Burkardt 'repaying the faith' at Frankfurt

Bundesliga: Jonathan, congratulations on winning the Player of the Month award for October. What does it mean to you, given it was voted for by the public?

Jonathan Burkardt: "Thank you. It is a real honour, as it’s the first time I have won it. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I am extremely happy to have this lovely trophy for my cabinet."

Bundesliga: What circumstances have allowed you to hit such heights last month?

Burkardt: "I think I have arrived at Eintracht now. I have developed a relationship with my teammates, and I feel very comfortable with the playing style here. I think you can see that more and more on the pitch. It is great for it to be reflected in an award like this one, and it also shows that I have integrated well."

Watch: Jonathan Burkardt wins October's Player of the Month

Bunedesliga: It can often take players a long time to settle in as well as you already seem to have done. Is that the biggest achievement for you so far with Frankfurt? 

Burkardt: "It has gone quickly here, I think. I can understand how someone else could need longer to adjust. Everybody here has made it really easy for me. The coaches and my teammates helped me integrate quickly, which has been fantastic, and I am glad to be repaying that with my performances."

Bundesliga: In recent years, Eintracht have had some great strikers, such as Sébastien Haller, Randal Kolo Muani, Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ektiké. Did you worry whether you would be able to fill the void left by them when you signed?

Burkardt: "I knew that expectations were high, because a lot of very good players have come before me, but even so I tried to focus on myself. I am a different type of player and a different person to them, so I try to just do things my way. In that respect, who came before me doesn’t matter too much. I just focus on myself and try to do my best here."

Watch: Analysing Frankfurt's Burkardt

Bundesliga: Next up on Sunday, you will face your former club Mainz, which promises to be emotional. What do you make of how your old teammates and fans have reacted to your departure?

Burkardt: "I don't pay too much attention to it now, because my head is in Frankfurt and I am focussed on what I can achieve here. Of course, I still check in every once in a while to see how they are doing, because I still have relationships there, so I am looking forward to seeing them all again. I am sure it will be cool to play against them for the first time."

Bundesliga: You came through at Mainz and became the player you are there, starting out in 2014. It much be a strange feeling to come up against a club where you have such deep connections.

Burkardt: "It is absolutely new and I’m sure it will be a funny feeling to see all the boys and the staff with whom I had such a good time. I remember my time there fondly, because the club and the team gave me a lot. However, my focus is here now, and I am concentrating on what I can do for Eintracht rather than looking backwards too much."

Bundesliga: Frankfurt have been one of the most exciting teams to watch this season due to the amount of goals in your games - for both teams. Are you concentrating on make matches as much of a spectacle as possible or, given the recent clean sheets against St. Pauli and Napoli, are you looking to be solid?

Burkardt: "I think we are trying to find the right balance. Our aim is to play good attacking football and score lots of goals, but we still have to try and keep some clean sheets. That’s why I think the Napoli game was good, because we showed we can defend against a top side, which is even more important in the UEFA Champions League. Wins like the one against St. Pauli are also good, because they are hard-earned and everybody puts in a shift, which is the foundation we need to build on."

Watch: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 St. Pauli - highlights

Bundesliga: As a boy from Hessen, you are on your way to becoming a real fan-favourite at Frankfurt. Is that something that pleases you?

Burkardt: "I want to concentrate on performing and do my best on the pitch - everything else will take care of itself. I think the most important thing for everyone is that I always give my all and try to win. We’ll see where that takes us. I am enjoying it here at the moment and long may it continue!"