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29-year-old commander shakes the Bundesliga

Posted November. 19, 2016 07:07,   

Updated November. 19, 2016 07:16

한국어
As the Bundesliga’s youngest head coach, Julian Nagelsmann is commanding Hoffenheim for this season. But the 29-year-old is not the youngest ever to oversee a Bundesliga match. Bernd Stober took charge of FC Saarbrucken at the age of 24 in 1976. Nagelsmann is younger than Hoffenheim’s midfielder Eugen Polanski (aged 30), not to mention other coaches of the team who are in their 30s to 50s. Hoffenheim has been creating a great sensation and continues to win for 10 matches since the beginning of this season with a record of five wins and five ties (point 20). The team is now ranked third.

He was appointed as the head coach of Hoffenheim this February, in the middle of last season. He has replaced Huub Stevens due to the predecessor’s ill health. At that time, the team was ranked 17th, the drop zone, with two wins 10 losses. A total of 18 teams compete in the Bundesliga and 17th- and 18th-ranked teams are dropped out from the next season. When the team in the crisis of relegation announced to designate Nagelsmann as the head coach who had no experience of the first division, both fans and media argued that it was a reckless decision. After he started to lead the team, however, Hoffenheim recorded seven wins, five losses, and two ties in 14 games and ended the season as the 15th. The young coach saved the team from the crisis.

With a perfect score, Nagelsmann earned his German FA (DFB) coaching license in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Pro License, the highest coaching certification available. “Even the best leader has some limits to technically improve players who are already capable of being listed in the first division," he said. "For a professional coach, it is more important to interact and communicate with players.” Nagelsmann’s TSG 1899 Hoffenheim challenges to continue undefeated record of 11 wins in the Bundesliga this season against Hamburger SV on Nov. 20.



Jong-Seok Lee wing@donga.com