The blue News article about collective punishment training sessions at the FCZ juniors is making waves. Ex-FCZ head of youth development Heinz Russheim and ex-talent manager Ivano Sicuro are not holding back with their criticism either.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The FCZ juniors work with collective punishment training after defeats. This is also confirmed by FC Zurich itself, which writes of a winning mentality and explains that the aim is to strengthen the resilience of the young players.
- Former FCZ head of youth development Heinz Russheim reacted to the blue News article and wrote on LinkedIn that it is regrettable that there are fewer and fewer people who stand up against injustice and clear transgressions.
- Former FCZ talent manager Ivano Sicuro comments: "Resilience is not created through pressure or humiliation, but through trust, attitude and role models who exemplify strength instead of demonstrating power."
blue News revealed on Wednesday that the FCZ youth team is working with collective punishment training. The teenagers have to complete intensive running units after defeats. The bigger the defeat, the more they have to run. If an FCZ youth team loses by three or more goals, they even have to run for penalties on a Sunday when they are not playing.
Andy Benz, a long-standing educationalist and member of the education council of the canton of St. Gallen, says: "Collective penalty training is a no-go, especially in the youth section". An improvement in performance cannot be achieved in this way, Benz continues. "They are disproportionate and counterproductive."
FC Zurich sent blue News a written statement. It says: "It is true that we want to strengthen the winning mentality and resilience of young players as part of temporary additional training sessions. It is important to know that there are always rewards in return for good performances, such as team dinners, days off or regeneration weeks." The teams in the FCZ women's section are not affected by these temporary additional training sessions.
Covering up unacceptable conditions?
The article has made waves in the scene. Former FCZ youth team manager Heinz Russheim wrote on LinkedIn: "Whoever made this statement should be aware that they are actively supporting this very low pedagogical level and are participating in what is at the very least questionable legality."
Russheim goes on to write that it is a fact that active coaches and players do not identify these "temporary additional training sessions" in any way as such, but rather see them as "mass regulation by weak personalities". Furthermore, no one can confirm that good performances, as written by FCZ, are rewarded. This statement has been dismissed as a "lie" by various people and was probably made to cover up the unacceptable situation.
For Russheim, it is understandable that parents and players do not dare to defend themselves in view of a possible professional career. It is equally understandable that no coach, level or division manager has the courage to like this post, as the fear of being identified is too great: "At the same time, it is very regrettable that there are fewer and fewer people who stand up against injustice and clear transgressions."
Russheim then also holds the coaches, level or division managers responsible: "Those who don't defend themselves approve of such orders are indirectly complicit. The victims of a lack of civil courage are the players and fellow officials." According to Russheim, fighting back has nothing to do with loyalty to superiors, it would simply mean that values are not just talked up, but actually lived and defended. Standing firm would be a clear and courageous sign against oppression and fear-mongering. It goes without saying that losing the "dream" job could be the price to be paid in this environment: "Authoritarian structures generally do not tolerate dissent, and critics could be consistently eradicated."
Ex-talent manager: confusing responsibility with power
Former FCZ talent manager Ivano Sicuro also reacted to Russheim's article. He writes: "You can sugarcoat a lot of things, even criminal training. Now it's called promoting resilience or strengthening the winning mentality."
Sicuro also adds that, in his opinion, resilience is not created through pressure or humiliation, but through trust, attitude and role models who exemplify strength instead of demonstrating power. The biggest mistake in this game is to confuse responsibility with power.
