Former Bundesliga Coach Alexander Nouri has expressed concerns over the current youth development in German football. Speaking to the football portal “Transfermarkt”, Nouri highlighted the lack of pacey and agile wingers in the country’s youth ranks. He noted that Germany’s focus on producing professionals in established training centers, known as Nachwuchsleistungszentren (NLZ), has resulted in a significant gap between the amateur and professional levels.
According to Nouri, only around 40 professionals in the past 13 years were not trained in a classical NLZ, indicating a large disparity in the talent development process. He also pointed out “blindspots” in regions like Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg and Schleswig-Holstein, where the country struggles to produce professional footballers. Nouri believes that these regions have untapped talent, but lack the necessary infrastructure to nurture and develop it.
In contrast, countries like France and clubs like Benfica Lisbon have established nationwide talent centers to expand their talent pools and provide daily support to young players in structurally weak regions. Nouri lamented the lack of a similar concept in Germany.
Despite his concerns, Nouri remains optimistic about the country’s youth development, citing the large talent pool and recent measures taken to improve the system. With a population of over 83 million, Germany has the potential to produce more top players, as seen in smaller countries like Portugal and the Netherlands, which have a more successful track record in producing top talent. Nouri is convinced that the country is on the right path and will eventually reap the benefits of its investment in youth development.