Niklas Tauer: The past few weeks have helped me a lot

Niklas, you’re in the middle of your first pre-season as a Schalke player. What’s the biggest difference between the preparations in the winter and the preparations in the summer?
It’s even more intense in the summer. You’re preparing for a full season as a team and everyone wants to show what they can do. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do that in the winter.

You mentioned the start you had at Schalke. Just a few days after your loan move from Mainz, you tore a muscle fibre. What went through your mind when you got the diagnosis?
I was highly motivated and full of anticipation as a new arrival but that was then thwarted. It was a blow on two fronts. On the one hand, all the excitement after the transfer faded and on the other, I was on the sidelines and couldn’t help the team. That really hurt.

It seems that you’re back to fitness now?
And that’s how it feels. I have taken part in the preparations without any problems. The training camp in Mittersill was tough but it also did me good. The past few weeks have helped me a lot and I’ve taken another step forward. I’m now looking forward to the start of the new season.

You haven’t yet played a competitive match for the first team at the VELTINS-Arena. What are you looking forward to the most about making your debut?
First are foremost, just finally being able to play for Schalke. The stadium and the fans are really something special.

You’re still young but you have already played in a few different stadiums in your career. Have you ever seen anything like the connection that exists between the Schalke players and fans?
I don’t know of any club where the bond between the players and the fans is as intense as it is at Schalke. It has really been something special over the past six months and it has spurred us on as a team. We want to attack the new season with this sense of togetherness.

The first home game is against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Who will your family be supporting?
Well researched (laughs). My brother Luca has been playing for them for a few weeks now. He’s a goalkeeper for their U19s and he played for the Mainz U17s. As he’s playing in the youth team and I’m playing in the first team, my parents of course want me to win.

It’s not all that often that you see two sons both playing football at this level. Did your dad used to train you in the garden?
Indeed he did. Not only in the garden but also at my club. He was my first coach at SpVgg Selzen, which is where I started when I was only four. My brother is five years younger so maybe he benefited from me a little bit (smiles). I always used to smash the ball at him in goal.

Did your Grandad also play a role?
My Grandad is football mad and he’s always been a Schalke fan! He passed his love for football on to me. He used to play amateur football at a good level himself. My dad also played for Mainz 05 as a youngster. Football is certainly a big part of my family.