Reinthaler: “Professional football is a tough business”

Max Reinthaler, a year ago you were on your way to the German top flight, but a lot has changed since then. Can you describe your situation to us?

" I missed the first third of the season in the regional league due to a torn tendon, and then I also had muscular problems. Just when I wanted to really get started with Augsburg's second team, I tore my cruciate ligament in the first game against Unterhaching. That was a month ago. I’m now on the way back, but the 2016/17 season is one to be ticked off.”

You have spent 17 of the last 24 months either in a hospital bed, in rehab or in individual training, but right now your star should really be rising. How much does that bother you? " The diagnosis of a torn cruciate ligament was really a slap in the face for me. I was completely devastated and needed a few days to really pick myself up again. At that moment my teammates and my family were of great help to me. You changed my mind and showed me once again that there are more important things than football. I also benefited from the fact that I developed a positive attitude – probably also due to my experience with times of suffering – which quickly motivated me to keep going.”

Is the Bundesliga chapter closed for you for the time being? “No, I still have the goal of playing in one of the best leagues in the world clearly in mind. However, to speak of the Bundesliga in this situation would be presumptuous. I want to get fit again quickly and come back even better. So far, I have always made a leap in performance immediately after my breaks due to injury. I want to do that again next season.”

However, a lot has changed at FC Augsburg in the meantime... " That's correct. I used to have a very good relationship with coach Markus Weinzierl, and I wish him continued good luck at Schalke. But I also have a good connection with the current coach Manuel Baum. He knows me from his time as a youth coordinator. I hope he stays in class with the FCA, because with him the chances of playing for young young players increase.”

You still have a contract in Augsburg until summer 2018. Are you already thinking about the time after that?

“I am very happy that I am tied to FCA for another year. This gives me the chance to approach things carefully and recommend myself for the first team with good performances in the regional league. I can still learn a lot from our U23 coach Christian Wörns (former German champion with Dortmund and 66-time national player, editor's note). In the long term, however, my goal cannot be to play in the fourth division. I want to go to the top and would also take a detour via the third or second league or abroad.”

Speaking of abroad: her path has already taken her from Italy via Germany to the Swedish provinces. With all due respect, targeted career planning looks different...

"You're right. I don't even know exactly how all these transfers came about. When I think about the fact that when I was 17 years old I was able to play in the Europa League against Liverpool FC and that I then laced up my football boots everywhere, then I have to admit that not everything went smoothly.”

Have you been given bad advice? “That for sure. As a young player you are used by people who smell big money and completely forget about the people behind an athlete. However, I don’t want to denigrate anyone or reopen old wounds.”

So is the big football stage an illusory world? "No. Professional football is a tough business, but on the other hand it allows me to live my big dream: to make football my job and to experience indescribable emotions on the pitch day after day. I learned to deal properly with the dark side and to keep telling myself: 'Keep your head up and move on...'"

Questions: Alexander Foppa

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Reinthaler: “Professional football is a tough business”

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