Online training – how the Bayer 04 youngsters keep fit in lockdown

From the right, Ken Izekor races through on the opposition goal and slips the ball past the oncoming keeper with a shot that goes just wide of the left-hand post. Shortly after that, his team misses in a similar position with a one-on-one. Scenes like this from the Bayer 04 U14 game against Essen in the Youth Cup can't happen at the moment due to the second coronavirus lockdown for sport – or at least only on video.

13-year-old Ken is currently only able to see the described scenes at home on his computer screen. His coaches Mirko Casper and Florian Blaschyk have invited Ken and the whole U14 squad to a video conference to show the match action online. The ban on contact makes that unavoidable.

Football remote learning

At the moment, remote learning for school is difficult enough. But learning football remotely is something completely different. "Normally, we discuss match action with the lads and then we go out onto the pitch. That's how the learning process happens," explains Casper. That means the effects of the coronavirus pandemic are also a particular challenge for the coaching staff of the younger Bayer 04 youth teams.

Mirko Casper

Like their Black and Red colleagues, Casper and Blaschyk are doing a lot to keep their players fit and to maintain contact with their families. The Bayer 04 players born in 2007 receive a weekly training plan of drills and they return their performance data. "That means we can see their progress together with fitness coach Morris Mülder and make adjustments," said Casper. "On top of that, the players are already learning to work under their own steam."

Training and additional online provision

The team have also held stability programmes via video. Casper has also made an online noticeboard available to the team that includes training content, analysis videos and nutrition tips. The provision is rounded off by discussions with the parents via video or telephone, online presentations and video conferences for analysis and education.

"We coaches have to deal with the situation in a creative and positive way as well," said Casper. Of course, that cannot replace work on the pitch: "The lads are normally on the pitch for five out of seven days. We're missing an important part of life."

Project work for the coaches

Casper and his fellow coaches also missing daily contact. Nevertheless, there are other opportunities for the coaching team during lockdown. "We are now working on all the additional projects that get pushed aside in the daily routine of training and matches," said Casper.

The coaches have set up a database with drills that cover different aspects and requirements of the individual age groups in terms of football and fitness. Position profiles have also been developed, which training, teaching and scouting staff can work to.

Football routine missing

Games, competitions and resulting motivation cannot be exactly reproduced the coaches and players. Not just because, for example, U14s were doing well in the first weeks of the season in the Youth Cup and most recently were able to maintain their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw in the top match against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

"Furthermore, I can imagine that the second enforced break will not leave the lads untouched in terms of development and mentally," said Casper. The youth players have missed the daily routine football for a total of six months of the year. At the end of the day, football not only provides education the talented youngsters but also the framework for the week.

While the coaches were able to use the first lockdown. In the spring as a sort of extended summer break with opportunities for regeneration, development and growth, the second suspension in the autumn has proved to be more painful.

The final step is missing

For that reason, Casper's U14 players are happy to take up the offer of the weekly video conference. Nearly everybody joins in this time with the focus on finishing from different positions. In addition to match action, they see how the Werkself player Leon Bailey perfectly completes a one-on-one finish to the near post in the game at Bielefeld.

The outfield players discuss the options. The goalkeepers discuss their perspectives and in the end, Ken Izekor provides the promising solutions of how to put the ball in the back of the net next time at the end of a solo run. But it remains to be seen when that will be. "But, of course, we are looking forward to that time even more," said Casper.