Three games in six days
Bochum striker Sebastian Polter has made 22 appearances this season, the last time the 30-year-old was in coach Thomas Reis’ starting line-up was on January 15 in a 0-1 draw in Mainz. Since then, the right-footed player has been convincing with three points in four games, but the top scorer in the VfL ranks does not want to become friends with the joker role in the long term.
“It’s clear that I want to play from the start in every game. I think that because of my statistics and the way I play, with my robustness, I can help the team. That’s obvious. I’m training hard and I think I deserve a place in the starting XI,” Polter made his claim to the “WAZ” clear. As of Sunday, Bochum has three games in six days with Leipzig, Freiburg (in the DFB Cup) and Fürth, and the Wilhelmshaven native insists on “maximum playing time.”
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With the exception of the season opener in Wolfsburg and the away game in Leipzig at the beginning of October, Polter had always been in the starting eleven during the first half of the season and mostly acted as the sole striker in the center of the attack. Most recently, new signing Jürgen Locadia was in the favor of Coach Reis. The 28-year-old came on a free transfer from Premier League club Brighton & Hove at the beginning of January, most recently scored in the 4-2 win against Bayern and scored one goal each in the draws against Hertha BSC and 1. FC Köln.
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Polter or Locadia? “I’m glad I can always bring both”
Polter sees that a place in the starting lineup is not a matter of course in view of the competition in the person of the Dutchman: “I became a professional team sport for a good reason and do not play tennis individually, where I am only responsible for myself. I comply naturally to help achieve the best for the team.”
It is now unclear who Reis will bet on against Leipzig on Sunday. “He deserved to play from the start,” said the coach, referring to the statements made by Polter, but kept a low profile: “Jürgen Locadia did well too. We are very well positioned with both. I’m happy that I can always bring both.”
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