Marcus Hahnemann Exclusive Interview
He's a big man with a big personality, and after our recent kickabout with Marcus Hahnemann, thanks to our friends at Nike, he was more than happy to give time to the SoccerBible fans. We sat down with Marcus and chatted Nike Tracer ball, goalie gloves and also got the odd exclusive!
SoccerBible: As a keeper people talk to you a lot about being on the receiving end of the ball. But we thought it'd be interesting to get your perspective on distributing the ball, the need for the ball to fly straight and true?
Marcus Hahnemann: Which is something we couldn't do in the summer! You couldn't pick someone out on the sideline, and that's a strength of my game. It's one of the reason's why I've got a dodgy hip, cause of all the practice I've been doing over the years!
SB: So ball distribution is a key part of your game?
MH: Yeah I'm pretty accurate kicking the ball. So it was kind of disappointing when they make a ball that's not accurate. But now we're back to the Premier League with a Nike ball. We were all happy with the ball last year, and this ball is even better. You kick it with backspin and the thing goes perfectly straight.
SB: After the inconsistency of the World Cup football, have you needed to re-adjust for the Tracer ball?
The first time I had it in my hands was at Cheltenham, my first game back. I went to do my side volley, you know a little fader in the corner, and I shanked it completely! It wasn't the ball it was me, it was the first time I had the ball in my hand. But on the ground I was okay, my timing was a little off, but its nice to know if you hit it right it's gonna go where you want it.
SB: What was your initial reaction when you first saw the T90 Tracer ball?
MH: I really liked it. You know the colour scheme is good, it seems like a good contrast it's not too crazy. I don't know if you've ever played with one of the old school balls with the octagon patches, it almost looks funny now, so this style is not quite old school but it's nice I like it.
SB: From your point of view as a pro player, you don't think they've overdosed on the tech or have they got the balance right?
MH: It's perfect. I mean I went from everyday in the summer bitching about the ball, to now a ball that nobody even really talks. It's almost a non-entity really, it's just perfect, it's what it's supposed to be. You know it's almost bad from Nike's point of view, no-one's been saying anything about it because it is what it is, it's just the standard we've had in the Premier League for a while.
SB: You've been in the Premier League for a few years with Fulham, Reading and Wolves, does this rate as one of the better balls you've played with?
MH: It's definitely the best ball.
SB: At the SoccerBible we love to talk about player equipment, so what do you always look for with your gloves?
MH: I always play with roll finger and I just like a normal strap. Then have the palm going up the wrist cause it's not always you catch it exactly in your hand, you know they're up on the wrist as well so you have the foam there. [Check out our picture of Marcus' glove below.]
SB: So that's quite a unique feature to you?
MH: Yeah, it's cause when you're down on the ground sometimes you just get your arm behind it, and you've got grip all the way around. At first I was like, wait a second you can actually pin the ball in there quite a bit, and it actually seems to work. But I don't like to much tech stuff, I just like a plain glove, which is roll finger and comfy to wear.
SB: Do you have specific latex, for say wet weather conditions, or do you just wear the same glove throughout the season?
MH: Same one all the time, and I wet them all the time. Some guys like them dry all the time, but I always wet my glove. That way the grip's always the same, you know in training I soak them and guys are like how can you, but the ball slips just enough so it's always the same. That way when you get in a game and it's soaking it down with rain you know what to expect.
SB: How many gloves do you take on match day?
MH: Three, I always have three for a game.
SB: Any match day superstitions at all?
MH: Yeah, I always have three gloves! One for warm ups, one for first half, one for second half.
SB: Really, you change them at half time?
MH: Nah just kidding, I don't even change them after warm-ups. But that's what I have just in case, and I never wear new pairs.
SB: So how many gloves would you say you get through in a season?
MH: About a thousand!
SB: You must be good client for Nike then?
MH: Yeah hopefully they'll send me some more [Marcus gives a cheeky glance to the Nike rep!]. But no, I don't know how many I go through.
SB: How long do you keep a pair for, until they're worn out?
MH: A couple of weeks. But once I have my match set, my three gloves, then I'll just wear them for matches. I don't usually wear them in training unless maybe the day before a game, then I'll wear one of them. So they're really not getting that much wear on them, and because I wet them they last a lot longer.
If I need a new pair, I'll wear a brand new pair for training till those have become perfect. Cause it takes a few days for me to get comfortable in a new pair of gloves, and then they'll end up in my match set.
SB: Have you got any memorable gloves or special pairs you've kept?
MH: I've still got a couple of pairs of the all black Nike ones, you know with the black palm, they stopped making them so I've got a couple of them locked in my attic. Along with the Tiempo's, the old school Tiempo's with the leather floppy tongues, I've got four pairs in my attic just waiting to come out!
SB: Great stuff, maybe for a special occasion then. But thanks we appreciate your time Marcus.
MH: Hey no worries. Oh also do you know Nike are gonna do a camouflage pair of boots for my last game, when I have my retirement game (Marcus gives Nike Rep a cheeky glance, whilst Nike Rep looks puzzled!). There's an exclusive for you!
