Eintracht Frankfurt captain Robin Koch: 'We got a clear message where we need to improve'
Eintracht Frankfurt captain Robin Koch will be crucial to the Eagles' hopes of moving up the Bundesliga table in 2026. After a short break, he is ready to go once more and knows he and his teammates must improve, especially defensively, if they want to be successful this campaign...
Speaking to the Bundesliga ahead of Friday's resumption at home to Borussia Dortmund, the Germany centre-back talked about necessary improvements, his title-winning father, Marcelo Bielsa and FIFA World Cup 2026 ambitions...
Robin, you haven't had a long break. How are you feeling prior to the restart against Dortmund on Friday?
Robin Koch: "After a few days off, you saw with all the guys that they’re excited to get going again. Even though it was a short break, you still miss football."
What sort of Eintracht team can we expect against Dortmund on Friday?
Koch: "Against Dortmund, who have huge quality, we need to be solid in defence. We need intensity in our play - we showed against BVB in the DFB Cup that we can do that. And it’s that mentality and approach from the cup game that we’ll need."
To what extent have you analysed the first part of the season? There are definitely a few things to work on, especially defensively.
Koch: "We've watched videos of the games where we had issues. There isn’t much time to work on those things, so we had to start on the first day with video analysis and then practice on the pitch. We got a clear message from the coaches what we need to improve."
Going into a bit more detail, what are the requirements, in terms of defensive stability and being compact?
Koch: "In terms of being compact, it’s about how the entire team defends. We were maybe a bit too virtuous in some scenarios, especially on the counter. I believe we’re one of the worst in the Bundesliga in that regard. It doesn’t really work, so we need to get better in that respect."
You’re clearly a defensive leader at Frankfurt, in particular organising the back line. Do you see it like that?
Koch: "Yes, of course, especially now as captain. But my role since I joined has been to lead and keep things together. Now in a period where we’re conceding more goals, there’s an even greater need to lead from the front. It’s not just the backline but the entire team that need to work harder. We need to get it in our heads that we do all we can to defend our goal."
How do you deal with individual mistakes that you make? Do you stew over it for a while, and do you analyse it?
Koch: "I analyse it. I try to do that with every match, whether good or bad. Obviously, when mistakes happen with a defender or goalkeeper, it can quickly result in conceding a goal.
"It’s frustrating and you’re annoyed about it, but you need to put that mistake behind you during the match. You can watch it again afterwards and look at what you did wrong and learn from it."
Your father, Harry Koch, was also a professional and won the Bundesliga with Kaiserslautern. What’s it like discussing football with him?
Koch: "Throughout my career, we’ve managed to keep it that we don’t talk a lot about football. When we’re with family, I’m more someone who likes to talk about other things and enjoy the time together. But whenever there’s something I want to discuss about football, he’s there for me with his advice and experience."
During your time in England you also played under Marcelo Bielsa, who’s known as one of the more colourful coaches in world football. What was it like working under him? What could you take from him?
Koch: “So much. He’s got an incredible footballing brain. It feels like he’s thinking about football 24 hours a day. And he passes that on to the players. I think Pep Guardiola once said he thinks he’s the best coach. And that comes from the fact it feels like he knows absolutely everything about football. Before a match, it feels like he’s analysed the opposition so well that we always knew how they would play. And during the match it was 99 percent how he said it would be. Especially for me as a young player when I moved to England, you can learn so much.
"It was all a bit new at the start, a bit unusual. We did a lot of little drills in training, short drills where you actually wondered at the start what it had to do with the game. And after a few weeks you realised that this situation keeps coming up in matches. It felt like he prepared every individual person and position before each match so that you knew, if this situation happens as a defender, or the wingers had done this drill that was important for them in a match. You’d prepared so much in training for what you ended up needing in a match.”
What are your personal goals for 2026, especially with the FIFA World Cup coming up in six months?
Koch: "Obviously I want to go to the World Cup, which can only happen by performing for your club. First and foremost, we need to have success here. So, my focus right now is clearly on Eintracht. Everything else leading up to the World Cup then stems from that."
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