FC Nuremberg's Timothy Chandler and Co. have made a flying start to the 2012/13 campaign
FC Nuremberg's Timothy Chandler and Co. have made a flying start to the 2012/13 campaign

Chandler - Hungry for more

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FC Nuremberg have made an impressive start to the 2012/13 Bundesliga campaign, collecting seven points from a possible nine on offer.

Full-back Timothy Chandler has been a key figure for Dieter Hecking's team in the opening matches, and the 22-year-old Frankfurt-born US international spoke with bundesliga.com about the current state of play ahead of Friday's Matchday 4 opener against his hometown club Eintracht.

bundesliga.com: What's the mood like in the camp after the 3-2 win against Borussia Gladbach?

Timothy Chandler: The mood is very good. When you win it's always good. We're a young team. We're happy when we win, but we're still hungry for more.

bundesliga.com: On Matchday 2 you held champions Borussia Dortmund to a draw. What was your strategy?

Chandler: We didn't allow Dortmund to play their game, we didn't allow them to do what they're very good at and we always looked to break at speed, and I think it worked. If it all goes well, we win.

bundesliga.com: What tactical changes did coach Dieter Hecking work on before the season started?

Chandler: We worked on keeping more of the ball and moving the ball more quickly on the attack. We haven't just worked on the defensive side of our game but also going forward.

bundesliga.com: And at the moment it's going well, isn't it?

Chandler: Yes, I think it's going really well. We've had four or five chances in each game and I think that you can see that things are working well for us.

bundesliga.com: How difficult have you found it adapting to the new back four without Dominic Maroh and Philipp Wollscheid?

Chandler: Of course I've had to adapt, but so far we've played well. We've shown a good understanding from the start and I've actually known Per Nilsson und Timm Klose for a while, so it wasn't really much of a problem.

bundesliga.com: You played in various different positions last season. Where do you like to play most?

Chandler: Most of my Bundesliga appearances have been at right-back and that's actually my favourite position because then I have more space to move into from defence.

bundesliga.com: That way you can cause more problems going forward...

Chandler: We carry an attacking threat anyway and if I play on the right-hand side of midfield, then I'd like to add to that.

bundesliga.com: What are your first impressions of Hiroshi Kiyotake and how much has he raised the quality of the team?

Chandler: I think he helps us a lot. He's a player who likes to attack, looks to go forward with his first touch and is always a threat on the break. He plays a lot of early passes and looks to get on the end of moves himself as well. So I think he's a superb player for us.

bundesliga.com: More and more USA players are now plying their trade in the Bundesliga. Do you think that benefits both the national team and the Bundesliga?

Chandler: Yes, especially the national team because the German Bundesliga is one of the best in the world and when more and more US national players are brought in, that helps the country and raises the standard of football in the USA.

bundesliga.com: On Friday, Nuremberg have the chance to go top of the table against your old club Eintracht Frankfurt, who've also made a great start to the season. How do you see the clash panning out?

Chandler: I think it'll be a good game. Frankfurt have taken nine points, we've got seven, and I think it'll be easy on the eye and decided by who's better on the day. Both teams want the points and I think it will be a great Friday evening encounter.

Interview: James Thorogood