Continental: How do you explain the continual improvement in your game ever since your debut in the Bundesliga in 1999?

Timo Hildebrand: “As a goalkeeper, one is constantly improving. Or that’s how I see things. I think one’s right in saying I’ve made a big step forwards. That’s also because of the positive way things are going with the team. And every single player profits from it.”

Continental: You’ve got very quick reactions, you’re strong in one on one situations with onrushing forwards. But, where do you see there’s room for improvement.?

Timo Hildebrand: “My aim is to become as complete a goalkeeper as possible. For me this means: I have to get better in all aspects. On the line, marshalling the penalty area, high crosses, one on one situations against strikers. And I want to be a good football player generally, so that team-mates don’t have to worry when he has to pass the ball. I’ve also mastered that quite well but there’s always things to improve.”

Continental: There’s different kinds of goalkeeper. Some play with a minimum of fuss and try to avoid spectacular saves. They calmly pluck crosses out of the air. Earlier, Sepp Maier was one of the sort. Then there’s goalkeepers flinging themselves around amazing the crowd as if it was a air show. In which category do you see yourself?

Timo Hildebrand: “If I have to categorise myself then I’m more of the first kind of keeper. I’m not one to play to the gallery. I don’t try to make saves look good. It does happen though in the Bundesliga. But if that is what’s needed to make a save that wouldn’t be possible otherwise, then I can do that as well.”

Continental: How much have you learned from older goalkeepers? Did they help you?

Timo Hildebrand: “One learns a lot from older colleagues. I was a different keeper when I was 20. I’ve learnt a lot in the five Bundesliga years. One behaves differently in training, One is far more concentrated. Some of the older keepers gave me tips, others didn’t. I had to copy things from them. The coach is also important for one’s development.”

Continental: To what extent have coaches offered specific advice?

Timo Hildebrand: “Felix Magath told me that I had to train differently. He didn’t say that I had to train more but that I should always be fully concentrated. I altered my training and noticed that it was right thing to do. You get valuable pieces of advice. From Matthias Sammer and from Andreas Köpke in the national team.”

Continental: Being 1.85 metres tall and weighing 77 kilo, you’re a slim goalkeeper. There’s also body-builder types such as Oliver Kahn and Tim Wiese. Do you do any special weight training?

Timo Hildebrand: “I do the same kind of weight training as the rest of the team. I feel goalkeepers must have a balance between strength and mobility. But I’ll build up the strength over the next few years. That’s what the coach says as well. But I won’t be doing too much weight training.”

Continental: What’s your football philosophy? Do you prefer your team to play an attacking game and watch your forwards 60 to 100 metres up the pitch? Or do you appreciate it more when the defence stands firm and the offensive is a controlled offensive?

Timo Hildebrand: “That’s a good question? We’ve allowed our opponents very few goal chances this season. That’s naturally pretty good. I’m not sure you can be successful playing hara-kiri football. It all depends upon having a good mixture. Safe at the back, penetrating up front. That’s ideal. Unfortunately it doesn’t always work that way.”

Continental: You beat Oliver Kahn’s record in the 2003/2004 season when going 10 games without letting in a goal. Does the record mean much to you?

Timo Hildebrand: “The record itself doesn’t mean that much. I would have never had achieved it alone, the whole team didn’t let in a goal in those games. But it’s quite a nice little bonus for the good performances.”

Continental: You won your first cap in 2004 and played in Romania and Thailand. What does the national team mean to you?

Timo Hildebrand: “It’s of enormous importance. I really enjoyed playing for the U 21s. The national team is every footballer’s biggest ambition. It would be a dream to be one of the top three German goalkeepers, even if I don’t get a game behind Olli Kahn and Jens Lehmann. Then I can observe everything and learn a lot without being under much pressure. Just like at the 2004 European Championship.”

Continental: Oliver Kahn wants to end his career after the 2006 FIFA World Cup™. Will you be his successor?

Timo Hildebrand: “To make such predictions as a keeper is difficult. As No 1 you have to constantly play well. That’s the main difference to players in other positions. They sometimes have games when they don’t play that well. A goalkeeper is only good when he’s playing well over a longer period of time. Our job is like dancing on a razor blade. You can see that in the Bundesliga this season, as quite a lot of keepers have been dropped. But I wouldn’t be a good goalie, if I was satisfied already. I’ve got the ambition needed to be the national team’s No 1.”