“It’s a shame we had to leave – not just for us, but also for our fans who travelled all that way,” birthday boy Waldemar Anton told VfB-TV, reflecting on the Stuttgart squad’s time in Neukirchen. “I’m sure we’ll have more opportunities to be together, though. The town and our accommodation were perfect for growing closer together. You get to know all the lads even better and do a lot of things as a group.” Anton, who turned 27 on Thursday, shared a room in Austria with midfielder Atakan Karazor, among others. “That was easy for me,” said the centre-back. “I’ve known those guys a long time and it was a perfect fit.”
Due to VfB’s early departure from their training camp, Anton was able to spend a few hours of his birthday with his family. “I haven’t been at home for my birthday in a long time – that obviously made me really happy,” he said.
Wataru Endo and Hiroki Ito back in Cannstatt
VfB’s two Japanese internationals – Wataru Endo and Hiroki Ito – also returned to training in searing temperatures on Thursday morning. “Most of the lads are back now – only Josha [Vagnoman] is still absent,” Anton continued. “We’ll keep working hard and familiarise ourselves with everyday procedures. We’ll need everyone on board for that.”
An intense morning session – which started with a rendition of Happy Birthday for Anton – was followed by an open session at the Robert-Schlienz-Stadion, which proved too good to miss for several VfB supporters.