Sunday November 14th 2021
Where did all the dribblers go?
Drastic Gerland warning for DFB youngsters
In the summer, Hermann “Tiger” Gerland leaves FC Bayern Munich after 20 years. The legendary assistant coach of the record champions is now responsible for the DFB youngsters. Now he is calling for a rethink in the one-dimensional promotion of young talent that was previously too one-dimensional for him.
Hermann Gerland is currently somewhat reluctant to call Hansi Flick. “I won’t call him that often because he has enough to do,” said the new U21 assistant coach about the national coach. After 20 years at Bayern Munich, Gerland has been looking after the youngsters in the German Football Association (DFB) since September – and seems to feel right at home in his new role. A phone call with Flick in the summer was enough, he didn’t have to think about it, said the 67-year-old.
Now the “Tiger” works in the team of U21 coach Antonio Di Salvo, promoting talents like BVB goal scorer Youssoufa Moukoko or Jonathan Burkardt, shooting star at FSV Mainz 05. And sometimes the national coach asks. “If he wants to know something, he calls me,” said Gerland about his former head coach at Munich.
More than just a type of player
These talks are probably not only about the U21 hopefuls, but also about the youth structure in the DFB. In a media round on Saturday, Gerland made a fiery plea, calling for a rethink in funding. “I think we have to make a number of adjustments,” he said. “We have to teach players to dribble.” Fights and one-on-one should also be trained very early on. “If I always say pass, pass, pass and play every game with two contacts, then I cannot develop dribblers,” stressed Gerland.
If the youngsters up to “16, 17 only passed, then those at 19 can’t dribble, they can’t do it anymore,” emphasized the discoverer of many national players. In addition, the training and not the success of the team must be in the foreground in the offspring. Gerland continues to enjoy promoting talent. “I owe so much to football that I don’t just throw away my knowledge, but want to share it with young people,” said the Bochum resident: “And if a player announces afterwards that he has learned something, that’s for me something very beautiful. “