'Carry the momentum': U23 coach Zimmermann reflects on training camp

16.07.24

Interview

"Carry the momentum": U23 coach Zimmermann reflects on training camp

Borussia Dortmund's U23s have completed their training camp in Brixental, Austria, and are travelling back to Dortmund after eight intensive days. Coach Jan Zimmermann is very satisfied with the work done on site and is looking forward to the start of the 3. Liga season on 3 August.

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Borussia Dortmund's U23s have completed their training camp in Brixental, Austria, and are travelling back to Dortmund after eight intensive days. Coach Jan Zimmermann is very satisfied with the work done on site and is looking forward to the start of the 3. Liga season on 3 August.

A friendly match, a boat trip and many intensive training sessions lie behind Jan Zimmermann's young team. However, the injury to Leonardo Posadas, who had joined the team from the U19s, was the sole bit of bad news. Ayman Azhil, Julian Hettwer, Franz Roggow and new signings Yannick Lührs and Niklas Jessen stayed in Dortmund to train with BVB head coach Nuri Sahin's professional squad. In addition, Danylo Krevsun (Ukraine) and Filippo Mane (Italy) took part in the European Under-19 Championship with their national teams. In this interview, coach Jan Zimmermann looks back on the training camp.

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How satisfied are you with this year's training camp?
\n \"Of course it's a shame that not all the players were able to be there, but it's our job to hand players over to Nuri's team when not all the internationals are back yet.. Nevertheless, we used the time to focus on giving the new players a lot of information this week: the way we want to play football and how we behave in the group. I'm very happy with that. The new players have integrated well, but they have also been well received by the older players. We have a very unified group that has not only worked hard on the pitch, but has also presented itself off the pitch in a way that I expect from my team, from a Borussia Dortmund team. My verdict is very positive and I am sure that we will continue to carry this momentum and positive energy with us.\"

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The small squad meant you were never able to play XI vs XI. Instead you focused on small and medium-sized playing areas with a lot of tackling. Was that a disadvantage for preseason?
\"Playing XI versus XI isn't that important to me, we'll be playing XI versus XI every week from the start of the season at the beginning of August. It's about preparing ourselves as well as possible for that. And I think the forms of play and the training content that we were able to work on here will definitely help us. We've been able to take everyone here to the next level physically. That's the intensity we need for day-to-day business in the league.\"

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There were a few players who came to BVB from the Regionalliga.How difficult was it to adapt?
\n \"We have a good example in the team in Franz Roggow, who came to us from the Regionalliga and is now training with the first team. I see certain parallels with Felix Paschke. We know this approach works and that you simply have to give the boys two or three months and allow them to make the odd mistake or two. He shows his level again and again in training, he gives more than enough. It's not the first time I've said this: young players always need patience and time. We've brought in some great boys who are very ambitious, but also very reflective and willing to work on themselves.\"

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You now have a second assistant coach in Marcel Schmelzer.How helpful is that for you?
\n \"We always have a large group on the pitch and we naturally want to do everyone justice. We want to develop our players individually, work in small groups and work as effectively as possible. We didn't have the manpower for that. We also asked ourselves how we could utilise this in terms of quality. Schmelle is of course someone who has a great deal of experience, but also a high level of motivation to develop as a coach. The first few weeks are important for him to get a feel for the team, but also for my way of working. That's working well, he's already contributing a lot. However, he will of course take on many more tasks on and off the pitch.\"

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Like last year, you once again decided to go white water rafting.Why is a shared experience like that important for the group?
\n \"Not only the boys, but also the coaching team and the staff had a lot of fun. We were very lucky to be out and about in great weather. And the most important thing: everyone made it to the finish line in one piece. With our barbecue evening, the live performances by the new players and watching football together, the day was a complete success. The group grew together once again.\"

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A friendly match, a boat trip and many intensive training sessions lie behind Jan Zimmermann's young team. However, the injury to Leonardo Posadas, who had joined the team from the U19s, was the sole bit of bad news. Ayman Azhil, Julian Hettwer, Franz Roggow and new signings Yannick Lührs and Niklas Jessen stayed in Dortmund to train with BVB head coach Nuri Sahin's professional squad. In addition, Danylo Krevsun (Ukraine) and Filippo Mane (Italy) took part in the European Under-19 Championship with their national teams. In this interview, coach Jan Zimmermann looks back on the training camp.

How satisfied are you with this year's training camp?
"Of course it's a shame that not all the players were able to be there, but it's our job to hand players over to Nuri's team when not all the internationals are back yet.. Nevertheless, we used the time to focus on giving the new players a lot of information this week: the way we want to play football and how we behave in the group. I'm very happy with that. The new players have integrated well, but they have also been well received by the older players. We have a very unified group that has not only worked hard on the pitch, but has also presented itself off the pitch in a way that I expect from my team, from a Borussia Dortmund team. My verdict is very positive and I am sure that we will continue to carry this momentum and positive energy with us."

The small squad meant you were never able to play XI vs XI. Instead you focused on small and medium-sized playing areas with a lot of tackling. Was that a disadvantage for preseason?
"Playing XI versus XI isn't that important to me, we'll be playing XI versus XI every week from the start of the season at the beginning of August. It's about preparing ourselves as well as possible for that. And I think the forms of play and the training content that we were able to work on here will definitely help us. We've been able to take everyone here to the next level physically. That's the intensity we need for day-to-day business in the league."

There were a few players who came to BVB from the Regionalliga.How difficult was it to adapt?
"We have a good example in the team in Franz Roggow, who came to us from the Regionalliga and is now training with the first team. I see certain parallels with Felix Paschke. We know this approach works and that you simply have to give the boys two or three months and allow them to make the odd mistake or two. He shows his level again and again in training, he gives more than enough. It's not the first time I've said this: young players always need patience and time. We've brought in some great boys who are very ambitious, but also very reflective and willing to work on themselves."

You now have a second assistant coach in Marcel Schmelzer.How helpful is that for you?
"We always have a large group on the pitch and we naturally want to do everyone justice. We want to develop our players individually, work in small groups and work as effectively as possible. We didn't have the manpower for that. We also asked ourselves how we could utilise this in terms of quality. Schmelle is of course someone who has a great deal of experience, but also a high level of motivation to develop as a coach. The first few weeks are important for him to get a feel for the team, but also for my way of working. That's working well, he's already contributing a lot. However, he will of course take on many more tasks on and off the pitch."

Like last year, you once again decided to go white water rafting.Why is a shared experience like that important for the group?
"Not only the boys, but also the coaching team and the staff had a lot of fun. We were very lucky to be out and about in great weather. And the most important thing: everyone made it to the finish line in one piece. With our barbecue evening, the live performances by the new players and watching football together, the day was a complete success. The group grew together once again."