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Interview: China's potential in football is enormous: Heiko Vogel (1)

Xinhua, July 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Heiko Vogel, head coach of Bayern Munich second team and sporting director of the club's entire junior team, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that China has enormous potential in football due to its enthusiasm and great efforts to develop the sport.

He also shared Germany's experience in talent development, saying that "football is a good school for life."

Xinhua: Mr. Vogel, can you remember what you did December 9 in 2011?

Vogel (laughing): You asking me gives me an idea. I most probably watched a football game.

Xinhua: Dead right. Now things get more difficult: Which one?

Vogel (laughing): Let me guess. Hmmm ... FC Basel - Manchester United?

Xinhua: 100 points again. At the time your team and you, as its head coach, was at the focus of entire football Europe. What happened some time later was not less surprising. After you beat Man U 2-1 in the Champions League, you went back to Bayern Munich to work - let's say - behind the scenes as the head of Bayern's academy system.

Vogel: That step might be surprising from the sidelines. You might be surprised again but if I had to create a perfect job, it would be the one I do now.

Xinhua: Schooling youngsters instead of exciting Champions League games? Is it an indication of just how important the development of juniors is and how important Bayern Munich sees a job like that?

Vogel: Yes, but developing young talents is regarded as highly important all over Germany and Europe. It creates identification if your talents make it to the top. And not much beats identification as far as football is concerned. On top, you might be able to save money when building your first team.

Xinhua: Would you agree, when we say, the trend is, the best possible coaches have to work in the academies?

Vogel: Many clubs are in the meantime investing a lot in their coaches - for good reason. Quality of your coaches means quality of your talents.

Xinhua: How long does it take to develop good coaches for youngsters?

Vogel: To be a coach in that sector you have to have talent. You need social skills, meticulousness and a good general understanding of the game. And experience - the more the better. And: It takes its time.

Xinhua: You can tell the youngsters how to beat Man U?

Vogel: Let's put it this way: I had the opportunity to be part of it. And I tell you what, I not only know what I did that night but I know exactly what we did the whole day.

Xinhua: Tell us.

Vogel: After a short and easy training session we played computer games, for over an hour and a half. We all felt it would help to ease the tension - at the time the game and the great team we had to play were forgotten. It worked.

Xinhua: FC Bayern Munich has restructured its academy system - former president Uli Hoeness and you are a vital part in this re-launch ...

Vogel: ... well Uli Hoeness is the most important as I have never seen such a dynamic person. He is a catalyst which makes things develop quicker.

Xinhua: What at the center of the new philosophy?

Vogel: We want to be more up to date, meaning, maybe invest more in transfers of youngsters and we have upgraded the quality of our coaches and scouting. The junior team are all part of the Bayern philosophy - "mia san mia" (we are us). All teams will be on the same tactical level. After all we provide players the first team coach can integrate. Our goal is: The head coach says, ok, the guys coming are ready for my team.

Xinhua: Let's ask a slightly provocative question: Why is it especially hard for a club like Bayern Munich to develop talents that are good enough for the first team?

Vogel: Well you are right and you are wrong. At first remember David Alaba, Thomas Mueller, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mats Hummels and Holger Badstuber? Then: If you have a first team of that quality it is not easy to get past guys like Franck Ribery or Arjen Robben. It's a curse and savior at the same time. Some youngsters might then say, I have a better chance if I play in another club's first team. For us it's a challenge, no question. On the other hand you can learn a hell of a lot from Ribery or Robben or Alonso or Lahm.

Xinhua: Can you tell us something about the development of David Alaba for instance?

Vogel: I first saw him in a final between Austria Vienna and Borussia Dortmund for whom Mario Goetze was playing. David is an extraordinarily open person with a great aura. A positive character and he has an amazing passion for football.

Xinhua: Working with talents is a passion of yours?

Vogel: Something I live for.

Xinhua: Can you tell us what football stands for when it comes to developing youngsters?

Vogel: Football shows you how life is. Positive and negative - you have to deal with both. You learn not to get arrogant when you win and to survive defeats and move on. Cooperation - which is one of the important parts for me. The individual won't be successful in football - the team makes the football world turn. On the other hand individual skills are compulsory but only for the sake of the team. Football is a good school for life. You score goals better through teamwork that through egoism.

Xinhua: Is it possible to combine individual skills and team spirit?

Vogel: It is a rule of football - you can only get a maximum success when you work together. One has to send out the message: I'm there when you need me.

Xinhua: Let's take a look at China. A nation with a great desire for sports and football with many millions of fans - what is your impression of China's football?

Vogel: Everyone knows Guangzhou Evergrande and can name coaches that worked for the club which shows just how intense the effort is to be successful in football. If you look at the size and the resources of the country, its potential is enormous. (Mo