U19 coach Hübscher: Prepare players for ‘professional football as best as possible’

At a press conference on Tuesday, the coach explained his coaching philosophy and reported experiences with well-known managers including Roberto Di Matteo and Brendan Rodgers. Sven Hübscher on…

…his first weeks at Bayer 04: I had a couple of months off from coaching. Because of that, I was, and am, happy, and very motivated, to be able to get back on the training ground. My primary task at Bayer 04 will be to help every youth player to achieve the maximum possible and to prepare them for professional football as best possible. That’s why I’m here.

…the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the U19 players who have not played a competitive match since October: Due to the circumstances, the oldest youth team players are currently increasingly thinking about what they will do after their time in the junior sides much more than in previous years. Therefore, we’re trying to hold regular one-to-one meetings to help them deal with their worries as best we can. As a club and coaching staff, we want to help them to develop on and off the pitch even during these difficult times. I do my best every day – and the lads have to do the same in their many training sessions. It must be the aim of every single one of them to be able to say to themselves at the end of the day: Today, I improved a bit more.

…the reasons for joining Leverkusen and returning to being in charge of a youth team: Career planning is difficult in football. For me, I’ve always been determined not to focus on the league I’m in. I much prefer to be defined by the work and the task at hand. I found the approach from Bayer 04 very exciting from the start. I’m coaching a side here who are very close to first team football – both in terms of the overall conditions as well as the quality of the players. The Kurtekotten Performance Centre also offers us very good options for working with the lads.

…the interaction between the first team and the youth set-up at Bayer 04: My direct contact is Thomas Eichin (Head of the Performance Centre, ed.). Beyond that, I’ve had meetings with sporting director Simon Rolfes and the coaching staff led by Peter Bosz. Assistant coach Rob Maas is our contact there. We’ll regularly discuss how we want to play. I really like that by the way. The football at the club suits me down to the ground. That’s also why the whole package at Bayer 04 is just right.

…his focus on certain elements in training youth players: Speed, technique, an eye for certain areas of the pitch – I think a player has to have something special. An ability that makes him stand out. On the other hand, he mustn’t have any characteristics that limit him as a player. In the youth teams it’s primarily about bringing the players through and developing their individual abilities. But I also think we have to give the lads a certain winning mentality. As that’s what it’s about with the senior side later on where they all want to get to one day: winning games, getting results.

…benefits of the youth Bundesliga set-up for the development of youth players: I’m a big friend of maintaining this championship format. The lads need competitive situations like you get later with the senior team. Youth players have to be prepared for that.

…the internship at Chelsea during his tome as a youth coach at Schalke 04 at the start of the 2000’: I was lucky that the management of the Chelsea youth section had done the same the year before at Valencia. That made them very open to colleagues who wanted to take a look at their club. I was able to get involved with the U19 and U17 training sessions in London and also see the first team sessions under José Mourinho. Beyond that, they showed me exciting documents including the training philosophy at the club. Brendan Rodgers (now the coach at Leicester City, ed.) was the U19 coach back then. On one Saturday morning, he first took me to watch a game at Arsenal and then he drove me to the airport in his own car. I was really impressed with his open and helpful manner. I picked up a few things for myself back then: Now I’m happy to share my knowledge with others show themselves to be committed and keen to learn.

…fellow coaches as role models: In my time as assistant coach at Schalke 04 I was impressed by Roberto Di Matteo (October 2014 to May 2015, ed.). He was a very pleasant person. I tend to look more at styles of play rather than individuals. For example, Ajax from their successful time in the Champions League. Or the possession football of Manchester City. Or Liverpool’s counter pressing. I always pick up little things and then integrate them with my own ideas.

…his experiences from his five months as head coach at third division Preußen Münster: In the summer of 2019, I consciously set out to follow the path to being a head coach in professional football. It didn’t really work out in the end like everyone hoped it might. Generally. I’m convinced that I’m a better coach every day. It’s important for me to move forwards every day. In that respect, that time was very instructive. Now I can tell the lads that there is great competition for places in the third division as well.