Nicklas Dietrich: "I know exactly what a player can achieve"

Hello Nicklas, the players have the weekend off. What do you do differently with them during the international break?

Nicklas Dietrich: Things don't change too much but it allows us to look at the lads more as individuals than as a team. It's easier to do this now as fewer players are about. What we do depends on the individual and how intensively they work. It's possible that some players will do less than others.

Do they all do similar things though?

Dietrich: On the whole the sessions are similar. Everyone has to work on the fundamentals, for example, but after that things can vary slightly. There are a few exercises we do in order to get a sense of what level they are at. Once these have been completed we can see which players are lacking a bit and need an individual plan.

What are the difficulties in terms of training towards the end of the season?

Dietrich: It's now important to take the burden into account so regenerative exercises are becoming increasingly necessary. The international break also allows the players the chance to clear their minds somewhat. We also vary what we do a little bit later in the season.

Is a regular pre-match routine important for the players?

Dietrich: Definitely. Ahead of the games we always do the same things in order to ensure the players are ready for the game. During the warm-up we aim to loosen up the muscles, do a few activities specifically related to football as well as a few other activities. The players then do a few exercises with the ball, which is the most important part of preparation.

What do you look for from the bench?

Dietrich: As soon as the game starts I have an idea as to what the players can achieve. The longer the game goes on, the better this knowledge becomes. I'll be able to see whether a player is at his best. We mainly analyse things after the game as we'll also have the data to hand.

You have a background in athletics. Do the two disciplines cross over?

Dietrich: To start with I brought a lot of things from athletics with me but obviously these aren't all useful in football. There are a lot of things that need to be worked on in regards to football and more factors that need to be considered in order to reach peak performance. A lot of things are different.

You used to coach the youth sides. Were there any differences between them and the first team?

Dietrich: The youth players used to come straight from school and go home immediately after the session, which made my job harder as there was less time to work with them. We did similar things with them, but obviously we have to take their age and bodies into account. All of the coaches had the same aim, however, to make sure that their bodies were developing correctly in order to be able to play professional football.