In the blue Sport studio, the experts highlight the difficulties of integrating young talent into professional teams and explain why Portugal, for example, is ahead of Switzerland in this respect.
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- In the blue Sport Studio, Alex Frei and Markus Neumayr talk about the challenges of integrating young talent into the professional game and recall what has changed compared to the start of their careers.
- Compared to football countries such as Portugal, Switzerland has some catching up to do in this respect. "If FC Porto wants to build a training center, it builds a training center within two years - and doesn't have 47 objections," explains Alex Frei.
Numerous clubs in European football set themselves the goal of training young players well and then integrating them into their own professional team or selling them on at a high price. However, not all of them are equally successful in this endeavor. One stumbling block is the integration of young talent into the professional teams, which poses particular challenges for the coaches responsible.
"It always depends on what you plan to do with the player," says expert Alex Frei in the blue Sport studio. A young player can be introduced to the team objectively over time, or thrown in at the deep end. "If you want to bring him in immediately and see something in him, then he needs the necessary warmth from you, but he also needs toughness," says Frei.
Acceptance in the team
It's also about securing the acceptance of young talents among the established professionals. "As a coach, you are responsible for the standing within the team. You have to position the player accordingly," says Markus Neumayr. However, the 38-year-old adds: "A lot also has to come from the young player so that he can integrate. That's the big gap where many talents fail."
You have to earn the respect of your teammates in day-to-day training and also put yourself at the service of the team. "Nowadays, the youngsters take a lot out on themselves. Sometimes things go wrong and then they fail," says Neumayr.
Frei agrees and remembers the beginnings of his career. "I was in the FC Basel first team at 17, but it was relatively insignificant. I came into the dressing room and said 'you' to everyone," says Frei. "In my day, if you came into the dressing room at 17 and thought you were the little prince - then you did exactly two training sessions and left the training ground with the barre. And then you weren't allowed to train for six months. It's not like that anymore."
Portugal as a role model?
If Frei and Neumayr have their way, then Portuguese clubs, for example, have a head start on Switzerland when it comes to talent development. "If you look at the training conditions and infrastructure they have, especially Sporting and Benfica Lisbon - we in Switzerland can only dream of that," Neumayr points out. "But they do it really well. You can only take your hat off to the young players they bring onto the market year after year."
Frei adds: "We also have to tell it like it is. If FC Porto wants to build a training center, it builds a training center within two years - and doesn't have 47 objections." That has consequences. "Then you don't have to wonder why you have a head start over Switzerland in some cases."
