Waas: Unpleasant derbies due to Dieter Prestin

Mr Waas, what were games against FC Köln like in the 1980s?
Waas: "The matches were always very close and often also unpleasant for me. I was mostly marked by Dieter Prestin back then. He was as small and agile as I was and that meant I often found it difficult playing against him. Despite that, I did manage to score a couple of goals against Köln. (He laughs)"

Did derby goals have a different significance from "normal" Bundesliga goals?
Waas: "I think emotions are even higher at a derby. But, at the end of the day, every goal is important. Above all as a striker because you're rated by those goals."

On the Werkself podcast you said you continue to follow all the teams you used to play for. How do you expect the top match at the BayArena to turn out?
Waas: "I think Leverkusen will win the game. Simply because the team is better than Köln's. FC are under enormous pressure. Bayer are too because they still want to achieve something – nevertheless, I assume Leverkusen will win."

Will you watch the game live on Saturday?
Waas: "I almost always watch the Bundesliga at the weekend. Either the multi-match coverage or I pick out an individual game. Of course, I will watch the derby on Saturday night."

Your playing days at Bayer 04 were 31 years ago. How much has football in general changed for the Werkself in that time?
Waas: "The biggest changes are actually due to the pitches and the balls. If you watch football today and compare that with our opportunities back in the day then you could never really do it. The pace and the length of passes plus the passing game would not have been possible in the conditions at the time. In those days we first had to look to see if the ball would bounce off the surface. You don't need to think about that anymore as the pitches are almost like carpets. In addition, games were much tougher back then. When you won the ball and made contact with the player it was not a foul. Today you get a yellow card for that or even get sent off. These days you play more as a team instead of looking for the one-on-one clashes."

Waas: An honour to play alongside Völler

At the beginning of your career you played alongside Rudi Völler at 1860 Munich. What was he like as a person back then?
Waas: "I was still a youth player at that time and it was a great honour for me to be able to play alongside Rudi Völler. That helped me because they all concentrated on him. That made it somewhat easier for me as a young player. Rudi was also a great bloke off the pitch. I got on really well with him."

Rudi Völler has been in the sporting management at Bayer 04 since 2005. A few weeks ago he announced that he will withdraw from day-to-day activity from the middle of 2022. What does that mean for the club?
Waas: "Of course, Rudi will leave his mark on Leverkusen. Unfortunately, he has not yet been able to win a title with Leverkusen. Nevertheless, he has succeeded in bringing the club up to the next level during his time in the management and he has proved he is a genuine football expert over many years."

You hung your boots up in 1995. How did you get on after that and what are you doing today?
Waas: "I've done different things since then. I worked in Bavaria as a youth coach at Vaterstetten. In addition, I worked freelance for a bank in the property sector. I don't have any professional obligations any more and I'm not working as a coach at the moment either."

This is Herbert Waas:
During his playing career, Herbert Waas was at six clubs in three different countries. After making his breakthrough at 1860 Munich, where Waas played alongside Rudi Völler for a season, the Passau-born player joined the Werkself in 1982. In 240 appearances for Leverkusen, the Bavarian scored 83 goals and provided seven assists. On top of his important derby goals for the Black and Reds, the UEFA Cup win of 1988 will never be forgotten. Waas, who was brought on as a substitute in the second half by the then head coach Erich Ribbeck, held his nerve in the manner of a pedigree striker in the penalty shootout in the second leg of the final against Espanyol as he coolly converted his spot kick.

The eight successful years at Leverkusen were followed by the first move abroad where the now 57-year-old played for Bologna. That was followed by a one-year loan at Hamburg SV and then a transfer to Switzerland as he joined FC Zürich. The former Leverkusen player ended his playing career at Dynamo Dresden in 1995. All in all, Waas can look back at a colourful career: In addition to 124 goals in 449 club appearances, he also played for Germany eleven times – his international debut in June 1983 was the first for a Bayer 04 player for the German national team.