Keke Topp also played in the second Bundesliga game, this time as a Werder joker: For the 20-year-old, the level is still a “big difference” to the 2nd division.
In the Bundesliga, as here against BVB professional Felix Nmecha, things are “simply more clever”: Werder attacker Keke Topp. IMAGO/RHR-Foto
Keke Topp is already reflective enough not to say anything rash in light of his two appearances in the starting eleven at the start of competitive matches – after he was only substituted on in the 82nd minute on matchday 2 against Borussia Dortmund (0:0). “Of course I can understand the question – and if I were to say now that I was happy to be sitting on the bench, then I’d be in the wrong place. Of course I wasn’t happy about it,” replied the SV Werder Bremen striker: “But I was 0.0 angry or somehow disappointed with the coach.”
These are still the first steps that the former Bremen youth player, who returned from FC Schalke 04, has taken with the pros in the last few weeks. And so far, these have been remarkably successful, particularly due to his sensational hat-trick in the first round of the cup, followed by his debut in the starting eleven in Augsburg – which ended prematurely at half-time; Justin Njinmah, who came on as a substitute for Topp, then scored to make it 2-2 and now also started in the first home game of the season.
Topp: “If I had accepted all the card requests, …”
For Topp, the league home debut was “of course very, very special” despite his short playing time, as he reported: “It was cool to see a lot of familiar faces in the stands, be they my friends, acquaintances from the village, or even acquaintances from Bremen.” The new “local hero” at Werder, who was born in Bremervörde not far from the Hanseatic city, had to deal with a correspondingly large number of ticket requests in advance: “If I had accepted all of them, I would probably have ended up with 50 or 60. But it was just over 20.”
It was clear that the former Schalke player would have liked to have achieved more than just a draw against BVB: “We were clearly the better team and should have won – and we can blame ourselves for that. Unfortunately, we were not consistent enough in front of goal and then became too hectic,” said the 20-year-old: “That bothers us, of course, but we should definitely not bury our heads in the sand.”
Bundesliga? “I would not have thought that”
Topp himself does not want to be put off by his role as a reserve: “There will always be games where I sit on the bench and others where I start. What I have to do is simply give it my all.”
Especially after his dream start against third division team Energie Cottbus, the question arose as to whether Topp could continue at a higher level when he was up against “different calibers” of central defenders. In any case, he has now realized that Bundesliga football is “a clear difference”: “I underestimated that a bit, to be honest. I didn’t think the difference would be so big. But when you think about it, it has to be that way…”
Topp: “I prefer to take small steps”
In the Bundesliga, there are fewer spaces, the game is more technically adept and the opponents are “simply cleverer,” explained Topp: “In the 2nd division, it’s just a bit more about fighting and long balls.” Nevertheless, the new signing is “definitely very satisfied” with his start at Werder: If someone had told me before the season that I would have three goals after three games, I would have signed it.
Now the attacker, who has been nominated for the German U21 team for the first time, will have to continue to improve and get used to the new requirements. “I’m not at the end of my development yet,” stressed Topp. “Everything will come in time: I prefer to take small, steady steps rather than making a big leap very quickly.”
