Wormuth: At the moment the boys are getting all sorts of input from us. We are training once or twice a day and then have meetings in the evenings. They are all still very attentive and eager to learn. I hope that they are able to replicate the content out on the pitch. After the second meet-up, when we know each other better, it will get easier for them. We are trying to build the scaffolding before the Italy game, and then afterwards we’ll put the screws in.
DFB.de: What do you mean?
Wormuth: The scaffolding represents our basic ideas on the pitch, and the screws are the individual players who we want to improve technically and tactically. The key ideas are: open positioning, working with and taking the ball or covering each other. We’ve already touched on that but we will work on it more in the next sessions.
DFB.de: What do you know about your Italian and Polish opponents?
Wormuth: We don’t know the opposition players, that’s the first step of this season. There has been no mutual observation. The nice thing about the status quo is that it’s not about the opposition but about us. When we’re more used to each other over the course of the season then we can concentrate on the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. But for now it’s about finding the talent and getting used to each other.
DFB.de: Apart from last season, the U20s have been excellent. Will this be the same again this season?
Wormuth: I can’t answer that just yet, but the current team has to atone because of last season. The boys born in 1995 were knocked out of the U20 World Cup in the quarter finals and those from 1996 were knocked out in the first round of the U19 EUROs. So in that sense they are obliged to perform, and I’ve already said this to them. They now have the chance to show the people something better.
Germany U20s begin the new season of internationals today with a classic when they face Italy in Lucca. This will be the first test for the team of players born in the years 1995 and 1996. But before all this, manager Frank Wormuth had to deal with a number of rejections. In an interview with DFB.de, the 54-year-old speaks about he dealt with these setbacks, what distinguishes the new U20 team and how he is motivating the team for the new season.
DFB.de: Mr Wormuth, you had to deal with 14 players rejecting call-ups before the games against Italy and Poland. There are better ways to prepare for games, right?
Frank Wormuth: That’s right. We had to replace all three of the goalkeepers that we’d originally called up. Some have just moved clubs, some are injured. We’ll be going to the clubs and exchanging ideas on what the best option for these players is. So many rejections is not the best preparation for us, but we will do our best with the squad we currently have.
DFB.de: Let’s speak about the players that you currently have available. What distinguishes this current squad?
Wormuth: It’s mainly a squad of players that haven’t yet established themselves in the top two leagues but are on the radar and have a lot of potential for development. Like with their clubs, they are under constant observation with us. When their performances are good enough, then they’ll make the leap to the Bundesliga. Currently half of this squad play in the Regionalliga. But that should not say anything about the quality of the squad. And we also have players like Luca Waldschmidt, Maxililian Eggestein and Marvin Schulz who are already prevalent in the Bundesliga.
DFB.de: What impression do you have of the team off the field?
Wormuth: The squad consists of players born in 1995 and 1996 and you can see in their demeanour the difference between the younger and older ones. The boys from 1995, who have already been with us for a year, have a quite different body language. They are older, more experienced and already know how things work in the U20s. that’s nothing unique and is always the case at the start of a season. The important thing is that the younger ones learn from the older ones.
DFB.de: What is on the programme of the next few days besides the games against Italy and Poland?
Wormuth: At the moment the boys are getting all sorts of input from us. We are training once or twice a day and then have meetings in the evenings. They are all still very attentive and eager to learn. I hope that they are able to replicate the content out on the pitch. After the second meet-up, when we know each other better, it will get easier for them. We are trying to build the scaffolding before the Italy game, and then afterwards we’ll put the screws in.
DFB.de: What do you mean?
Wormuth: The scaffolding represents our basic ideas on the pitch, and the screws are the individual players who we want to improve technically and tactically. The key ideas are: open positioning, working with and taking the ball or covering each other. We’ve already touched on that but we will work on it more in the next sessions.
DFB.de: What do you know about your Italian and Polish opponents?
Wormuth: We don’t know the opposition players, that’s the first step of this season. There has been no mutual observation. The nice thing about the status quo is that it’s not about the opposition but about us. When we’re more used to each other over the course of the season then we can concentrate on the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. But for now it’s about finding the talent and getting used to each other.
DFB.de: Apart from last season, the U20s have been excellent. Will this be the same again this season?
Wormuth: I can’t answer that just yet, but the current team has to atone because of last season. The boys born in 1995 were knocked out of the U20 World Cup in the quarter finals and those from 1996 were knocked out in the first round of the U19 EUROs. So in that sense they are obliged to perform, and I’ve already said this to them. They now have the chance to show the people something better.
