Whether an experienced coach or a young, up-and-coming coach does not play a role for RB Leipzig. According to sports director Marcel Schäfer, the decisive factor is expertise. "He has to have the right skills to play the kind of soccer we all want to see. Whether he has a good deal of experience or is a young, up-and-coming coach is not quite as important for us."
The ambitious club, in consultation with global head of soccer Jürgen Klopp, wants a coach who "totally identifies with the location, identifies with the club, identifies with the way we want to work and the way we want to see our team play soccer".
Because there is a lot of work to do at Cottaweg in Leipzig after the club, which was promoted to the top flight in 2016, missed out on international qualification for the first time. "Now, as is part and parcel of a development, we have a little dip and therefore a change, a new beginning and then we build something new," said Schäfer in a media round table.
"Identification, commitment to this club and the way we work here" are the focus. The players should be made aware that it is not just "a stopover or a stepping stone". "That can develop, but it shouldn't be the thought when you sign a contract here," emphasized the 40-year-old Schäfer.
An agreement with a new coach is still pending. "It's not yet the case that there's an agreement or that someone is asking us to keep it under wraps. That's not the case, we're not trying to make a quick decision, we're trying to make the best decision for us based on a number of factors," said Schäfer.
RB wants to accept valid contracts
Personnel planning has been underway since the fall. They want to "accept valid contracts. It's not about age, but exclusively about performance", said Schäfer in view of the upcoming upheaval. He also highlighted the problem with the many players returning on loan, such as Timo Werner and Co. who will probably all be back on the pitch for the first time at the start of training.
Team planning is an ongoing process. "And that's why we have of course already held talks with every player who is in our shadow squad or on the list," said Schäfer. Even after missing out on the Champions League, there have been no rejections. "You can be part of a new beginning to usher in a new successful era," is the credo. That applies to both the coach and the players, explained the sporting director.
RB is still a club where the framework conditions are also relatively clear for the coach, "because no coach is going to come in and shape the new RB philosophy, that's not going to happen, we want to get back to our roots a bit. What does RB-DNA actually mean?", said Schäfer and spoke of "high intensity, all questions against the ball, an unbelievable unity in defense. And the first look should always be forward".
New team doctor coming
To do that, you need incredible physicality. Unlike last year, they want to use the preparation for this. The issue of susceptibility to injury also plays a role here. RB will have a new team doctor from July 1. "That will provide new impetus," said Schäfer. The analysis of the many injuries has long been in progress. "The number of injuries was simply far too high for us," said Schäfer.
Many players had no proper regeneration after the European Championships, no preparation and are therefore starting the season with a triple burden. "If we have a double-digit number of muscle injuries in some cases, and they weren't just any muscle injuries where there was a brief tweak, but were out for two or three months each time, then that's not so good," said Schäfer.
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