Impact on players
Thomas Tuchel is surprised at the change in fan behavior
December 1, 2023, 8:13 a.m
The fan perspective among young supporters is no longer the same as it was decades ago, observes Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. The footballer is now more in the foreground than the club. This can change the player’s mindset because he is more focused on himself.
According to Thomas Tuchel, new fan perspectives also influence the inner workings of football teams. “For example, when I now see young fans wearing football shirts with a name, I have the feeling that they are more and more fans of the players and not just the club,” said the coach of FC Bayern Munich at the Ispo sporting goods fair in Munich . Things were different in his time.
They supported the club and when a player left, they were angry with him, Tuchel reported from his earlier fan days. “We were disappointed. I cried at home and didn’t change clubs. I stopped following this player. I stayed with my club.”
The younger generation leaves a different impression on him. Younger fans in particular would, as fans of the player, follow him in the event of a change. “When a player changes clubs, he simply buys a new jersey with a name on it,” said Tuchel. This can also change the player’s mindset because they are more focused on themselves. That’s nothing bad, but it’s a description of an environment, said the 50-year-old. A trainer also has to deal with this changed environment.
It is the job of coaches to ensure team spirit, the right rules and the appropriate discipline in the team, said Tuchel. “Everyone on this team wants a piece of the pie. Every one of my players wants to be important, to play a role.” After the 0-0 draw in the Champions League against FC Copenhagen, FC Bayern continues in the Bundesliga this weekend. In the long-distance duel with Bayer Leverkusen for the top of the table, 1. FC Union Berlin is visiting Munich.