Children’s football reform: Why Hans-Joachim Watzke is wrong

“The youth centers were the right step, but now we should move forward,” says Bernhard Peters. Image: dpa

Training expert Bernhard Peters vehemently contradicts the criticism of new forms of play in children’s football. He explains the background, has “revolutionary” ideas – and says why Hans-Joachim Watzke is wrong.

The reform of children’s football is heating up people’s minds and sparking polemics because there are new forms of the game and no annual table is kept. The managing director of Borussia Dortmund, Hans-Joachim Watzke, who is also vice president of the German Football Association (DFB), the former national players Thomas Helmer and Dietmar Hamann and Bundesliga coach Steffen Baumgart claim that the results will be abolished, which is not true. They worked for TSG Hoffenheim and Hamburger SV, among others. What do you think as a coach and expert for youth football, among other things, when such criticism becomes public?

You can tell that many people don’t really think about the topic. Why? It’s not her field of work. I have the feeling that many are trying to relive their childhood memories, the period of street football. But that’s not comparable. The children’s play environment is completely different today and socialization has completely changed.