"It makes you cry": Rough Matthäus tone in training with E-Jugend of TSV Grünwald

Created: 09/17/2022, 06:05

By: Moritz Bletzinger

Not a fun event: Lothar Matthäus takes E2 training at TSV Grünwald seriously.

© Kolbert Press

Lothar Matthäus coaches his son's youth team at TSV Grünwald.

We were there and saw an extremely committed world champion.

Grünwald - "Faster", "don't talk", "no mistakes".

That's what it sounds like when a former world footballer trains an e-youth.

Lothar Matthäus stands between children on the soccer field at TSV Grünwald and coaches persistently.

He's wearing a black tracksuit with black leather cleats, "Puma King," which he wore as a player.

He became world champion and European champion with these shoes.

And now children's trainers in Munich's posh suburb.

A whiff of competitive sport blows across the pitch when Matthäus gives the commands.

The children especially feel that.

"You're ten years old, it can't be that you're still doing the exercise wrong after five minutes," he scolds: "It's not laughable, it's crying.

Worse than tying shoes.”

Lothar Matthäus: Three units a week - ex-world footballer fully committed as a youth coach

Matthäus has set up a small course, the children should circle a free-kick manikin exactly one and a half times.

Matthew pays attention: “If you make another mistake, do ten push-ups.” The children keep making mistakes, and so do the push-ups.

Always vigilant: Lothar Matthäus never misses a mistake during training.

© Kolbert Press

The German football icon has been the E2 coach in Grünwald for two weeks.

Youth leaders and parents describe him as “very committed”.

Matthäus has increased the number of training days from two to three a week, and his children are now working harder than the high-performing team in the club.

The children want it that way, say the parents.

"That's where the fun is over": Lothar Matthäus wants to help children advance

Because the actual coach is absent, Lothar Matthäus is now taking the time to train the team around his son Milan.

The classic “career path” of a football dad.

But of course the seven-time German champion is not a normal football dad.

Baring his teeth, he eyed the children, always ready to correct or push.

And even after the final game, he picks up all the players again and explains in detail what he didn't like.

"Good men," he exclaims: "You have to play aggressively, accept duels." That's probably the ambition of a professional athlete.

Stepping in as a football dad: Lothar Matthäus coaches his son's team.

© Kolbert Press

"They're not four to five, they're eight to ten.

That's where the fun is over, they want to take their next steps," says Matthäus himself. At least after the unit on Wednesday, he is not satisfied: "I don't know what didn't go quite well there, or where the head is now and then is.

But you have to teach them that.

You have to be patient, but you can't leave them on too long a leash either, because they take advantage of that too.

I know children of this age, my son is also there.

From time to time you have to show them the right way, shall we say.”

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Lothar Matthäus would also give up his coaching job again - "Doesn't have to be my son's coach"

Apparently, Matthäus fully accepted his role as coach.

The youth management of TSV Grünwald is overjoyed to confirm that the 1990 world champion will take over the team for at least one season.

He explains: “It's fun to train with children, to pass something on to them.

The coach stopped, so I said that whenever I'm here, I like doing it and I'll adjust my schedule accordingly." But Matthäus doesn't want to commit himself: "It's nothing for me.

If someone is there and takes over, I'm gone immediately.

So it's not like that now that I'm attached to this job.

I don't have to be my son's coach, I don't have to be the coach of this team either."

Lothar Matthäus coaches very committed - and also forgives penalties.

© Kolbert Press

For professional reasons, he cannot be present at every training session.

The club has already moved all the games, so it works.

"I have many other jobs, but due to the emergency situation, I said I'll do it.

We didn't really talk about the time," explains Matthäus, "it's all voluntary.

I drive my son to practice anyway, so I can get on the pitch too.

But of course you are already focused when you go to training and think about what you want to work on.”

Matthäus, Nerlinger, Wolf, Robben: TSV Grünwald is used to football celebrities

Matthäus noticeably does not want to overestimate his role as a coach.

At TSV Grünwald they are still proud to have him on board.

However, the former national team captain does not have to give autograph sessions on the sports grounds.

In the club, they are almost used to football celebrities.

Christian Nerlinger and Uwe Wolf help in other youth teams, Arjen Robben was also a former coach.

"That's nice," says Matthew.

(moe)