Christian Fromm has been playing for the German national volleyball team since 2011.
Photo: imago/Bernd König
The new season in the Nations League starts this Tuesday. How important is this still relatively fresh competition to you?
For us players, it’s a way to compete against the top teams in the world. Four games in a row is of course a certain burden. But especially when young players follow, it’s the perfect opportunity to present yourself, gain experience and also show opponents that we can be reckoned with in big tournaments. We have to build that back up so that we don’t always come out onto the field as underdogs. That’s why I’m looking forward to the Nations League. I also don’t have the feeling that any of my team-mates were reluctant to fly to Canada.
There you will meet the hosts, as well as Argentina, Bulgaria and Serbia. Those aren’t the biggest names yet. Are you even hoping for a really successful start?
I think we can definitely play with these teams. It will certainly be interesting games and we definitely want to win. But first of all, the most important thing is that we continue to come together as a team and improve from game to game. The chances of winning games are definitely the best now at the start, I think. We also need the victories for our self-confidence and so that we can climb up the world rankings.
With the exception of Georg Grozer, who is taking a break this summer, the core of the national team is back under the new national coach. Does it still feel like a new team?
There are already a few new faces who have now made their debut in the friendlies or will make their debut in the Nations League. Of course it’s always nice when fresh blood comes along and you have a mix of experience and new faces.
Can the German volleyball fans count on a few of the newcomers in the Nations League being in the starting line-up, or are they only planned as supplementary players so far?
In the beginning, the experienced players will probably be more likely to be fielded. Just to see where we really stand against the other nations. Nevertheless, I definitely have the feeling that our new national coach will also give the new players a chance. He definitely doesn’t give gifts. But he is also open to change if players have earned it in training.
Please compare the coach Michał Winiarski with the old Andrea Giani!
Their game systems are not completely different, and yet there are one or two details that Michał would like to have done differently, but we’re not reinventing volleyball now. That also makes the transition a bit easier because we don’t have to change too many things tactically. Otherwise, Michał strikes me with his very open communication with all players. That could bring in some fresh air. Certainly some players already feel like they can talk more to the coach. I don’t know if it’s really the person or just the language. Now we always communicate in English. This makes things a bit easier for players who are not fluent in Italian. All in all, you can see that there are fresh approaches and more communication. That has to be the case so that we understand what the new coach wants and what he expects from everyone.
Vital Heynen has always been considered a more defensive type of coach when it comes to risk taking. His successor Giani as very offensive. Where do you place Winiarski on this scale?
The trend is more in the direction of Giani. This style of play suits me. But we also had moments in the friendlies when we took too much risk and he said to us: »Guys, try to solve this more cleverly or be patient.« But he is not averse to the risk because it is his I think it’s rewarded too.
Three weeks of the first training course in Kienbaum are behind you. But a good volleyball team needs months to break in. Would you say: it crunches even more or it slips better than you could have expected after three weeks?
We definitely do more right than wrong. Of course, when many new and young players come along, a lot still has to be found. Certain things take time. This not only applies to tactical views and specifications, but also processes in training or on match days and in rehabilitation. Nevertheless, I am convinced that we are on the right track. We saw that in the friendlies against Italy in Luxembourg. We played very well for a long time in the first two sets of the second game and gained the necessary self-confidence. We might not go into every game as favorites in the Nations League, but we don’t have to be afraid either. So I’m traveling with healthy optimism.
The German star player Georg Grozer will not be at the World Cup in autumn either, but then wants to attack again for the Olympic qualification next year. What drives you? Is it more the near goal of the World Cup or the 2024 games in Paris?
Since I just didn’t make it into the squad in 2012, the Olympics are still my big goal. Toi, toi, toi, the body also takes part to some extent. So Paris definitely stays in front of my eyes. But especially after the change of coach, I want us to compete in the tournaments as best we can this summer. I have no intention of skipping any of these and aim to do it all by 2024.
