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David Wagner takes over the helm of the youth team at RB Leipzig!
David Wagner is taking over RB Leipzig's youth department in order to specifically promote talent and improve the transition to professional sport.
David Wagner takes over the helm of the youth team at RB Leipzig!
David Wagner is back in Germany and is taking over the management of the youth department at RB Leipzig. The 53-year-old succeeds Manuel Baum, who is stepping down at the end of the season for personal reasons. This reports The West. Wagner, who has been without a club since his release from Norwich City in May 2024, sees his new position as an opportunity to strengthen the permeability between the youth and professional areas.
The contact with Jürgen Klopp, who works as “Head of Global Soccer” for the Red Bull Group and brought Wagner to Leipzig, seems to be a decisive factor for this return. They recently spoke together about transitions in football and the promotion of young talent, a topic that is particularly close to Wagner's heart.
Wagner's goals in Leipzig
Wagner not only brings with him a wealth of coaching experience from clubs such as Huddersfield Town, Schalke 04 and Young Boys Bern, but also the desire to reshape youth work at RB Leipzig. His greatest success was promotion with Huddersfield to the Premier League in 2017. At Schalke, however, things were less smooth: after 18 games without a win, Wagner had to leave the club in 2020.
In Leipzig, Wagner plans to bring his international experience to improve the club's development work. “We want to specifically promote young talent,” he explains. The challenges in talent development are numerous, as research by ARD shows: of over 5,000 former U19 players, only 3.5% make it into the professional squad, which illustrates the decreasing security in 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 by The sports psychologists Social aspects are particularly crucial. This includes parental support, the relationship between coach and player and dealing with criticism. Wagner is aware that a good trainer is the key to success and therefore wants to focus 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 findings, they demand realistic assessments of their children's chances of success. Wagner therefore plans to intensify the exchange with the families of the young players.
His goal is clear: well-thought-out and targeted talent development in Leipzig that meets the needs of the players and optimally prepares them for a possible career in professional football.