Andreas Schicker: "It's a dream come true"

What is your first impression of TSG Hoffenheim?

"My first impression has been very positive. When I arrived here yesterday and had a look at the training ground, I was amazed by the facilities – I've not been used to anything like that before. I gained an initial overview and held numerous talks. I'm really looking forward to this challenge."

How did your move to TSG come about?

"The last days have been very intense; it was a seamless transition from my role in Graz. It has always been an objective of mine to work in the German Bundesliga. In mid-September, I commenced intensive discussions with TSG. It's a dream come true. I can see that we can really make something happen here. The talks were very respectful, with great openness on both sides. Many of the ideas that I tried to implement in Graz are noticeable here. That was one of the reasons why I made the decision to move to Hoffenheim. The timing now was ideal. I could leave Graz with a good feeling and I now have some time until the next transfer window to settle in."

Why is TSG the right club for the step to Germany?

"I believe I showed in Graz that I can work with young players and sell them on for a profit. This approach has been practised in Hoffenheim in the past too. There is outstanding youth work here and we would like to continue on this path. I would now like to implement the ideas that I have in my mind."

What are your personal plans in the region?

"I'm still staying in a hotel in Heidelberg at the moment. However, my wife and son are due to join me in Germany in the autumn. Fundamentally, I'm a fan of nature and grew up in the countryside, so when I look around me here, I'm in the right place."

Have you already gotten to know the coach?

"I got to speak with the coach and the players who are on site briefly yesterday. I sent the international players a short message. Even though the club seems to be very big to me, I have the feeling that things are very informal here. I held a longer talk with Rino because it was very important for me to do that right at the beginning. It was very positive. At the moment, there are absolutely no discussions about the coach for me. I will be communicating with him on a daily basis."

What did you know about TSG before you came here?

"My focus during the transfer window was on Sturm Graz. But if you're involved in football, you know that the youth development work here is good – in part because of the many Austrian talents who have been and still are here. The infrastructural conditions are excellent."

What can you bring in from your successful time in Graz?

"It is very important to know what kind of football we want to play. If we know that, we also know which players we need. I'd like to bring my ideas to the table and then I believe we'll see the results step by step. There's a lot already here, and with new input from me, it may be a good mix. It's important to have experienced players who lead the way and young players who contribute their potential."

In the course of recent weeks, you have frequently been criticised and sometimes defamed because of your accident, which led to the amputation of your hand. How do you deal with this?

"Fundamentally, I am a person who always looks forward. In 2014 I had an accident that was definitely a lesson for me. I have shown over the course of the last 10 years how one deals with an injury like that. I was actually in rehab here back then, got to know the area and attended my first TSG match. I will enter into dialogue with the fans. Because there are also some untruths circulating in the Kraichgau that I would like to dispel."

You have also been accused of being close to the ROGON agency. What do you say to this?

"I of course know the ROGON agency and also Roger Wittmann, but no more or less than I know other agents. If you observe the past few years and look at the Sturm Graz squad, you will see that the prejudices are unfounded."

What are your objectives with TSG?

"We need to pick up some points over the course of the coming weeks to move away from the bottom. We're in a good position in the Europa League with four points and we're also still in the cup. Those are the short-term objectives. It won't be so easy to repeat the double that we did in Graz (laughs). We want to follow a clear path. You shouldn't always look at the table, but rather at the path and the processes. But I'm also not naive and I know that in football you need results too, which we also have to deliver."