Ulf Kirsten knows how to score goals! In an interview, the Knipser legend was critical of today’s training of young players.
Nuisance – If anyone knows how to score goals, it’s him Ulf Kirsten (57)! “Der Schwatte” was top scorer three times in the Bundesliga and still ranks seventh on the all-time snapper list. The nine-position he helped shape meanwhile has a different status.
From 1983 to 1990, Ulf Kirsten (57) hunted for goals for Dynamo Dresden, after which he put on his football boots for 13 years for Bayer Leverkusen. © Lutz Hentschel
It wasn’t just until the botched 2022 World Cup that experts were again voicing voices that would like the German national team to have a center forward of the classic type back.
In Germany, however, they are now rather scarce, especially in the youth field, as the nomination of Werder veteran Niclas Füllkrug (30) underlined in November.
A development that Dynamo Dresden legend Kirsten also views critically: “It can’t be that Miroslav Klose was the last world-class German striker. For me, Germany has always been a striker nation,” said the 57-year-old ex-goalgetter in an interview with transfermarkt.de.
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The native of Riesa sees the reason for this in the approach of the DFB and from the individual clubs in the training of the young players: “In my opinion, the children and young people are told far too much about tactics instead of just letting them play.”
Ulf Kirsten supports young footballers with gin and soccer fields
Ulf Kirsten (57) is actively involved in supporting young players. © Lutz Hentschel
In addition, everything is given to the future professionals today: “The players are immediately sorted into a drawer and if someone then offends, there is a great outcry and consequences are immediately threatened. However, I don’t raise mentality players like this.”
However, hops and malt are not yet completely lost. Kirsten’s solution: “I think we need more targeted, individual support training with trained staff – and by that I mean ex-professionals. The children and young people can benefit the most from experience.”
In order for the stars of tomorrow to be able to develop their creativity freely away from the youth academies, the 51-time national attacker is also committed himself together with his foundation and his son Benjamin Kirsten (35).
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By selling his black “Der Schwatte” gin, Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s long-time goal guarantor collected money during the Corona period that is to go into the construction of football pitches.
The campaign was so successful that in spring 2023 now the first venue in Dresden can be realized.