Goalkeeping staff renew contracts

“Having now confirmed the long-term partnership with the coaches, the club have secured the necessary continuity for the development of one of the most important positions in a football team,” explained TSG sporting director, Alexander Rosen. In view of the progression made in the last few years, the manager is seeing the “outstanding work being achieved here, which is gaining recognition elsewhere also."

With their meticulous planning, innovative thinking and a wealth of ideas, Rechner and his team offer the TSG goalkeepers an inspiring style of training that is akin to matchday and one that allows them to develop into the best keepers in the country. Moreover it is not just Hoffenheim’s undisputed number one, Oliver Baumann, who has been putting in good performances week after week as a result of their coaching. In fact, the youth team goalkeeper has also been making a name for himself in Germany. Having started out at third-tier side VfL Osnabrück and currently on loan at Dynamo Dresden, Marwin Schwäbe is now not just the U21s keeper, he has also been the best shot-stopper in the 2. Bundesliga. 18-year-old Gregor Kobel, who was recently brought in to the U19s squad and has been a solid reserve keeper for TSG Hoffenheim II, has been called up for the first time to the Switzerland U21s for their matches against Russia.

“Over the past few years at Hoffenheim, we’ve been able to assemble an extraordinary team of experts whose aim it is to optimise the goalkeepers’ games in every age group,” noted Michael Rechner. Despite seeing results, these measures have only just gathered pace. “We’re planning more projects in the future to be able to improve and make our goalkeepers’ games even more efficient.”

Dominik Weber (U19), Marjan Petkovic (U15/U14) and Julian Kühn (U13/U12, prospective children's team) and Karsten Lange are also all members of the TSG goalkeeping staff.