From the Champions League to the third division: Johannes Geis has experienced a lot in his career. He is currently under contract with 1. FC Schweinfurt.

In the 90th episode of “4zu3 – der 3. Liga Podcast,” the “MagentaSport” crew welcomes a former Champions League and Bundesliga player: Johannes Geis, who also played for FC Sevilla in the Champions League and FC Schalke 04 in the Europa League, is currently a mainstay at bottom-of-the-table 1. FC Schweinfurt 05. The 32-year-old has only managed one win in 13 games with his hometown club.

His impressive resume ultimately led the former Bundesliga pro (121 games in the first division, 155 in the second division) to the third division in his home country. In the new episode of the “MagentaSport Podcast ”4zu3,” Geis talked about…

… the 1-2 defeat at Rot-Weiss Essen: “The game still hurts. We have lost many games this season that we deserved to win, but we could have taken a point from the second half. But it’s also clear that if you’re bottom of the table after 13 matchdays, you deserve to be there.”

… the difficulty of remaining optimistic after many defeats: “It really gnaws at you and is extremely difficult. We have three points and it’s not getting any easier. The remaining schedule is not such that you can say: We’ll win five games. But what makes me feel positive is the atmosphere in the team. We have really good team spirit. For many players, every game is a highlight. Even if we lose and are bottom of the table, it’s still the biggest thing they can achieve in their careers. We don’t need to make huge leaps of thought, we just need to focus on getting points somehow. I don’t want to end my career like this.”

Thomas Tuchel is by far the best coach I’ve ever had. I’m very proud to have trained under him. Everything was coordinated from head to toe in Mainz. He’s a freak. The way he made players better was worth its weight in gold.

Johannes Geis

… on Schweinfurt’s approach of relying on experienced players alongside Geis in the third division: “We have a team that has seen and experienced a lot. That was the club’s approach. With the financial resources we have, you’re not going to get good third division players. The approach Schweinfurt chose was a good one. Of course, when you look at the results, there are always voices saying that maybe it was the wrong approach.“

… his career with clubs such as Schalke and Sevilla – and now the third division: ”Of course, you think to yourself: What could have gone better, what could have gone worse? When you look inside yourself and sit at the table with your wife and daughter in the evening, you see what you have achieved. Despite everything, I’m proud to be able to play in Schweinfurt, my hometown, where all my family members live. Many players would love to trade places with me.“

… about his coach Victor Kleinhenz: ”When I was at the DFB training center at the age of 13, he was there too. We’ve known each other forever. I’m really impressed by what he’s doing. It’s not a given that as a coach you can muster the spirit to rebuild us every day. He’s world class at that! Most of all, I feel sorry for him because he really puts his heart and soul into it. In the end, the team just can’t give him and the club back what they deserve.”

… his best coach of his career: “Thomas Tuchel is by far the best coach I’ve ever had. I’m very proud to have trained under him. Everything was coordinated from head to toe in Mainz. He’s a freak. The way he made players better was worth its weight in gold.”