The new U-21 head coach Antonio di Salvo has introduced himself and explained how he intends to take on Stefan Kuntz’s difficult legacy. DFB sports director Joti Chatzialexiou revealed why he was chosen and the significance of the coup with Hermann Gerland.
The timetable is set. It is expected that Antonio di Salvo will make his first nomination for the U-21 squad as head coach on 1 October. Six days later and five days before the match in Hungary, di Salvo will be able to celebrate his debut against Israel in his hometown of Paderborn, of all places. “These are stories that football writes,” said the 42-year-old at his digital inaugural press conference on Friday, looking forward to a special match “with a lot of support from family and friends”.
In principle, di Salvo wants to continue the success story started under his previous boss and predecessor Stefan Kuntz (European Championship titles in 2017 and 2021, European Championship final in 2019) and rely on the tried and tested. “There is no reason to change anything for the time being. We were extremely successful, discussed a lot in the coaching team and always made joint decisions. Stefan did an excellent job of that and involved us well. I want to continue on this path – with my own style, my approach and my personality. “
With regard to football, there are many similarities to Kuntz, according to di Salvo, who is, however, more reserved than his previous boss, not an extroverted front man like Kuntz. So there will be differences above all in the way he addresses the players, in the coaching on the sidelines and in the media coverage. “I will tell my own stories, with a different choice of words and a different sense of humour,” di Salvo stressed.
“Our goal is always to develop coaches as well. “
JOTI CHATZIALEXIOU, SPORTING DIRECTOR NATIONAL TEAMS
The ex-striker quickly came into focus as the “A-solution” at the DFB decision-making level, revealed Joti Chatzialexiou, sporting director national teams: “Our goal is always to develop coaches as well. We have been working with Toni since 2013 and have invested a lot in him. He has generated a lot of knowledge through further training, job shadowing and his co-coaching jobs with the U19s and U21s, which has benefited him, the entire German football system and most recently, of course, the U21s in particular.” Chatzialexiou praised di Salvo’s opponent analyses and speeches in particular. He said that a head coaching role at the DFB had been considered as the next step for di Salvo for some time, and that the promotion following Kuntz’s departure “is the logical consequence for us.”
A “keep it up” in the best sense
This is also due to di Salvo’s good relationship with the coaching team of the senior national team. Assistant Marcus Sorg was di Salvo’s head coach at the U19s when he joined the DFB, and national coach Hansi Flick ensured the former striker’s promotion to the U21s in 2016 as the then sports director. Good prerequisites for smooth communication between the two most important men’s teams in the association. Chatzialexiou is also convinced that di Salvo will keep the special spirit alive in the U 21s.
It should be a “carry on like this” in the best sense – with slightly different accents. The new co-coach Hermann Gerland is nominally Kuntz’s one-to-one replacement in the U-21 coaching team and, like the new Turkish national coach, brings in the element of experience. The signing of the long-time Bayern assistant is a real stroke of luck for the DFB. “It would have been stupid not to ask him,” said Chatzialexiou, raving about the veteran’s reaction to the corresponding request: “It’s significant that Hermann said he wants to give something back to football as a whole and is absolutely delighted to be able to work with the top talents in the U21s again. That shows his humility and his attitude to the task and how he is as a person and type. “
