When Germany open their U-21 European championship campaign in their first group match against the Netherlands in the city of Petach Tikwa to the east of Tel Aviv at 8.30 pm on Thursday (live on Kabel1), it marks the start of the most meaningful test to date of Rainer Adrion’s coaching career. The 59-year-old head coach could lead his team to European glory in Israel, but the road to the trophy will be rocky and challenging, as Germany are in a group with the Dutch, Spain and Russia.
And the build-up to the tournament has not been entirely smooth, with Mainz centre back Jan Kirchhoff (groin), Frankfurt starlet Sebastian Jung (ruptured muscle), and Hamburg midfielder Tolgay Arslan (cruciate damage) all sidelined with injury. But there is no point in cursing or lamenting, and Adrion has faith in what is still a strong squad. "It's for real at last now", said the coach, seeking to build up positive tension prior to his team's opener against the men in orange. "We're looking forward to Israel, we're looking forward to the atmosphere in the country, and above all, we're looking forward to testing ourselves against the best. Let's not forget only eight teams have made it to the European Championship, so only the elite have fought their way through. That should automatically boost our confidence."
Refining potential into real ability
Adrion can point to a fine track record in bringing on talented youngsters. He coached VfB Stuttgart's U-23 juniors from 2004 to 2009, where he took charge of world-class players of today such as Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez, and future Bundesliga regulars including Christian Gentner, Andreas Beck and Benjamin Lauth. Like the alchemists of yore, Adrion has the knack of refining potential into real ability, and basic raw material into the finished product. He was never relegated with the VfB reserves, and at the end of his spell in charge, led his team into the newly-formed national third division.
He took over the Germany U-21 helm from Horst Hrubesch on 1 July 2009, guiding his new charges through the qualifying competition for Israel without defeat, an achievement only matched by defending champions Spain. Adrion’s side finally overcame Switzerland in the play-offs.
"It's about time we started winning finals as well," commented the coach. "We’ve always said we want to play attractive and successful football, just like the Spanish do. But it doesn't mean we're copying Spain, which wouldn't be smart."
Single Bundesliga season as a player
As a player, the 59-year-old contested just one season in the Bundesliga, when he played alongside the Forster brothers in defence for the Stuttgart team which finished the 1981/82 campaign in ninth spot. Adrion made a total of 22 top-flight appearances, before moving to Unterhaching, and then finishing his playing career with 1860 Munich in 1984/85.
Adrion adopted a two-stage approach to the finals in Israel. The first phase was a get-together in Grassau on the shores of Lake Chiemsee, where he was still without captain Lewis Holtby of Tottenham, and Hoffenheim trio Stefan Thesker, Sebastian Rudy and Kevin Volland, who were involved in a Bundesliga relegation play-off with their club. At a second training camp on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Adrion took charge of his full squad, where he focused on attacking play in a climate comparable with Israel.
Strong team despite absentees
Apart from the injured players, Germany are also without Julian Draxler and Ilkay Gundogan, who have successfully broken into the senior national set-up. But the squad for Israel is still bursting with quality, thanks to the likes of goal-hungry forwards Holtby, Monchengladbach's Patrick Herrmann, Hertha Berlin striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Volland. "I want our team to develop the ruthless impact which was our hallmark in qualifying and especially the play-offs", Adrion declared.
Naturally, the head coach would have been happier if established Bundesliga players such as Kirchhoff and Jung had been available for the showdown in Israel, but hand-wringing is not his style. Victory over the Netherlands would represent a major step towards the semi-finals, and Adrion is confident of success: "We'll have it sorted by Thursday."
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When Germany open their U-21 European championship campaign in their first group match against the Netherlands in the city of Petach Tikwa to the east of Tel Aviv at 8.30 pm on Thursday (live on Kabel1), it marks the start of the most meaningful test to date of Rainer Adrion’s coaching career. The 59-year-old head coach could lead his team to European glory in Israel, but the road to the trophy will be rocky and challenging, as Germany are in a group with the Dutch, Spain and Russia.
And the build-up to the tournament has not been entirely smooth, with Mainz centre back Jan Kirchhoff (groin), Frankfurt starlet Sebastian Jung (ruptured muscle), and Hamburg midfielder Tolgay Arslan (cruciate damage) all sidelined with injury. But there is no point in cursing or lamenting, and Adrion has faith in what is still a strong squad. "It's for real at last now", said the coach, seeking to build up positive tension prior to his team's opener against the men in orange. "We're looking forward to Israel, we're looking forward to the atmosphere in the country, and above all, we're looking forward to testing ourselves against the best. Let's not forget only eight teams have made it to the European Championship, so only the elite have fought their way through. That should automatically boost our confidence."
Refining potential into real ability
Adrion can point to a fine track record in bringing on talented youngsters. He coached VfB Stuttgart's U-23 juniors from 2004 to 2009, where he took charge of world-class players of today such as Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez, and future Bundesliga regulars including Christian Gentner, Andreas Beck and Benjamin Lauth. Like the alchemists of yore, Adrion has the knack of refining potential into real ability, and basic raw material into the finished product. He was never relegated with the VfB reserves, and at the end of his spell in charge, led his team into the newly-formed national third division.
He took over the Germany U-21 helm from Horst Hrubesch on 1 July 2009, guiding his new charges through the qualifying competition for Israel without defeat, an achievement only matched by defending champions Spain. Adrion’s side finally overcame Switzerland in the play-offs.
"It's about time we started winning finals as well," commented the coach. "We’ve always said we want to play attractive and successful football, just like the Spanish do. But it doesn't mean we're copying Spain, which wouldn't be smart."
Single Bundesliga season as a player
As a player, the 59-year-old contested just one season in the Bundesliga, when he played alongside the Forster brothers in defence for the Stuttgart team which finished the 1981/82 campaign in ninth spot. Adrion made a total of 22 top-flight appearances, before moving to Unterhaching, and then finishing his playing career with 1860 Munich in 1984/85.
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Adrion adopted a two-stage approach to the finals in Israel. The first phase was a get-together in Grassau on the shores of Lake Chiemsee, where he was still without captain Lewis Holtby of Tottenham, and Hoffenheim trio Stefan Thesker, Sebastian Rudy and Kevin Volland, who were involved in a Bundesliga relegation play-off with their club. At a second training camp on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Adrion took charge of his full squad, where he focused on attacking play in a climate comparable with Israel.
Strong team despite absentees
Apart from the injured players, Germany are also without Julian Draxler and Ilkay Gundogan, who have successfully broken into the senior national set-up. But the squad for Israel is still bursting with quality, thanks to the likes of goal-hungry forwards Holtby, Monchengladbach's Patrick Herrmann, Hertha Berlin striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Volland. "I want our team to develop the ruthless impact which was our hallmark in qualifying and especially the play-offs", Adrion declared.
Naturally, the head coach would have been happier if established Bundesliga players such as Kirchhoff and Jung had been available for the showdown in Israel, but hand-wringing is not his style. Victory over the Netherlands would represent a major step towards the semi-finals, and Adrion is confident of success: "We'll have it sorted by Thursday."
