By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- German football is facing a fundamental change to its coaching of young footballers. Not only Joachim Loew, the head coach of the 2014 World Cup winners, is convinced of the necessity for individualism on the pitch.
While clubs and the association are up-dating their training system, Loew has already found a shining example for others to follow. The 21-year-old Timo Werner is proving at the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia that he will be indispensable for Loew's 2018 World Cup squad.
A few weeks ago, the former National Director of Sport, Hans-Dieter Flick, called for a radical change in German football coaching education, otherwise the country will miss a major development and lose contact with the world's best in the near future.
For years, Flick complained that German football had produced a stereotyped player, saying that a good technique, precise passing and the basic of tactics will not be enough to win games in the future.
As most nations have caught up tactically and in their systems, in future leading nations will need individuals producing surprises on the pitch if a team is to be successful.
Former German international Christoph Metzelder complained that the national coaching system for too long followed the same pattern of schooling uniform type of footballer. The example of the leading nations and clubs, according to Metzelder, shows future football needs players that can decide games on their own.
German head coach Loew recently announced his intention to look for players to change the course of matches with their own individual abilities - and RB Leipzig striker Werner is a good example of what he is looking for. Werner's one-on-one skills are brilliant and the Stuttgart born striker comes with a healthy portion of self-confidence in front of the goal.
Werner scored 21 goals in the last Bundesliga season and is the best German striker in the country's top league. His improvement after his move from VfB Stuttgart to Leipzig last year has been exceptional.
Werner is exactly the type of player to solve problems Flick sees in German football. The nation is excellent at structuring matches but has deficits in the last third of the pitch. Players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar or Arjen Robben are needed for their individual skills up front.
For the youth coaching system, this means passing instead of dribbling is no longer a suitable strategy. Flick demanded that players take more risks. Clubs and coaches should not be afraid to support individualism - alongside playing as a team.
Many nations have overtaken Germany when it comes to players with special skills, said Flick. Dribblers should be supported instead of being seen as posers. Game deciders may well fail in several situations, Flick emphasized, but the teams in the end benefit from their individualism.
The German game lacks effectiveness, Flick complained, and the national team is no exception. Other nations can provide more individual power going forward, continued Flick, who recently joined TSG Hoffenheim as new sports director.
No other young German player has developed as well as Werner. Last season was remarkable for him, says Loew. Highly talented, quick and an excellent dribbler, the striker however lacks effectiveness in front of the goal. By ending up as the Bundesliga's fourth best scorer behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern Munich) and Anthony Modeste (FC Cologne), Werner proved that he has taken the next important step.
Joining Leipzig has brought back a sense of easiness in his game, says Werner. While he experienced dark hours at his home club in Stuttgart, he was rejuvenated in Leipzig as its games suited Werner's demands for a fast game providing space and chances near the goal. He duly came on in leaps and bounds last season.
As he seems on the right track, there is only one problem for the player to solve. After his dive in the Bundesliga game against Schalke last September, fans booed him when playing for the national team recently.
He hopes to redeem himself by scoring an important goal, Werner said. He hopes for a change in the attitude of German fans. He has the dream that fans will one day say how lucky the German team is to have a character like him in his squad.
After a 3-2 victory over Australia in their curtain raiser, Werner and Germany face Chile in their next match this Thursday evening.
