"There was nothing to think about. I was at home on Saturday evening and was actually in the midst of preparing for the U19 match, which took place on Saturday, and was in the middle of the pre-match briefing. And so I was initially surprised, but I was also pleased about the trust placed in me, and then things just got underway relatively quickly – it was a case of doing the best we could to tackle the task at hand and making sure we got started straight away. How can we now prepare well for the Wolfsburg match?"

“Union is an outstanding club. It doesn’t matter whether you get to coach the U19s, the women’s team or the first team – it’s a brilliant club, and I’m very happy and grateful to be working here."

"The positive thing is that I’ve already had the chance to get to know the team – or rather, many of the players – and, above all, many people on the coaching staff. There’s been regular contact and dialogue over the past few weeks, so I’m already familiar with them.".

"That’s why it was nice when things kicked off on Tuesday and we had our first meeting. I sensed a very positive atmosphere. I also sensed a very open team. And the focus now was, of course, on settling in during the first few sessions... And of course, you can’t turn everything upside down in just three days. Instead, we’ll tweak a few things and then, with tomorrow’s final training session, we’ll be well prepared."

“It is not about suddenly trying to play tiki-taka football.”

"Well, I think it’s positive how the lads have been on the pitch, how they get on together, how they’ve supported and coached each other in training sessions. And you can sense that they’re open, you can feel a good energy, and that’s what’s important. It’s always important because, clearly, their self-confidence isn’t exactly sky-high right now... But I thought it was good how the whole group dealt with mistakes, with things that perhaps didn’t work out. And that will be absolutely crucial.”

“It’s also about connecting with the different characters, regardless of whether they’re young or old. I’ve been asked that quite often before, whether things are somehow different with the women’s team. Do you have to talk to them differently? Or even when I was coaching younger teams in the youth setup? No, it’s all about football, and you simply adapt your approach depending on the person – and of course you always have to develop a feel for the individual. What might they need right now? What’s good for them? And perhaps with one or two of them, you might need to give them some space. Ultimately, it’s all about trust. "

"I fully understand that this whole issue plays a role in the public eye... For me, it’s just never been about that. I’ve always been about football; I’m about working with people and what I enjoy most – namely, being as successful as possible when we’re together, when we’re working as a team. And people trust me here. I’m grateful for that trust. And I know that this has a social impact and significance, and perhaps also sends out a signal of some sort. I do understand that. But right now, the most important thing is what’s happening here, what’s happened over the last few days: that we prepare as best we can to play against Wolfsburg this weekend

“It has been brought to my attention that there were hateful comments. But I also know that there was a lot of positive feedback too, and I think that’s lovely and that should outweigh the rest... But fundamentally, it doesn’t bother me, because I also think that it actually says much, much more about those who post such things online than about the person – whether it’s me or someone else – who is the target of these comments."

"I wasn’t the very first woman to be involved in football in general In our staff, if you think of Susi Koplin, or we have so many women in the club. So it’s not as if this has never played a role anywhere before. There were female coaches before me too; we now have Sabrina Wittmann, currently head coach in Ingolstadt, whom I know very well and hold in high regard, and who is doing a very, very good job. there have been many female coaches, before that such as Imke Wübbenhorst and Corinne Diacre... It would of course be lovely if, at some point, these questions simply didn’t exist anymore, if the issue no longer existed, that at some point it was simply all about the sport."

"I’m really looking forward to being in the Alte Försterei. Because it’s always something special when you’re allowed to stand on the touchline there. I’ve had the chance to experience it before, which is lovely. I’m looking forward to that when it all kicks off on Saturday, when it’s all about football, when the spectators are there, when we’re there as a team, together with the staff and the coaching team. But once the whistle blows, it’s all about football."

"And then it’s about the players who’ll start the match, but also the players who’ll help decide the outcome, and about us as a club as a whole, including the fans who’ll be supporting us. And I’m very, very positive now, after the last few days, that we’re very, very well prepared and that we’re not just a warm-up opponent for anyone else."

“For me personally? Well, I want to be successful now in this role, with the team around me, working together. We want to get the best possible results and make the most of the next few weeks. And then I’ll be satisfied."