Sportschau: You came to Bayer Leverkusen as a player in 1994. You have now been at Bayer for a total of 23 years, with interruptions. But it wasn’t enough for a title there. Does that bother you?
fuller: We certainly came close a few times, especially around the turn of the millennium. And we didn’t even become German champions, although we were definitely the best German team at the time. But that doesn’t count. We’re still stuck with that a bit today. That was certainly the phase where we really could have cleared away.
After that, you have to see with your economic possibilities that you achieve your goals for the season. Especially in the Europe League, (…) there would certainly have been one or two more laps. And in the cup anyway. That annoys me a little.
“In 2002 it was almost impossible not to win a title”
And the top team, was that from 2002?
fuller: Yes of course. In 2002, not winning a title was almost impossible, but that was the curse of good deeds. I always like to say that when you’re up here in the quarterfinals against Liverpool If you had been kicked out with drums and trumpets, you would probably have easily become German champion, but it just wasn’t like that.
But one must not forget that the Champions League is not a matter of course for a club like Bayer Leverkusen. And we’ve done that a lot in the last 15 years, and that’s always an important goal before the season.
What are the chances that there will be a title sometime in the next few years?
fuller: You have to be realistic. I believe in the Champions League it’s hard enough for us to come. And that is still our claim. As an active player, I’ve won the two biggest titles that you can achieve: I became world champion and I have them Champions League won. But of course always in teams where that was also the aim, because we were simply the best. But the prerequisite is that you have top teammates. Then everything is possible.
“The final in Rome 1990 was like a home game for me”
Was the final at the WM 1990 your game par excellence?
Voller: I’ll never forget the last eight minutes of the game when Andi Brehme scored the penalty. After the 1:0 we were all sure that we would win. The Argentines didn’t get the ball at all in the last few minutes. For me personally, the icing on the cake was Rome – that was my stadium, I’ve played there for many years, it was like a home game for me. That was a great success!
With Werder Bremen you have won the vice-championship three times. I come back to the shell: Is that the point where you say that this is the unfinished career?
fuller: If I am asked, Mr. Völler, you never became German champion, then I say, fine, but I won the right titles. I do believe that you don’t just have to win titles to be successful.
You had your teacher in Reiner Calmund, who is known for being adept at all things. How did you do that? How did you convince young talent from Leverkusen?
fuller: It was wonderful for me that when I left in 1996, I had Reiner Calmund, a supervisor whom I (…) could look incredibly well over the shoulder.
One of my main tasks was traveling to Brazil (…). I was more the boss thenscout as sports director. With Andreas Rettig, who was still with us at the time, we often went to Brazil and tried to sign good players. That got me further (…), also for various negotiations.
“Florian Wirtz will have a world career”
But how do you catch a talent?
fuller: At the end of the 90s there was no internet. Back then you couldn’t see the players beforehand. You now have a small video of everyone who can walk straight ahead. That didn’t exist then. Back then you had to be there yourself scout. And then you have to make a decision, and above all you have to be a little faster than others. I think (…) when several clubs are interested in a talented player, speed is the key.
What arguments can Leverkusen bring that are better than those that Dortmund or Bayern have?
Voller: With very young players, clubs like us have the advantage that we also let the players play. Every coach here knows that we give young players a chance if they have the talent.
Who was the best player you’ve ever signed?
fuller: It is difficult to name the biggest kicker. We have Emerson fetched, Ze Roberto, then came Michael Ballack, who we got from Kaiserslautern. In recent years we have trained Kai Havertz ourselves. Now we have Florian Wirtz here, who will have a world career, I’m relatively sure of that.