Günther Gorenzel's approach to the Bayern game

Bayern München, Hoffenheim's next opponents, are unstoppable at the moment. Why are Bayern so strong?

That's a question I'm not too bothered about really. I'm concerned with the questions I can influence and that are to do with our situation at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. I am of the opinion that you should concentrate on yourself, your own strengths and abilities. The opponent only has a small part of my attention.

If the team plays to its strengths on Saturday, can they trouble Bayern?

You can trouble any opponent. The current situation is like David and Goliath. We are near the bottom of the table and Bayern are right at the top but there are enough examples in football where David has been successful. It is possible that we can get a positive result on Sunday.

To do that, you need goals. In the past few games, the attack has struggled to create enough chances and München have the best defence in the league. What makes you confident?

Sometimes in games, things work that haven't worked before. Scoring from a set piece is always a possibility and the opposition can sometimes make mistakes too. Even the Bayern team haven't got a player that has been completely error free over the last few games. We've got to make sure that Bayern don't have it all their own way.

Could it also work because there is less pressure against Bayern compared to Augsburg or other teams around the bottom of the table?

It depends on each player's personality. For some there's more pressure to play against Bayern and for others there's less. It depends how a player approaches the game. I don't think you can generalise.

Andreas Beck and Eugen Polanski will be missing against Bayern. Is the side weaker as a result?

A team is made up of 25 to 30 players. We have players who can fill the roles of Andreas and Eugen. I'm 100 percent convinced of that. Otherwise, you wouldn't need a big, well-balanced squad but rather 13 or 14 players. Whoever comes in will do their job.

Bayern have tactically developed this season. Are there things they do that you can learn by watching?

Of course, as coaches, we take a look at how other teams play but when I'm involved with a club like I am at the moment with TSG, I focus on my own squad and our own games. Along with Marco Kurz and Julian Nagelsmann, we're trying to implement a system where we can make the most of our players' strengths. When there's a phase where I'm not at a club, I take a look at a lot of different teams and adjust my mindset and playing philosophy accordingly. At the moment I'm fully focussed on Hoffenheim and don't look too much at the bigger picture.

So the management's focus lies above all with their own team then and not the opponents?

Yes. I'm certain that that's the general approach in modern football. You focus more on your own footballing principles, otherwise you'd have to throw your concepts out the window every week. For example, on Sunday we're playing Bayern München and a week later we're against Greuther Fürth – both sides have very different playing styles. If we just focussed on the opposition then we'd have to change our own playing style every few days and you don't make headway like that.

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