Departing Women’s coach Robert de Pauw: “The foundation has been laid”

Robert, your time in Leverkusen is coming to an end after two years. How do you feel about leaving Bayer 04 at the end of the season?

De Pauw: “It was a very nice time, and I look back on it with a good feeling. The team has developed well, which is emphasised by the results. At the beginning of my time, the team had hardly any confidence after many defeats. We then tried to establish a clear identity. It's nice to see that this impact is recognisable.”

Which experiences do you remember the most?

De Pauw: “Derby victories are always particularly nice, and we've managed that twice this season. Last season, we managed to prevent Bayern from winning the title early with a draw. This year, we've emphasised that we can keep games open against the top teams and even win them. Bayern were still a step too far, but we at least managed a draw against Wolfsburg.”

How would you sum up the 2023/24 season?

De Pauw: “The fact that we came close to breaking Bayer 04's points record [33 points from the 2020/21 season] is a great sign. Nevertheless, we still dropped a few points, especially away from home. But every development also includes downs. The goal was always to finish in the top five, which we achieved once and just missed out on once. Nevertheless, the big gap between fourth place and the rest of the league from last year no longer exists. We can build on that in the future.”

Which players have surprised you the most during your time here?

De Pauw: “Friederike Repohl has developed really well thanks to her footballing skills and has established herself as first-choice goalkeeper. Elisa Senß came from Essen and became a senior international here. Jill Baijings made the leap to Bayern through us. Kristin Kögel has gone from being a team player to an absolute leader. Then there are young players like Sofie Zdebel, who have developed into regulars. Loreen Bender and Estrella Merino Gonzalez are also still very young and have a lot of potential. I could actually tell a separate story about each player. Some of the players in the team can still go very far.”

What do you think Bayer 04 Women can achieve in the coming years?

De Pauw: “I hope that we can get even closer to the top teams than we did this year. The foundation has been laid. Now it's up to the people in charge to build on that.”

What's next for you and your assistant coach Jessie van den Broek?

De Pauw: “There are also some options abroad and it could well be that we will work together again. Talks are ongoing and we'll have to wait and see what happens.”

And now you have more time for your daughters and your wife in the summer?

De Pauw: “I hope so. But that also depends on the discussions about the future. Until then, I want to make the most of the time with my family.”

Many thanks and all the best for the future!