NORBERT ELGERT has coached some of football’s greatest stars, but deosn’t ever fancy working as a manager… even though he has been compared to Jose Mourinho.
Elgert has been head of Schalke’s academy and youth team coach since 1996 and has led the likes of Mesut Ozil, Leroy Sane and Manuel Neuer to superstardom.
Schalke youth coach Norbert Elgert has been compared to Jose MourinhoGetty
The German tactician has also developed Julian Draxler, Benedikt Howedes, Sead Kolasinac, Liverpool‘s Joel Matip, Leeds’ Weston McKennie and West Ham’s Thilo Kehrer.
The 66-year-old has been so influential that Ozil compared him to Mourinho, with whom he worked at Real Madrid.
And Kolasinac has stated Elgert is similar to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
The Schalke legend has proven he knows how to get the most out of young talented players, but he never aspired to become a manager.
Elgert told talkSPORT: “We are very successful, we know that. I think of our academy the most players eventually made it in Europe in professional football.
“In what we make of our education we are very good, but the players are most important, we are very good at educating players for football and life, but I hope that doesn’t sound arrogant.
“Mesut compared me with Mourinho, Sead with Arteta. I’m so many miles away from them, my decision was education, to educate.
“In the first years I was [first team] assistant here, it was a very important experience for me because I decided to choose this path because I was very happy with it.
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“I’m sure it would be possible to have success as a professional coach but I never felt it, and you must feel it, you must want it.”
Elgert revealed he remains in touch with all of his former academy stars.
In fact, Neuer, Ozil, Draxler and Howedes all wrote to him after Germany won the 2014 World Cup to thank him for everything he did for them.
Elgert added: “In these times I call them. When they have such a big life, I call them only when they win a very big title or when they have hard times.
Elgert has developed superstars like Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer and Leroy SaneGetty
“My contact to many ex-players is very, very good and it makes me proud because that’s not so easy in today’s time.
“For example after winning the World Cup, the four players from us, Neuer, Ozil, Draxler and Howedes, wrote to me and said thank you coach, and that makes us all proud, the club and academy isn’t a one-man show.”