German National and Club Soccer Team

Question 1

German National Team (2004): Issues

Answer 1

• Germany no longer a top 10 team
• Psychologically depressed team, without spirit & confidence
• Defensive style of play not attractive to viewers
• No top stars & few players with international merits
• Deficit in talent development
• Bureaucratic association
• Structure and methods of national team coaching & management have changed little since the 70’s

Question 2

Task for Jurgen Klinsmann with National Team (2004)

Answer 2

• Reversing psychological state of team (e.g., increasing confidence)
• Preparing team for faster, more athletic, more competitive style
• Transformation of structure, methods, & practices
• Start changing structure of association, including talent development
• It’s a turnaround (vs. series of incremental changes)

Question 3

Klinsmann strengths with National Team (2004)

Answer 3

• Man of strong vision & will
• Performance-oriented, ambitious, & self-motivated
• Ready to fight for convictions
• Independent/autonomous (‘nothing to lose’ attitude)
• Open to new ideas
• Drives for radical change (disrupter) and enjoyed change
• Has an established network
• Ready to take risks
• Passionate about soccer (former player)
• Prepared

Question 4

Klinsmann risks with National Team

Answer 4

• Never been a coach before
• Stubborn, self-confident, & maybe hard-headed
• Independent – so may lack diplomacy and be hard to ‘steer’
• Can be emotional
• ‘Hit-and-run’ mentality, loses interest quickly (7 clubs in 17 years)
• Tight network that may not be open to outsiders
• Not willing to move back to Germany (i.e., family is more important than the team)
• Bad relationship with the media since he was a player like Hoeneb who criticized his coaching style from California
• To help with this he hired Oliver Bierhoff as manager to smooth contacts between media, sponsors, and officials

Question 5

Klinsmann changes with National Team

Answer 5

• Formulated new goal of winning World Cup in 2006 (created a vision)
• Built a coalition of acquaintances and talented pros (built a guiding coalition)
• Selected players he wanted to work with and who fit the new team culture (built a guiding coalition)
• Initiated a new way to play – more aggressive, faster, etc (communicating the vision)
• Wins first few games after being appointed coach (short-term wins)
• Exited anyone who violated the team culture/values (removing obstacles to the new vision)
• Changed captain & goalie (removing obstacles to the new vision)
• Persevered in light of adversity, esp from the media
• Hired a talent scout and a psychologist (build on the change)

Question 6

2004 (National team) vs 2008 (Club team) comparison

Answer 6

• 2004 - German national team was devastated, depressed team
• 2008 - Bayern was a very successful team
• 2004 - enormous upside potential for German team; minimal downside risk
• 2008 - limited upside potential for Bayern; large downside risk
• 2004 - clear need and urgency for changes
• 2008 - need for change not clearly understood by many

Question 7

Klinsmann changes with Club Team (2008)

Answer 7

• Introduced new players & a new captain
• Hired new trainers and staff (including many outsiders)
• Pursued faster, more aggressive, & attractive style of play
• Took the best practice approach - performance center, scout, fitness training
• Introduced several cultural changes – family rooms, library, e-learning, players lounge, they could see wives and girlfriends before games, a statue of Buddha, hired therapist, hired a team manager, fitness rehab personnel, translator.

Question 8

NOTE: Klinsman took a similar approach in 2004 & 2008; was that appropriate?

Answer 8

In 2008 there was no need for disruption

He is a change catalyst leader and that’s not what the club team needed