommy scored in Fortuna's 2-0 win at Freiburg!

bundesliga.com: A draw in your situation would be quite frustrating, right?

Thommy: "In the situation we're in, three points would be of more use than one, however, I also feel like losing a match has a different feeling attached to it. The mood is then usually completely depleted. We were clearly the better team. We were simply not able to reward ourselves. We'll be playing in a stadium with no fans but we want to change the result in our favour. I'm convinced that we'll clinch the three points this time."

bundesliga.com: What is your opinion of Uwe Rösler after these first few weeks with him?

Thommy: "There haven't really been that many days since his arrival. I think he's already made some changes. A lot of small details. He's very meticulous with everything he does. On the training pitch, he often tweaks various things like pushing players one or two metres around the field while instructing us on a clear playing philosophy. I think it's important to have this in the situation we currently find ourselves in; we need this impulse from him. On the field, we can see that our performances have been satisfactory. The results, on the other hand, have not. The blame lies on us and not the coach. We're now in a position where we simply need to reward ourselves. The team is pushing and the coach is leading the way. That's how we have to look at the situation."

bundesliga.com: What kind of person is Rösler?

Thommy: "He's a person who likes to be in contact with people. A person who communicates a lot. The exchanges between us are very important because we can express our feeling in terms of being on the pitch or various areas in which we feel uncomfortable. We need this communication between each other. He's very good at that."

bundesliga.com: Are you currently undergoing your best personal period during your time in the Bundesliga?

Thommy: "Whether it's my best or not, I don't know. I had a good phase during my time at VfB Stuttgart where we managed to lose only once in 14 matches. I always aim to put personal ambitions behind me. Scoring three or four goals is worthless if the team doesn't win or doesn't grab the results it wants. I enjoy myself when the team is successful. I'm currently in a situation where I can offer the team something; where I can perform for them. It has been getting better lately. There are still several matches left until the end of the season in which I'll look to help the team as much as I can."

bundesliga.com: Why is Fortuna Düsseldorf good for you at the moment?

Thommy: "I was welcomed from the very first day. It's a city with a lot of potential. It's a wonderful city where one can have a good life. On top of that, it has a club that has developed incredibly throughout the last couple of years. Super coaching staff and great teammates. If all of these factors are positive, you can enjoy your football. It becomes evident on the field which usually leads to success. Even if our current position in the table doesn't suggest it, we're on the right path. It's important to stay healthy. If you're also having fun, playing football is great."

bundesliga.com: How do you think the relegation battle will turn out?

Thommy: "I'm not sure if we should look too far ahead because I've done such calculations before and they never seem to pan out. First up will be Paderborn. Then we'll go up against Cologne next week. They're very important games in which we want, or need to score points. There are fewer and fewer matches left. We need to focus on getting as many points from each game and at the end of the season do the math to see if it was enough or not. We can't influence the results of the teams above and below us so we just need to concentrate on ourselves. It's what we have always done and it's what we'll continue doing. We're on the right path."

bundesliga.com: You feel comfortable at Fortuna?

Thommy: "I feel very comfortable. I've stressed that from the beginning. I came here with the thought of collecting as many minutes under my belt as possible and helping the team. I think I'm on the right track on a personal level as well. I have a couple more game coming up for which I'm aiming to stay healthy. Everything works well here. We simply need to make sure we avoid relegation."

bundesliga.com: Are you happy to be a professional footballer?

Thommy: "Absolutely. Absolutely. I used to think to myself when I was in school 'please God, let me be on the football pitch and not in school or working somewhere' because it's simply what I love doing the most. I'm grateful for being able to be a part of this type of career; that I can train every day. I think a lot of players think this way. We're living a dream and we want to continue. I still have several years ahead of me so I hope to stay fit and continue to do everything necessary in terms of playing at this level."

bundesliga.com: At what point did you realise you wanted to put everything on the line in terms of becoming a football player?

Thommy: "For me, the dream was there since I was very young. When I was four or five I realised football was a lot of fun and I wasn't too bad at it. As a kid, you have such dreams a lot of the time. Later on, during the end of the youth academy, I began to see everything becoming a lot more serious. I received an amateur contract after which I sat down with my parents and told them 'look, I'm going to put everything into one basket. I'm going to concentrate fully on football instead of looking in two directions. Let's see where it takes me.' I'm very grateful that it worked out. My parents gave me one last chance saying 'go for it one more year before thinking about going back to your studies.' Thankfully, everything worked out."

bundesliga.com: Were there moments where you doubted yourself?

Thommy: "There were moments – I didn't doubt I could make it but after making my Bundesliga debut at the age of 19 I thought everything was going down the right path, however, there were one or two years in between where I wasn't having the success I expected on the pitch. That was when I was beginning to get worried. Those years turned out to be extremely important because it allowed me to develop further and realise that being a footballer meant more than just going to training and then going home. I realised it meant I had to work for it so that I could thrive. At Kaiserslautern, I endured a year where things weren't going my way statistically but that year was incredibly important for me because I was away from home for an entire year. I was independent; I had my own apartment etc. There were a lot of factors that allowed me to develop further. I never doubted it but I had stuff to think about and rightly so. It's good to be able to view the bigger picture because football is not just football but a lot more that comes with it."

bundesliga.com: Were there things that enabled you to become better over time?

Thommy: "Everything including food and regeneration. The lifestyle: what to do before and after training. How do you train; when do you train; how much should you do; getting to know your body. You tend to start evaluating whether to go out after training or to stay at home and take care of yourself. During your youth, it's normal to not look ahead too much. Back then you also didn't take into account factors such as diet; everything started off slowly. I began educating myself on the matter and now I'm of the opinion that those years were very important for my development. Without them, I would probably not be the same person I am now."

bundesliga.com: Diet is currently undergoing extreme change. Does it play a big role in football teams as well?

Thommy: "This topic is very contemporary. Everyone is aware of that. A lot of players in the team have various types of diets. It varies depending on the individual. Generally, everyone has to feel comfortable with their own daily rituals. Some say they like to eat this or that. Others say they prefer fish whereas others say they prefer to be vegan. It depends on how you feel. Of course, it's a topic that's spoken about. Everyone is different: some are smaller, others are built bigger. Some need a bit more. A lot is tried and a lot is done. I don't know if there's a right or a wrong answer but it's definitely important that the players take it seriously."

bundesliga.com: What is your wish for the rest of the season? In terms of sport as well as socially.

Thommy: "Sport-wise, that we stay in the league, as I mentioned before. It's very important because I feel like we deserve it. We're a great group. We have great facilities and great fans. An incredible city. I think Fortuna Düsseldorf belongs in the Bundesliga. I think being healthy has its own priority. I wish that for everyone including myself. Everything else comes and goes."

bundesliga.com: Do you have any rituals before a game?

Thommy: "I used to. Now not so much anymore. The opposite in fact. If I score a goal nowadays with my black boots, I'll wear white boots the next time. I used to ask myself where such ritualistic beliefs come from and for me there's only one belief that matters."

bundesliga.com: Who is your best friend in the team?

Thommy: "Generally speaking, I get along well with everyone. Zimbo – Matthias Zimmermann is my roommate. He's somewhat the reason I'm here because he convinced me to come to Düsseldorf. He talked a lot about life here. Apart from that, I get on well with Andre Hoffmann. We go out a lot. It's important to get on well with your teammates. I'm thankful that I can get along so well with everyone in the team."