The Austrian midfielder spoke to Der Standard before Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 victory over Manchester City on November 7, describing the frustration of working hard without seeing performances rewarded. His interview was published after the win, which lifted Forest to 16th in the Premier League table.
“Right now, it's very disheartening when you invest so much every day and get absolutely no output. You feel kind of - I don't want to say worthless, but you feel like you didn't actually have to work at all,” Schlager said.
“In the last two or three months, I've trained more than I've ever trained in my life. I see a steady improvement, and when the results don't come, it's very disheartening. That's the difficult thing about our job. You can't lose heart.
“It's a story where consistent work pays off in the long run - but when you're really stuck in a tough phase, many people crack and give up. We just have to get through it and trust ourselves. I'm convinced that it will come back eventually.”
Forest had gone five matches without a win before facing Manchester City, despite Schlager feeling that the team's performances had often deserved more. The victory over Pep Guardiola’s side provided a timely response, with Jair Cunha and Liam Delap putting the hosts two goals ahead before Rayan Cherki reduced the deficit. Delap struck again to secure the points.
Schlager played a part in the second goal, releasing Delap for his run and finish. The Austrian has settled quickly since joining Forest on a free transfer from RB Leipzig, making 11 appearances and starting all but one of the club’s first 10 league fixtures.
The 29-year-old has also enjoyed the rhythm of having one match a week, contrasting it with the demands of European competition and international travel.
“I don't always enjoy it. When I lose, I'm one of the most unbearable people. I don't play football because I want to earn money - but there's a world of difference between playing football for fun and the profession I now have as a professional footballer.
“I love playing football, but there's a point where it's too much. I've reached that point many times. And when something is too much, it's no longer fun.”
He described the physical and mental demands of a congested schedule, particularly when matches follow lengthy periods of training and travel.
“Honestly, the fourth game in Kosovo after three matches and two weeks of training and travel – you're just exhausted. You don't go into the game thinking: ‘Yes, today is a great Sunday, today I can really shine and I'm full of energy.’
“No, you go in thinking: ‘Actually, this and that and the other thing hurts. And how am I going to manage to mentally conquer my mind and body?’ But the sport itself is fun, otherwise I wouldn't do it.”
For now, the lighter schedule at Forest has allowed him to enjoy his football more.
“Right now, I'm really enjoying a lot of things, since I only have one game a week. I know those phases when you're playing Champions League; you're constantly traveling and recovering at home. You're not much use for anything outside the stadium then, because you're just exhausted. But I think that's true of every job in the world.
“It used to be that the games were on Saturdays and Sundays. Now there isn't a single day of the week without a soccer game. And that's a bit too much for me.
“I find it nice with the NFL, where the games are concentrated in the fall and winter; you look forward to that every year. The fewer games there are, the more valuable each one is. Now, many games are simply worthless because there are so many. It's just about making money.”
Schlager also reflected on his own development, describing improvement as a gradual process rather than a straight line. He believes the small details of midfield play, including anticipation and making decisions quickly, are areas that can always be refined.
“There are details you can always improve. Anticipation, quick thinking - that's often not measurable.
“It's a continuous process. Not a constant upward climb, but a wave - the important thing is that it's an overall upward trend. And an injury derails that process. The difficult thing in football is, you go through a process, but everyone only looks at the results.”
The City victory offered Forest tangible reward for their work, but Schlager’s comments point to a wider concern about the demands placed on players by an increasingly crowded football calendar.