Speaking at his first press conference after being called up to the German national team, Marvin Ducksch spoke on his first ever call up to the national team.
When asked about when he received the call and what he felt, Ducksch said: “It was a very special week for me with the call of the national coach. I tried to realize this and then quickly got in touch with plenty and inquired. I was advised to leave my cell phone on in training. The call came the same day. I was very, very excited and thought for a brief moment about a fake call. But I recognized the voice. Then it was pure anticipation.”
Ducksch is likely to play as a backup striker to his former striker partner at Werder Bremen Niclas Füllkrug. When asked about his role in the squad behind Füllkrug the 29-year-old said: “We are still looking for a striker behind Niclas. I now get the chance to prove myself in training. I want to make it as difficult as possible for the national coach. If it gets tight, there is the possibility to switch to a double tip. That worked well with us for two years. In the association, the system was tailored to us. One came over the playful. When a lot of pressure came from the opponent, we tried to look for abundance with long balls. We knew how to position ourselves.”
The striker earned his call-up after scoring five goals and assisting three times in 11 games for Bremen this season. The 29-year-old has been integral in Bremen’s rise up to 12th in the Bundesliga table. Ducksch has not appeared for a German national team since playing for the under-17s in 2012.
Germany continue their preparation for the 2024 Euros and play two friendlies in the international break, one against Turkey in Berlin before traveling to Vienna to face Austria.
GGFN | Jack Meenan