DFB Talent Development and the Training Principles

Can this organization and these framework conditions actually live up to the lofty training principles of DFB talent development? On the DFB Academy's website, under the tab "Information on the DFB Development Program," the principles are at least presented in grandiose terms!

You need to know that the development program refers to the so-called regional-base training at the roughly 350 DFB bases. There, talented U13 and U15 players train together once a week for 90 minutes. Each base has about three coaches available for the training groups, which comprise 15-20 players.

In what follows, I would like to address the training principles of the DFB development program individually and lay out my view of things.

On the DFB Academy's website, parents are offered a "flipbook" which states on page 8:

All coaches in the DFB talent development program orient their work around shared guidelines.

TRAIN GAME-ORIENTED

"The game is the teacher" – All training forms should reveal a connection to the game or to a game situation. Practice drills complement game-based forms, not the other way around.

In plain terms, that means a coach should explain practice drills in such a way that players can clearly see the connection to the game situation and manage the transfer into the match. That requires time and following up with the players to check whether the information actually got through.

Fundamentally, I believe this shouldn't be implemented only at the regional bases, since after all we train in order to compete successfully in matches, not to pass the time. The explanations take time. Implementation is feasible, though, and should be possible especially for DFB elite youth coaches. In practice, unfortunately, things often look quite different.

TRAIN INDIVIDUALIZED

"The individual talent is the focus" – Give each talent their own feedback and their own teaching method. This is easiest to achieve in small groups, in individual training, or through parallel coaching by multiple coaches.

When can you actually do that? When a coach names players individually in front of the group, he's walking a tightrope. Too much criticism could demotivate or unsettle the individual. The theory says a ratio of 2/3 praise to 1/3 criticism is important for fostering motivation — or alternatively, no personal criticism at all but general statements, such as: "In this situation, you take little risk and play a safe ball. If necessary, a long ball is also fine!" That way you're not criticizing personally, but describing a game situation in general terms. Of course, explanations may not be as easy to absorb due to language barriers, but describing the game situation still makes the desired actions clear. From my point of view, the methodology can't get any more individualized than that. There simply isn't the time or the resources during the development sessions for more.

TRAIN IN DETAIL

"The small things are decisive" – Precise coaching tips are the key to success. Don't just analyze mistakes — make future actions qualitatively better.

As mentioned above under "Train individualized," you walk the same tightrope of criticizing too often and demotivating players if you keep correcting even the smallest details. There's also the risk that training sessions get interrupted too frequently. A DFB elite youth coach needs a good instinct for each particular situation.

TRAIN FOCUS AREAS

"Complex, but not complicated" – Work on a few targeted topics with the players per training session. Keep the complexity of the game intact, but use coaching in particular to make clear which focus area is at the center of attention.

Elsewhere in the flipbook, it states that the focus areas are oriented around the following game moments:

• Scoring goals,

• Setting up goals, and

• Ball security.

That sounds very good at first, but every focus area is complex, and I'm missing a methodical progression. From easy to difficult, from simple to complex, and from slow to fast execution. From execution without opponent pressure to execution with 100% opponent pressure. And at what point do the basics actually come into play? Individual tactical behavior, including "against" the ball? At this point, the training principles feel too superficial to me and miss the reality on the ground. In my view, defensive behavior should be developed first — similar to how a math teacher spends the first lessons of a school year. The players who come to the regional base should first be assessed for their current level of knowledge. Certainly, big differences emerge here, since the players have been coached by different trainers at their clubs. Then you can close the gaps in the "basics" and work out a target behavior, before moving on to the more complex topics. But the fundamentals and a shared foundation come first. And my experience shows that many individual tactical fundamentals are missing — fundamentals that absolutely must be developed at this learning age so that they become second nature. That has nothing to do with less individualized development; it's about establishing a starting point from which all further steps can be built. Otherwise, it would be a bit like starting curve sketching with an arbitrarily assembled class of talented students who have wildly inconsistent levels of knowledge.

TRAIN HOLISTICALLY

"Football is more than a 1:0" – Actively involve the players in decision-making processes and enable phases of self-reflection and personal responsibility.

It sounds fantastic, but it also requires time and skill. This can be implemented in specific training situations and can trigger an "aha effect," especially with freeze-frame moments in training. Things that a player recognizes and articulates himself are subsequently implemented better and more sustainably. From a psychological standpoint, that's very valuable.

TRAIN WITH A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE

"Potential and development matter more than current performance" – Observe and evaluate development progress, and view current performance level as an indicator rather than a criterion for exclusion.

By far the most difficult principle to implement. It requires a great many conversations. Especially clear communication enables players to develop and to justify their place in the DFB talent development program. However, if there's a lack of recognizable progress over an extended period, despite several conversations, you also have to consider parting ways with a talent — thereby reducing the size of the training group, or giving another talent the chance to show what they can do.

CONCLUSION:

Taken individually, the training principles are valuable and coherent, but as a whole they're barely implementable. "Train focus areas" lacks the basics, a shared foundation, and a methodical progression. The reality at the regional bases often looks quite different.

In my view, the key to success lies far more in coach education. If you look more closely at the lofty training principles, a great deal is being demanded of a DFB elite youth coach. He has to be an outstanding educator and psychologist in order to convey things adequately. And then, with a ratio of 1:5 to 1:7 per age group — meaning one coach for 5 to 7 players — he has just 90 minutes per age group to provide individualized development. Given the training principles, that sounds not only utopian — it is utopian!

It would be far more important to seek closer cooperation with club coaches, to work on their training, and to advance the talents' development together. Working in coordination also makes it easier to spot unfavorable developments and, if it seems sensible, to build in breaks.

And of course, the talent itself also bears responsibility. Ambition and diligence are basic prerequisites for developing oneself and one's footballing abilities.

I look forward to addressing another topic in talent development with you next week under my column "So schaut's aus." Until then! Stay healthy, and always a good ball!