German keeper Max Weiß considers Premier League dream ‘right on track’ at Burnley | OneFootball

German keeper Max Weiß certainly isn’t enjoying the same amount of success as his older German goalkeeping colleague Alexander Schwolow over on the Isle. The 21-year-old nevertheless doesn’t regret his decision to mover from Karlsruher SC to Burnley this summer. The jump from the 2. Bundesliga to the Premier League was always going to be a difficult one and Weiß remains grateful that he’s received two cup starts for the clarets. 

“The plan was for me to play less here at first,” Weiß admitted in a recent interview with transfermarkt.de. “It’s a completely different ball game here and it took me a few weeks to acclimatize and adapt to the speed. My two appearances in the cup were quite good from a personal point of view, they were fun and helped me.“

“The FA Cup starts in the winter and then, in the best-case scenario, I’ll have the chance to get a few more games under my belt,” Weiß continued. “Until then, it’s about developing as much as possible in training, adapting and being ready if something happens so I can seize my opportunity.

“In Martin Dúbravka, we have a really good keeper who is a great person and helps me a lot,” Weiß concluded. “As a young goalkeeper, I can learn a lot from that. You can see his experience at 36 years of age, he’s in great shape and takes young players under his wing The plan is for me to improve and then seize my chance when it comes.“

Naturally, the Speyer-native did note that he found it difficult to leave Karlsruhe. Weiß enjoyed excellent status in the Fächerstadt. Trading that for an opportunity that might not pan out constituted quite the risk. Every German keeper who weighs taking the risk must take into account whether they will be the next Bernd Leno or the next Stefan Ortega. 

Before getting into the differences between the two countries, Weiß noted that he sorely missed his “second home” in Karlsruhe. As surreal an experience as it’s been to visit the famed footballing pitches of England, Weiß still remains in close contact with both his friends and old goalkeeping coaches in South Baden.

“The football here is much more physical,” Weiß said. “The referees just let a lot more go, and I have the feeling that they want the game to be tough. And the game is much faster, even in training. In the Premier League, you have to handle many situations very differently because you have less time. Corners are one example, because you are challenged much more than in Germany. Everyone uses their tricks.

“In terms of build-up play, the trend in England has been to play more long balls in order to reduce sources of error and minimize risk,” Weiß continued. “Corners and crosses are brutal for goalkeepers because they require something completely different than in Germany. You have a lot of clever players who get in front of you at the last moment or knock your hand away. You get thrown off your rhythm, you have no chance of getting the ball, and then you just think, ‘What should I do now?’.

“There are so many different strengths and playing styles that I don’t think every goalkeeper can cope in every league, which is why it’s a personal issue for keepers,” Weiß concluded. “England is a very physical league, and you have to be cut out for it. You have to like the way it is and enjoy throwing yourself into every challenge. That’s why it’s definitely not a disadvantage for me, because I think this physicality suits me well in England.“

GGFN | Peter Weis