David Wagner takes over the helm in the offspring at RB Leipzig!

David Wagner takes over the helm in the offspring at RB Leipzig!

Leipzig, Deutschland - David Wagner is back in Germany and takes over the management of the youth department at RB Leipzig. The 53-year-old succeeds Manuel Baum, who returns after the end of the season for personal reasons. This reports The West . Wagner, who has been without a club since his release at Norwich City in May 2024, sees his new position as an opportunity to strengthen the permeability between young and professional sectors.

The contact with Jürgen Klopp, who works as a "Head of Global Soccer" for the Red Bull Group and brings Wagner to Leipzig, seems to be a crucial factor for this return. Together they recently spoke about the transitions in football and the promotion of young talents, a topic that Wagner is particularly important to.

Wagner's goals in Leipzig

Wagner not only brings a wealth of coaching experience from clubs such as Huddersfield Town, Schalke 04 and Young Boys Bern, but also the desire to redesign the youth work at RB Leipzig. His greatest success was the promotion with Huddersfield to the Premier League in 2017. However, it was less round at Schalke: After 18 games without a win, Wagner had to leave the club in 2020.

in Leipzig plans to contribute his international experience to improve the development work of the association. "We want to promote young talents in a targeted manner," he explains. The challenges in talent development are numerous, as a research by the ARD shows: Out of over 5,000 former U19 players, only 3.5 % make it into the professional squad, which illustrates the lower security in the youth work.

factors for successful talent development

The sporting performance of young players is influenced by an interplay of physical, social and psychological factors. According to an analysis of Sports psychologists are particularly crucial. This includes parental support, the relationship between the trainer and player and the dealings with criticism. Wagner is aware that a good trainer is the key to success and therefore wants to rely on openness, security and reliability in training.

In addition, the role of parents plays a central role in the career development of young talents. According to current knowledge, they demand realistic assessments of their children's chances of success. Therefore, Wagner plans to intensify the exchange with the families of the young players.

his goal is clear: a well thought -out and targeted talent promotion in Leipzig, which meets the needs of the players and optimally prepares them for a possible career in professional football.