Episode notes
Germany has launched new regulations that will transform the way youth football is played in the country. The emphasis will be on a fun and a player-centred approach, with Ronny Zimmermann, DFB Vice President responsible for children’s and youth football, saying: “We need to think like children, not like adults. Only children who develop fun and joy in the game will stay in football.”
One man who has strongly advocated this change for a long time has been Matthias Lochmann, friend and colleague of the late Horst Wein who created Funino. The concept focused on small sided games and festivals of football which were a huge part of the DFB's latest restructuring. Doing less as a coach & players doing more, rules do the work for you, quality of session independent from the coach. You can start to see why there was an aversion to change over ...