Leipzig Director: Klopp helped us get back our DNA, and he also had a huge role in introducing players

Leipzig sports director Marcel Schefel recently talked about Klopp in an interview with Sky Sports. Shefel said that after suffering a blow from missing the European game this season, Klopp helped the team find its former DNA.

Since they were promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016, Leipzig has achieved stable results. The 24-25 season was their first time missing the top six in the Bundesliga, and it also missed the European competition this season.

Shefel said: "On the one hand, this should be the driving force for us to qualify this season. But on the other hand, it's a bit painful to sit at home and watch other teams play European games. Maybe we've lost a little of our DNA."

Shefel said they had a tough conversation with Red Bull senior teams, including Klopp and Mario Gomez: "Our main goal is to regain the roots that make Leipzig so successful. Young, eager and potential players are the selection criteria we always adhere to. We want to build a team that can maintain high intensity when both possessing and off the ball."

It's this high-pressure pressing style that is exactly what Leipzig has been doing for a long time. They know what kind of players they need, and these players understand what they expect from them. But as the demand for progress continues to increase, this clear vision becomes blurred, and people are beginning to think that ball-handling is the next direction to go.

When asked where the question was, Shefel talked about the need for “firm club philosophy” because of a serious deviation from this philosophy. Shefel said: "Red Bull style means high-intensity pressing, high-level pressure and quick counterattack. Those top teams value playing style when they have the ball, and we cannot completely change our philosophy.

"Is Leipzig now a ball-control team?" No, this is not our style, and it is not realistic. Of course, facing teams with deep defense, we need to find ways to break through closed space, and we encountered a big problem at this point last year. ”

For Leipzig, the arrival of new coach Ole Werner is to correct this problem, but the existence of Klopp may be the most eye-catching.

Shefer said: "As an executive of the Red Bull Group, he is responsible for all teams and for the style and philosophy of the game. "Off the court, Klopp's work also includes persuading players to join the program, which is the biggest gain. His reputation in football gave Leipzig an advantage in negotiations.

For example, the young forward John Bakayoko signed this summer, Shefel said: "The dialogue between Jurgen and John is very helpful. If we want to convince a player, we will try our best to make them feel the real Red Bull energy and strength. Klopp is an important factor in this process and we will do everything we can to do. Leipzig also signed Danish striker Hader from Portuguese Sports, and they also spent a lot of money to introduce two junior players, Jan Diormand and Andrea Maximovich. The oldest new player is Romulo, 23. Shefel said: "We did sign very outstanding talented players, maybe they have received more economically favorable offers, but Leipzig has provided them with a path to development." We do focus on young players and are committed to their growth, joining Leipzig should not be the end of their careers. ”

Leipzig has trained a group of talented young players in recent years, such as Olmo, Jupamecano, Conat, Sobosloi, Gwadior and Nkunku. This summer, they sold Sheshko, Oppenda and Xavi Simmons to Manchester United, Juventus and Tottenham respectively.

Shefel said: "In the past two years, we have a group of young, hungry and great potential. We took them to the next level, and maybe it would be better for them to grow one step ahead of us and then jump to big clubs, because those big clubs don't have that much patience. ”

But the Leipzig model has also attracted the attention of other clubs. Does this make it more difficult to discover talents? Sheffield said: "Selling players to the Premier League is of course a good idea. It is not that it is harder to find players, but that it is harder to sign them. Five or six years ago, there were only a few clubs that were truly focused on young, hungry and potential players and were committed to nurturing them. Now even the top teams in England are struggling to sign the best talented players.

"But due to our accumulation, I think we still have an advantage in this regard. What's the result on the field? It takes time. It may be good for us without European competition this season."