After part one of the interview focused mainly on Bayern Munich, Sauer now turns to Germany's youth development work more broadly.
Mr Sauer, as a member of a specially assembled expert group that also included the new Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp, among others, you were involved in developing the "Bundesliga Talent Series". Since this summer, youth teams from the participating clubs have been playing three to six matches each in two separate half-series in autumn and spring (Bayern Munich will join at the start of 2027). How satisfied are you with the result?
Jochen Sauer: Based on all our experience, at the start the expert group did not think it possible to get a competition for more playing time for our youth players off the ground within ten months, including all the discussions, decisions, preparations and implementation. Recent years had shown that in many constellations we discussed many measures for a very long time, but mostly without a concrete result or decision. Keyword: regional league reform. In that respect, we are highly satisfied with the implementation. As things stand, I am also satisfied with the basic idea. Whether it also proves itself remains to be seen.
Give us an insight into the thinking behind it.
Sauer: One starting point of the debate was the fact that we saw potential for improvement in the transition area between youth and professionals. For me, that transition is one of the decisive but also most difficult areas within the entire youth development system, and I think Germany also have the greatest potential for improvement here. In development up to U15/U16, we are no worse than other major nations. But at some point we fall behind, and we agreed that this happens in the transition area between youth and professionals. We found that at U17, U19 and U23 level we have players who, among other things, get too few minutes and too little match practice at a high level. At the same time, we believe that playing time is a decisive factor in improving. That is how the idea emerged of creating an additional competition. The competition is therefore called the "Talent Series" because it is not restricted to one age group. Players aged 16 to 21 are allowed to take part.
IMAGOKlopp originally argued for a separate U21 league, as they have in England.
Sauer: During his time in Liverpool he had good experiences with that competition in the English development system. And as the then Red Bull official, he also had to keep a good solution in mind for clubs without U23 teams or U23 teams below the Regionalliga. Within the expert group, however, we tried to examine the issue from every perspective. With a total of 58 youth academies, there are logically many different starting situations. But the input on the approach taken by other major leagues in particular was very important for the group.
How did you find working with Klopp?
Sauer: Super, as with the expert group in general. It brought together people from different backgrounds. Klopp as a coach with experience in England. Sami Khedira, who came through Stuttgart's academy and then was at many big clubs, who knows UEFA and has a European perspective. DFL executive Marc Lenz, DFB managing director Andreas Rettig, Markus Krösche and Andreas Bornemann with lots of Bundesliga experience. Joti Chatzialexiou, who was in charge of youth development at the DFB and is now managing director at the traditional club 1. FC Nuremberg. I hope the expert group can continue to provide helpful impetus for the development of German football's youth and development system.
Talent drain a problem for the DFB team
For example?
Sauer: There are many topics that can still be looked at. There are many players born in Germany whom Jürgen Klopp cannot nominate for the national team. From Bavaria alone: Kenan Yildiz, Can Uzun? Turkey. Josip Stanisic? Croatia. Paul Wanner? Austria. Malik Tillman? USA. And more players from across the country. Here too there is now competition between national associations that we urgently have to face up to. We experience this at close quarters, how many national team call-ups from a wide range of national associations come in to us for individual players. Munich-born Erblin Osmani is currently with Kosovo's senior national team.
What has to change in Germany?
Sauer: I think there are many challenges in the transition area just mentioned. It is not easy for either the clubs or the association to keep constant track of every talent and every one of the 58 academies and to identify the talents beyond doubt, but on the other hand there are also many opportunities for improvement here.
What else could help German football in the long term?
Sauer: In my view, the infrastructure and the work being done in Germany's academies is good and at least on the level of many other footballing nations. But we also have to give our developed players the opportunity to make the step into the men's game. Clubs from the Regionalliga to the Bundesliga have to be even braver in using young players. Only then will these players improve and become options for the national team. And we certainly also have to think about the league system. The "Talent Series" is a small building block that can help with that. But the current discussions about the Regionalliga and also the 3. Liga show that there is dissatisfaction, or that there is seen to be potential for improvement. In my eyes, we do not currently have an optimal competition pyramid.
Jochen Sauer on Bayern Munich's reserves and novice coach Dante
Bayern Munich's second team have been playing in the Regionalliga Bayern since 2021. What role do you assign to them?
Sauer: An essential role in allowing talents to come into contact with adult football for the first time. Talents need to gain that experience early nowadays. That is why we have turned a U23 almost into a U19. For Filip Pavic, Cassiano Kiala or Bastian Assomo, that is exactly the right development step at the moment.
How are you finding the new head coach Dante? The start to the new season has been rather mixed.
Sauer: He was a top player, has enormous presence and knows what is required as a player to one day play in the Champions League. Of course, as an ambitious former professional, he is unhappy when the results are not right. It was no different with Martin Demichelis back then. But the lads first have to adapt to men's football. That is a completely normal development process. The last few matches have shown that we are on a good path.
IMAGOTo what extent do you also see the Campus as a place for coaches to develop?
Sauer: A coach who already knows Bayern Munich and is taking his first steps in coaching here at the club automatically already has an identification with it. I am pleased by the careers of Sebastian Hoeneß, Miroslav Klose and Martin Demichelis, and I do think coaches can develop very well in youth football. There is not the pressure of professional football here, and coaches can make mistakes in a calmer environment and improve steadily. Perhaps at some point one of them may even come back to Bayern Munich. By the way, we also see Red&Gold and our international partner network as a development opportunity and the next step for our talented coaches.
In recent weeks there have been rumours about Bayern Munich's alleged interest in JJ Gabriel, a 16-year-old top talent from Manchester United who wants to leave. How sensible do you consider such transfers in principle?
Sauer: If such a talented boy wants to change clubs and all the top international clubs are after him, enormous top-level competition arises and it is also about the financial aspects. In that respect, it is a matter for the professional side and not for the Campus.