Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster on Christian Streich, the culture at the club and aims for the season
In a wide-ranging interview, Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster discusses his relationship with his managerial predecessor Christian Streich, the formula for success at the club's academy, and what his side can still achieve come the season's end.
Bundesliga: Freiburg are well placed to make history this year. Given you're still active in three different competitions, what kind of success do you expect come the season’s end?
Schuster: “It has to be said that as a club, we have really managed to develop in recent years and have enjoyed sporting success. We have even got to play internationally. But now we definitely find ourselves in a special situation going into April.
“As a team, we set ourselves the goal to go into spring with a double workload. But now, we’re still playing in three competitions. That is anything but a given. Of course, I am very happy that we’ve got to this stage in the season. There is great anticipation for the upcoming, exciting challenges.
“What I can also feel and see is this hunger for more. We had another period recently where we didn't win two games, and in these moments, the team is always self-analytical. They accept these things, implement new ideas very quickly - sometimes without much training. That just reflects the character and also the quality of our team."
Bundesliga: With seven games in 21 days, the three weeks after the international break will be really intense, especially considering the teams you’re facing off against – Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, as well as knockout-ties against Celta Vigo on the European stage and away to VfB Stuttgart in the DFB Cup. Is this the hardest period so far of your coaching career?
Schuster: "I have to say that in a season with this volume of games, you have to refocus every three or four days. There are moments when I don't even know what day it is and what is actually coming next. It really helps to focus on the smaller, immediate tasks to keep myself organised.
“I'm in my second year and I still have the pleasure of repeatedly preparing to face special teams and opponents, which is pushing my own development forward. These are very exciting times, and I will certainly have to take one or two days at the end of the year to just reflect on all that has happened. But we are very grateful for these upcoming challenges and we’re definitely looking forward to them more than we are seeing them as a burden."
Bundesliga: How often are you in contact with your predecessor Christian Streich?
Schuster: “Every now and then. Sometimes we have a quick exchange over the phone or via individual messages. Just last Thursday he congratulated me again. We also agreed that we’d get together soon just to have a chat. Of course, the packed schedule doesn’t make it easy to arrange this meeting. But the important thing is to take the time for the things that matter personally.”
Bundesliga: Do you talk about tactics? Is he interested in your perspective or do you even ask him for advice sometimes? After all, you have a long history of collaborating, having served as both his captain and assistant coach.
Schuster: “Yes, definitely. I think I would be making a big mistake if I didn’t get his advice when I need it. He understands so much because he knows the processes and he knows the personalities at the club - that experience helps in certain moments. Of course, he is a person who is very important to me because he can understand these things.”
Bundesliga: The way you’ve stepped into his shoes has been nothing short of sensational. Did you think at the start of your tenure that the transition would go as smoothly and successfully as it has done so far?
Schuster: “I said from the beginning that it's not about filling his shoes - I certainly wouldn't have been able to do that. Instead, the path he took acts as a guide for me on how to work and think. That was both my task and my personal goal: to always look at it that way myself.
"But I’m not alone on this path – I have a wonderful coaching team around me. Plus, it was also a big advantage for me to already know the people surrounding me and the players themselves.
“For me, it's important to know someone on a personal level, to understand how they tick, how they respond to certain things, and how you can accept them. Those are all important things that massively help and support a coach in his daily work.”
Bundesliga: As a former player and now head coach at Freiburg, you have been able to witness firsthand the way the team is shaped by the success of the academy. Why does it work so particularly well at Freiburg?
Schuster: “The more people you have who understand what playing for this club means and its values, the easier it is for you as a coach. That is definitely a very important foundation to have.
"This close exchange and connection, with mutual listening at the heart of what we do, is something I strive for. We have regular moments where we sit down with the coaches to discuss strategy, and to openly exchange ideas. Those are things that form the basis so that the boys can make the leap.
“The remarkable thing is that despite our increased sporting development, lads from the academy keep bridging the gap. Boys such as Bruno Ogbus or Johan Manzambi, whom we can integrate into the first team. Those are of course great stories that create incredible connections within the club because so much work is done in the academy as well. When it bears fruit like this, it is a high motivation for every individual at the academy.
Bundesliga: Another successful academy story is that of Noah Atubolu, who has been at Freiburg since childhood. What do you make of his development, and what does his trajectory look like, particularly in terms of the national team?
Schuster: “I believe that this environment and also this trust were crucial in allowing him to take this exact path. I think he felt the support from the club right from the start.
Watch: The best of Noah Atubolu
"Of course, primarily from Christian, but also from Michael Müller and his teammates. There were certainly moments that are very natural when a young player - whether a goalkeeper or an outfield player - gets these minutes, and mistakes are part of that. And for a club to have a certain culture of accepting mistakes and persevering, I find that very important as the foundation for personal development.
“It is remarkable, especially at his age, how Noah has recently managed to push his development even further, through his personal ambition and work ethic, to be in and around the national team.
"That’s why his not being selected for the most recent camp is not dramatic because I believe the national coach team knows exactly what they have in him, what qualities he has, and in the end, it will be about which personalities and roles the national team coach wants to fill."
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