Speaker 1: Today we have a in the conversation former national and Bundesliga player Dennis Eitner.

Speaker 1: Welcome... ...this... ...last.

Speaker 1: Get the insights.

Speaker 1: So, the short intro music is over. We continue with the Waterpole Expert Talk Podcast. We had a little break, but nonetheless I'm it's going on. Today's is Dennis Aidenheim. Hello, hello. Do you have mindsets to sub? Exactly, time. May time can always be said. It's nice that we each Here in this little circle we say that we a run, which was then harnessed by the coach with an additional training session. But today we the benefit of the hour that we here again or virtually. And yes, I'm glad you're the time. Yes, I like to the podcast and I think if someone is to like we do, then you can talk and answer. I think that's a good thing and that's I like to part Yes, I'm to that. I'm also glad that we get some insights from the current daily business, which is still with the waterways, because you have bit of an eye on the ASCD. And then, course, bit of the past, maybe we're the wrong word, the wrong expression, but also bit of the past to talk about it.

Speaker 1: There a lot of would say, water work-wise. But we want to try to the range of water work a little bit Maybe the beginning, for those don't know yet, maybe a few words about your person. Where do you from? What do you do? And on and so forth. Just a brief introduction. Yes, of no problem at I'm Dennis Eitner, I'm 32 years old, I was born in Berlin, I to Duisburg and now 10 years. In those 10 years, a lot completed the national team, completed the fire department training, now I as a fire master in the Duisburg. So I my main focus here in Duisburg and I very happy That's quite a lot of Yes, definitely!

Speaker 1: You can't say it boring. Like I you don't belong to the waterways. Like many other there's a life outside of waterways. after you the active time. Only when it's time. And then usually too late. But you just mentioned Berlin. It's a good start. When you're in Berlin and grow the way to other Berlin clubs is close. There is also in of terms How did you start waterball? How did you into the waterball? That's the first exciting question at this point. I was actually relatively young when I started. I didn't the typical swimming training like many others before. I very active and I almost say that I parents pretty much.

Speaker 2: The natural step to get the was to various sports clubs and see what was going and he was I went through many different things, like soccer, judo, athletics. Many of you the podcast might me. I little kid, but I a little more. and I didn't as good as I would have Spannau has a summer festival where they snuggle. They do from diving, swimming, waterball. I with my parents and I took in various things and tried out. I actually got with waterball. I also some diving the beginning. and pretty because the focus was on the water. Since I 7 I'm basically in From the at Spandau I changed once in my youth. I in the B-junction at Neukölln and then I to the A-junction at Spandau. That was bit of It was because I a very active child and my parents wanted to bit more active. That's I got into sports. You can without any a water mountain. Both in swimming and in physical combat, you can very well. But if you out several sports and you parallel to that is something that is often reported. Nowadays, is said that should relatively early.

Speaker 2: Auf jeden Fall!

Speaker 1: Maybe one sport beside the waterball and then it But I've it several times and it sounds a bit like you can several sports parallel for longer time to say now it's the waterball or not. But it sounded like you longer time. Yes, actually it a relatively fast development The first time I in the as far as I can remember, I had developed a relatively large euphoria about That I also a lot of fun with that I everything that nothing to do relatively quickly. And then there was a little bit diving there bottle diving back then, which they also offered where we introduced, where we dived And next to the water ball. I quickly on the water. It was about a year where I once or twice a week. And after that, I on the water ball. It's not a long time, but there was a trigger where you said, that's the kick at the water ball. That's what flashed now, or somehow fascinated me I up at the water ball and not at the Leichtathetik or at diving. For me, most important thing was the team spirit. I in the team from That means to Being in a circle is with the fire brigade. Working with people, getting along and friendships. That has always meant to and I a lot of fun. That was the most important thing.

Speaker 2: I the whole thing. And at the beginning, don't have any role models or people where you say, okay, want to develop or I know them. At the beginning, you probably them, or it probably wasn't like we the ball, I don't know any names, national players, Olympic participants or whatever. Did that over time? At the beginning of your waterbacary you developed that you some point, in that direction, player A I want, player B, I don't know, there were some people you were bit oriented Or role is maybe wrong now, but in childhood you should a role model function. I can remember bit of my childhood, Thomas Scherwitz was still active and Andreas Schotterberg was actually a very young player at the time. I always very interesting and I always paid Mark Kohletze was also very big player at and there was always a bit on it. It took relatively long time to get the position. In the youth national team I covered a lot of positions and only later on the center position was added. Of when you at world championships or Champions League games, you more at a position, but before that was people you saw and heard, who you also in training because you same team.

Speaker 2: I didn't a general example. Okay, so those three are enough. Where you can yourself a bit. I Markus has no bad interest in orientating So can just encourage ourselves to some YouTube videos if you to orientate Very gladly. So maybe in future we'll less problems. Right-click corner. That can happen. That can be good.

Speaker 1: You just said that the center position took a relatively long time, because the national teams youth teams have several positions in their and the center position Was that happened? Or the say that the physical conditions were better for the center position than for a counter player or I don't know, that a coach decision or was that an idea or wish to I center position is pretty cool. I think it was a mixture of both. I was always relatively talented in the two-point position. I had the ball relatively safe for me and also in younger years, when I good at with the ball. I think I was 17 when I the national team and that's when started. There center players. I had certain talent for The coaches focused and I fun in That's it So it was a combination of both, you said. The center position is one of two or three key positions in the bass. And it's not necessarily the easiest to put that Was there anything where you said at no?

Speaker 1: That doesn't to be. If it like that and you talent, that might not be the case. But that you start thinking about or have a hard time with this position or you said, okay, this challenge and do my best. Because if the coaches recognize that or say that you talent and put then that be something.

Speaker 2: I don't know if I that but would say I any trouble I this duel and I that position. And because I don't to the best clothes I'm not the biggest, I'm 1.80m tall. If you next to Julian, example, he stands behind me, arms are longer than mine. It's always a parade example. I've always this physical struggle, and that's why I said I could live And I had fun with That's why I didn't I didn't feel like it or I didn't want

Speaker 1: We were at the beginning of the topic Berlin and in Berlin for relatively long time and also at Spandau. mean, now have with the market, not necessarily, but also with Hagenstam or with other center players who from Berlin, of course, the best observation is also in the own hell, more times a week. Or also people who can little bit input or give impulses, can blows. I mean, that was probably also at the time.

Speaker 2: Yes, of was lucky when I for Schwanow. I a strong centre-back who I had to fight as a young boy. At Florian Orozca, a national player. an incredible mountain. Fabian Schröter, 2.5 tall, who on back. Sören Makeben, who also accompanied There were few names that were very high up. I think they gave me incredible sense self-confidence so I know that if it against them, I can somewhere else. That was very good. What comes with this relationship? is always bit of a discussion, now with the top clubs in Germany, like Wasburg, Spandau, ASCD or Ludwigsburg, where the question arises, how do I young people There is always the position, okay, I... I on my own background or I work with international stars that I into my team. And then the young players have, that's what you just indicated, the opportunity to with such people and develop further That sounds similar to you in the past, that it was that. Because in training the right people are behind you. And then course, every time in training, than once week, that it optimal to train.

Speaker 2: The question is quite difficult. It's into two parts. How do we up youngster? How do we the youngster so that he in the national team? I think there are two different paths. I see it differently. For me, Spandau and Waspo are the undisputed number one and two. It's always like that. The self-imposed desire to annoy them or to win is definitely true. But I the is too big to a connection. If I look at the who qualified for the final eight, I want to beat If they to us, they have a different mentality than if Champions League. And if it gets and throws his first seven into the water and they for four minutes, then it different. That's why I would say that training is an essential part of The better your opponent is in the the better you will That's for But I also think that If you your team with many foreign players, the younger players in training, but it's still something different to in a competition or in a game that is by an than if you with each other. It's relatively difficult to a decent split, especially for the German league. to you don't a patent. In the past it worked where only two foreigners could That was at the very beginning, when I the ASCD. The competitions and the teams a bit closer each other than it is now, where a lot of money is actually into account, as as certain teams are

Speaker 1: The league itself was bit more tight because there still foreign rules. Per team, as well as European foreign players. There were also differences. under the line you could say that there were could talk whether something would for the Final Eight If we Seyda and Sefi now, they'll it differently. The interest rates are clearly distributed. But basically I'm Although I think that I don't know if it be different if you said that would a level like this. You have two goals, one is the German championship and the other is the Champions League. mean, can that in Italy as the league, only so so foreigners are to but in the Champions League it doesn't If you this cut, that you say, I'm this that and... Both have the same value, but I to bring the German national team to front And you say you're it, you can still successful And you the people who play for the national team, or especially the younger ones, a certain training input that they definitely need. And also highly qualified players who this input. But you also them the experience to in the league, maybe to few more games. and the main role and not just a player at the moment.

Speaker 1: I it's a valid point, where you could think Maybe we're someone with the idea. Let's see what happens. think there are enough ideas and also very diverse interest groups. But basically, we all the same The league maybe it more exciting, the national team lead But you said, in the... to competitive in Champions Yeah. I think we all have the same strength. We were back to the center position You said that were good opponents in or center defenders. How was that internationally, nationally, in the games or tournaments? Were there any players who said, oh, they're there again, or, they're already against Spain, I know. For example, there are teams that are more less your where you say, no, I don't want to That doesn't to be. Did that

Speaker 2: Yes, there were some. I was a guy with a body size. I against smaller defenders, which smaller, which was for me, for example against the Croats. They had big defenders who the same weight. Yeah

Speaker 1: I a long arm. That was always very difficult I had to a lot with movement to really my game. I always didn't like playing the Romanian centre-back because they played mean, anyone who plays on a certain level can play But that didn't really lot of fun. But in the end you to through and you took with you. Was okay

Speaker 2: That definitely is. It you forward. I have a small question. It's an expert talk, so can my expert opinion. There are in the center position where the center is played. But it's the that one center player goes back into the manhole And ideally, maybe then again for ball. or this backward movement and maybe straight to the ball. What is your premise in this story? I always a problem with saying, if the ball is away and the scorer always one on the other, according to the motto, you were too far apart, the ball is too far away and the one back instead of making a movement forward, I always have a bit of a problem with Good question. I wouldn't I have the same way of playing as most of do. I I always a lot for the ball. Normally you say the center is for one side and the half circle is to the center. I with both them a because it difficult for especially against the big .

Speaker 2: When the ball came in, I a lot for ball and the ball was to relatively close so that I process But still, I would rather say if I between two things, then the ball.

Speaker 2: you