A new path – the Bayer 04 coaching academy

There are two pictures he likes to start with. Whenever Keld Bordinggaard, the head of coaching at Bayer 04, is asked what it's all about he picks out these two photos. An endless, flat road in a desert, interminable, running to the horizon, straight as a die, further than the eye can see. One of those roads where drivers switch to autopilot, are bored, supposedly unchallenged, without any variety. The other photo shows a mountainous terrain, winding path, branches off, almost impassable country. A route that offers lots of variety – but also demands constant attention and changes of direction.

"one of the most dynamic sectors in the world"

Keld Bordinggaard takes a short break. "That's the path football takes. It is one of the most complex and dynamic sectors in the world," said the 59-year-old coach. "Football changes dramatically, quickly, at all levels of the game. That's why competitive advantage in football is always only temporary." That means: Whoever at point X has good and modern solutions, is not automatically in an advantageous position at point X +1. "We have to continually analyse the development of the game and critically look at whether our current practices are enough." The subtext comes in: Are we ready for change at all levels? How dynamic are our learning processes? "In football we try to make the best of the players, we try to create the best possible environment and we take an holistic approach to looking after them. We have always focused strongly on the lads on the pitch," said Bordinggaard. And what are the lads to do off the pitch? He doesn't have to give an answer. That's the elephant in the room.

With the coaching academy at Leverkusen the Dane has the chance to close a yawning gap in the system. There is still potential in the training and constant development of coaches – here the Dane is in full agreement with Thomas Eichin, the head of youth at Bayer 04. It is one of the most innovative projects where Bayer 04 not only think of the future but are also proactive. It's not about bricks and mortar, a set of offices where you stick up a badge or logo with the words 'Coaching Academy' on it. It is primarily about the philosophy behind it, the mental readiness to learn, and attitude.

Bordinggaard has an office at the BayArena but is mostly out and about in communication with the coaches, with Thomas Eichin and also with sporting director Simon Rolfes. As the coaches are "our key workers," as the Danish football expert says, who used to be the Denmark assistant coach under Morten Olsen and later worked with the current coach Kasper Hjulmand (including at Mainz 05).

"We can't just leave the whole training of our coaches to the DFB. We have our own identity, , our own way of playing, our own methods. We can't expect the DFB to take over that work." The Dane is "surprised that even more clubs do not formalise internal and continuous training of their coaches."

ongoing training for U12 to U19 coaches

All coaches in the Bayer 04 youth section, from the U12s through to the U19s as the highest level of training, are constantly developed, receive individual guidance, external input. For example, all training sessions are recorded on video to be able to give appropriately in-depth feedback. That begins with preparing training, via the warm-up routine through to individual drills or tactical measures such as the way of opening up play. There is always the question: Are we coaching the right things? Do we practice things we can also use in matches? Analysis showed that Spanish talents spend on average 10% more time training on active decision-making activities while here, for example, there is more fitness training without the ball on the agenda. Thanks to international experts such as the Spaniard Ismael Camenforte Lopez, who Bayer 04 recently brought in as the methodology coach for the Performance Centre, the club are also looking level out the route to the top in this area.

The basis for the perceptual development is through a consistent playing philosophy, a DNA specific to the club, which continues to shape the development of the youngest to the U19 players through its principles. "We constantly develop the style of play and the coaching of our teams," said Eichin, "Always related to the demands of senior football." And somebody like the long-standing Bundesliga player Eichin, who made 180 appearances in the top-flight, shows the extreme development in football.

The analysis is clear: "Tomorrow's top players are multifaceted, play more passes, have less space and also greater match intelligence," summed up Bordinggaard. And if players are to be developed for these tasks than the coaching has to be structured accordingly – and the coaches made aware of it. Bordinggaard is convinced the converse argument is the most economic and powerful argument: "With the best coaches and the best training methods we can also make the most of the talents."

This article is taken from edition 35 Werkself Magazine that appeared in March 2022. HERE are the free online copies of all previous Werkself Magazines.