Henriksen: "We have to dream" | OneFootball

Mainz coach Bo Henriksen on the "dream" of UEFA Champions League qualification

Amidst a historic season for the club, Mainz head coach Bo Henriksen spoke to bundesliga.com during the club's Karneval celebrations about their dreams of UEFA Champions League football, his team's key performers this term and much more...

bundesliga.com: We are here at Carneval - what is your relationship with festival?

Bo Henriksen: "I was in Finthen yesterday, a little town close to Mainz where I live, and it's beautiful to see so many happy people smiling, and of course the weather helped. It's a special day, and of course we try to learn the culture of the city, where it means so much for so many people. It's crazy, and I’m just taking everything in and enjoying it.”

bundesliga.com: What do you think about Mainz and its people?

Henriksen: “I have lived here for a year now, and it's a special feeling because we have had so many great experiences together so far. I live here with my family, and we love living here. It's a special place, friendly, and it's a wine district, which I like."

bundesliga.com: On the pitch, it has been a fantastic season, and victory over RB Leipzig last week means Mainz are now in the UEFA Champions League qualification spots. How great is that?

Henriksen: “We're happy, we're enjoying the moment, and that’s what we have to do. Realistically, we have to dream, but most importantly we have to take it a game at a time. When we do that, we are good. We're enjoying it, I know my players love it too, you can see them here today as well, they're all over the place, it's fun.”

bundesliga.com: How realistic is it for this club to reach Europe's premier club competition?

Henriksen: “If you look at the clubs around us with their budgets, their players, the quality they have, it should be impossible. I have tried many things in football, though, which shouldn't be achievable, and I don't care. The main thing is that we believe we can win any game. We have shown that so far so why stop now?”

bundesliga.com: How do you explain the huge improvement from last season, when you were not far from being relegated?

Henriksen: “Quality, and a culture among these players, who are hungry enough to achieve something and don't care about what people are saying. They are daring to take that step, take that risk, and I love that. I think anything is possible in football: they are human beings, and if you believe and you dream big, then everything is possible.”

bundesliga.com: During your playing career, you were a striker. How does Jonathan Burkardt, who is enjoying a brilliant season, benefit from your previous experience?

Henriksen: “I don't think he can learn anything from my striker days! The quality he has is unbelievable. We saw that with his goal against RB Leipzig the other day: that’s quality. Hopefully I can teach him to enjoy the game and to take a little bit of the pressure away. Football-wise I don't think I can teach him much, because he has so much quality and he knows everything. I'm just proud of him.”

bundesliga.com: Robin Zentner is also performing well this season. How long before he is between the sticks for Germany?

Henriksen: “I don't know, you would have to ask Julian Nagelsmann. The main thing for me is that he is performing the way he is. He's an outstanding goalkeeper, I saw that striaght away, even after our second game against Bayer Leverkusen when he had a bad day, to say the least. I could just see, though, the power he had, the belief he had, his performances every day in training. He is on another level."

bundesliga.com: And what about Nadiem Amiri, who has also impressed this season?

Henriksen: “Nadiem is really important. He's not only a good player, but also a good person. If he wants to, he can perform even better. Sometimes you have to give him tough love, and he plays better, and sometimes the opposite. I love that kid, he's a special person, a special footballer, and he can do wonders with the ball. You also saw that in the second half against Leipzig, when he was out of this world. These players are special, and they make my life a bit easier.”

bundesliga.com: You are the only team to beat Bayern Munich this term. How does that feel?

Henriksen: “Of course, it was a special game and a special day, but the only thing it shows me is that we can beat anybody, because right now they are the best team in the league. It was fun, but it's only three points, just like against anybody else.”

bundesliga.com: What is difference between Mainz and your other coaching positions?

Henriksen: “There are a lot of cultural differences everywhere you go. If you’re in Switzerland or in Denmark, of course it's different. This is a top, top league, a top five league, and yet will many things are new, there are also similarities. You have to build a team that believes in each other, you have to build a group of players who want to do everything for each other. It doesn't really matter in life where you are, I think good things come to you when you respect people, you enjoy life, and you show people that you enjoy being around them.”

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