Hjulmand: ‘Only Bayer 04 could give me this feeling’

Kasper Hjulmand on…

...his reasons for taking the job at Bayer 04: After my work with the Danish national team, I most recently worked on a campus project for the DBU (Danish Football Association, ed.). It was an affair of the heart and I wasn't really on the market as a coach. Only one club could give me the feeling that I wanted to take over a team again - and that was Bayer 04. I know I can completely be myself here. Thanks to Ismael Camenforte (fitness coach at Bayer 04 from 2021 to 2025, ed.), who I worked with for three years with the Danish national team, I know the style of play here. Therefore, I can very much identify with the work here. My focus is now fully on Bayer 04.

...his management style: In my opinion, you can’t put labels on people. I'm always demanding, want to see discipline and always room for improvement - in myself, the staff and the players. I don't have to be loud to be a leader. Of course, I can also be stricter, but overall I'm very communicative. Fernando and Simon know what I'm like. I say what I think straight out. I don't hide anything. I expect the same from the people around me. Basically, I don't do this job to prove anything. I do it because I love football and the Bundesliga. I can hardly wait to celebrate success with Leverkusen.

...the squad and the work ahead: I find the team exciting, it has great potential. I've already had good discussions with some of the players. It's now up to us to act as a team and be a great team - on and off the pitch. The last few years here have been a great success and a result of consistently good work. If you want to be a top team, it's important to be good in all phases of the game. Above all, you have to be proactive in order to control the game. In football you need some time, not everything can work immediately. In the national team, I learnt to always work precisely and efficiently, as there aren't many training sessions there either. That's also the case here now. I'm looking forward to getting started.

...his new coaching team: In my talks with the management, we discussed how we want to train and play and quickly realised that we have the same views. It's great that there are different backgrounds in the coaching team and that we are a diverse team. The coaching team is also newly formed, just like the team, and we now have to work intensively with each other. For me, it's about doing things together and empowering the people around me so they feel strong and can be themselves. The quality of the coaching team is very high and I’m very happy about this set-up.

Simon Rolfes on…

...the reasons for appointing Hjulmand as head coach: We had already been in contact in the summer, but it didn't work out because of his work at the DBU. We didn't know whether it would work out this time either, but we were more optimistic every day. We're very happy that he's here. In the current situation with many new players, good teamwork is particularly important. The chemistry has to be right and the group has to be led and given direction. Kasper has these qualities. Especially in the case of Christian Eriksen, he acted exceptionally - as a leader and also as a person. These are values that are important to us. He also has the technical expertise and his training methodology is well known to us. He is an excellent choice for us. We are in the process of building a new team and developing new strength. He suits our style of play and also the people here.

...same views: We've been in contact for years. Isma (Ismael Camenforte, ed.) has had a lot of influence on the current training work at the club. As Kasper knows him and the work here, there is a great understanding between us. That also helped convince him to join Bayer 04. We have the same views on football and harmonious co-operation. And that's exactly what's crucial now in the run of games coming up to be able to quickly take the steps needed to shape this team.