On Friday, 1. FC Saarbrücken began their 2024/25 marketing campaign with a 1-0 win at 1860 Munich. Within the Rüdiger Ziehl interview, the Saarbrücken head coach spoke to World Soccer Speak about what’s subsequent for his giant-killing staff, in addition to his opinions on German soccer, in addition to comparisons to the English sport.
Rüdiger Ziehl took over 1. FC Saarbrücken at the beginning of the 2021/22 season. The staff completed the 2022/23 season in fifth place. In 2023/24 the staff agonizingly missed out on third place within the promotion play-offs by three factors however reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal after knocking out Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Rüdiger Ziehl interview
McFadyean: You performed with VfL Wolfsburg II in your final two seasons and within the third tier. In England, the second groups, under-23s or under-21s, play in a separate league, which is a closed-door league. Do you suppose it is sensible for second groups to be enjoying in an expert third tier?
Ziehl: “In my opinion, it is sensible. That approach you might have actual competitors for the younger gamers. When you solely play in opposition to different under-23s or under-21s, you don’t have the identical strain. Once you play within the third or fourth tier, you’re enjoying in opposition to 30-year-olds, skilled gamers, which is much better for the younger gamers and in entrance of massive crowds. It’s the absolute best scenario. Not each participant is able to make the bounce from the U19s to the Bundesliga.”
McFadyean: As a membership supervisor you handle a variety of facets of the membership. Is it far more costly for a membership to have a staff within the fourth or third tier?
Ziehl: “There’s a large bounce from the fourth, the Regionalliga to the third, the Dritte Liga, when it comes to the prices for safety, transport, gamers, and salaries however it’s worthwhile when it comes to media earnings because the video games are proven on Magenta Sports activities TV in Germany. You could have large golf equipment like 1860 Munich, and Dynamo Dresden within the third division however after all, you additionally need to journey a lot additional which brings large prices with it.”
McFadyean: Once you take a look at it, few of the gamers from Borussia Dortmund U19s or U23s make it into the primary staff. Within the present squad, there is just one (Ole Pohlmann). Are you able to clarify why it’s that the younger gamers don’t make it?
Ziehl: “It’s a lot simpler to begin a profession within the Bundesliga with a membership that may be a bit smaller, the place gamers are usually not on the highest stage, say Augsburg or Heidenheim, moderately than competing at Dortmund or Bayern the place the gamers are world-class. That could be a step not many gamers could make instantly.
“It’s a giant bounce for younger gamers from the U19 or U23 to the Bundesliga. It’s higher to begin within the second tier or at a smaller Bundesliga aspect.”
McFadyean: Let’s discuss your opponents on Tuesday; 1 FC Kaiserslautern. In 1998, they made the astonishing march from the two Bundesliga to the primary Bundesliga title underneath Otto Rehagel. You performed there then with Miroslav Klose, Germany’s all-time main scorer. What are Rehagel and Miro’s ‘X Issue’?
Ziehl: “Miro is a very good man. He labored very arduous for his success however all people preferred him too, he simply received higher and higher. He began his profession in Kaiserslautern and simply went on up from there, an inspirational profession. Otto’s achievements converse for themselves, European Champion, Meister and European Cup winner with Werder Bremen and far more. He is among the greats.”
McFadyean: A additional participant you performed with at Kaiserslautern is France legend Youri Djorkaeff. What was particular about Youri?
Ziehl: “He was, at the moment, completely excellent, only a excellent participant. To see him in Kaiserslautern and practice with him was intense. He received the World Cup in 1998. It was unbelievable to be round such a participant in Kaiserslautern.”
McFadyean: The not too long ago deceased Andreas Brehme was your coach at Kaiserslautern, a participant who included the values of a fantastic era of German footballers; self-discipline, dedication, energy, power, and imaginative and prescient. What was distinctive about Andy as a footballer and an individual? It’s a giant loss for German soccer.
Ziehl: “I truly noticed Andy only a 12 months in the past, Andy was an impressive particular person, such a superb participant, far too younger to cross on for positive.
“The distinction with gamers like Hans-Peter Briegel, Andreas Brehme, Felix Magath, Dietmar Jakobs, or Kalle Rummenigge was that these gamers had a fantastic mentality, the temperament within the staff, we fought and had a fantastic spirit. Andy Brehme was precisely such a participant. He fought till the top in each sport.”
McFadyean: Some in Germany had been sad, despite the enhancements at Euro 2024. What do you suppose has been lacking for the DFB staff since 2014?
Ziehl: “It’s regular in some ways in which there’s a transition to a brand new era of gamers, however we haven’t seen the identical high quality. They’ve many good particular person gamers, however not collectively for some cause in the previous couple of years.”
McFadyean: Let’s discuss 1. FC Kaiserslautern. You had been within the second staff when Otto Rehagel, who additionally led the Greece staff to the 2004 European Championship title, and took them from the second Bundesliga to the Meisterschaft. What was so particular about that staff?
Ziehl: “The 12 months earlier than they had been relegated for the primary time within the historical past of this membership, however the staff stayed collectively. They made a superb begin and began successful video games, however everybody thought by November and December, it was over. However they saved it up, many wins in further time, with targets within the ninety fifth or 97th minute, and in the long run, they had been champions. It was the primary time, and I feel, it was the final time {that a} promoted aspect received the title, most likely wherever on this planet.
“Our membership is a sleeping large, each membership wants a giant investor, and the followers need 2. Bundesliga.”
McFadyean: Saarbrücken has had actually tough occasions within the final 20 years or so, spending a lot of the time within the second or third tiers despite being the one large membership within the area. Would you welcome a system like in England the place giant traders should buy the membership and take it again into the highest tier or Europe? Or do you suppose it’s higher to have a member-owned membership, like in Germany?
Ziehl: “A combined system is the precise possibility, each membership wants an investor as a result of it doesn’t work with out one, however they don’t need to have the bulk nevertheless it’s very tough financially with out one. Specifically, within the third tier, the prices are excessive, that’s why each membership desires to get to the second league due to TV cash additionally, and larger gates. Usually, I’m for the 50+1 nevertheless.” McFadyean: What makes 1. FC Saarbrücken distinctive as a membership?
Ziehl: “It’s a historic membership with a giant historical past, the folks right here actually reside it, the followers are extremely passionate. They’re nice followers. However enjoying within the fourth league, and now within the third tier, it’s a bit tough for the area. There’s a distinctive environment right here, the membership is an actual sleeping large. The followers need extra.”
McFadyean: In October 2023, after shedding to Rot-Weiss Essen with the aspect in fifteenth, you stated: “If individuals are not pleased with me I’ll let another person take over.” However you’re nonetheless right here despite being far off a promotion place. Has the cup saved your season?
Ziehl: “Within the league, now we have solely six losses. That’s fairly good, however we’d like extra wins. The entire season now we have had many possibilities, however we simply don’t rating sufficient targets, and that’s why we’re in tenth place proper now. Within the cup video games, we defended fairly nicely and we had solely two or three possibilities however we took them. That’s the massive distinction. The staff confirmed in each sport that we are able to defend as a staff, we are able to battle as a staff, with a fantastic mentality, a fantastic spirit, and I feel that is the massive distinction between the cup video games and the league video games. We rating and we battle more durable. The promotion to the two. Bundesliga is what we would like.
“Usually once you play 100 occasions in opposition to Bayern Munich you solely win as soon as. We received.”
McFadyean: Your profile image exhibits you in entrance of the terrace, with the pyros, and the flags and intense fan scene. Discuss to me in regards to the feeling once you knocked Bayern München out of the Pokal final season. It should have been mind-blowing?
Ziehl: “Usually, once you play 100 occasions, you solely win one sport like that one, and this was the second to win this sport in opposition to Bayern München.
“Earlier than the sport, all people was speaking in regards to the sport like. Hopefully now we have a superb sport in opposition to Bayern Munich and lose solely three or 4 zero. After 96 minutes no person had something left within the tank, and but we scored the purpose. The entire stadium exploded. Then that purpose and the entire stadium, the entire metropolis exploded, an evening to recollect, sure.”
McFadyean: Among the many gamers who’re making a distinction this season is former Bradford Metropolis AFC striker Kai Brünker who’s the lead scorer with 14 targets. May you see your self sooner or later making your option to the English membership or additional afield just like the MLS?
Ziehl: “In fact managing a membership in England is all the time enticing. You solely want to take a look at the success of Daniel Farke or what Jürgen Klopp did at Liverpool to see what is feasible. I’m a Manchester Metropolis fan and I comply with the league there. Who is aware of what comes sooner or later? For now, now we have the season forward and promotion is our focus.”
As an expert footballer, Ziehl performed in defensive midfield between 1996-2010 with FK Pirmansens, 1 FC Kaiserslautern, Wehen Wiesbaden, Tus Koblenz, and VFL Wolfsburg II, scoring 11 targets. He received the Regionaliga-Nord (fourth tier) title with Wolfsburg II within the 18/19 season.
Born in Zweibrücken, the previous midfielder, who additionally performed as a defender, moved to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1996, from the place he joined SV Wehen Wiesbaden of the Regionalliga-Süd, the fourth-highest league in 2002. Within the 2004/5 season, he moved to TuS Koblenz in the identical league, remaining till 2009.
For the 2009/10 season, he moved to VfL Wolfsburg II within the fourth tier, the place he ended his profession in 2011. He performed 300 and twenty-three video games, 66 of them within the 2nd Bundesliga, and three within the Bundesliga for 1 FC Kaiserslautern.
After incomes the UEFA Professional Teaching Badge, he started the 2012/13 season as an assistant to Lorenz-Günther Köstner at VFL Wolfsburg II. Later that season, he took over as head coach and remained with the membership till 2020. Within the 20/21 season, he took over as head coach at 3. Liga membership TSV Havelse the place the membership completed in eleventh.
Picture: IMAGO / MIS
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