Manuel Baum Discusses Future Plans and Player Development Ahead of New Season
FC Augsburg head coach Manuel Baum provided insights into his decision to continue with the team, his tactical strategies for the upcoming season, and the potential of several squad members during an interview with Kicker. The 46-year-old highlighted several Augsburg players he believes should be on the radar of newly appointed Bundestrainer Jürgen Klopp.
Last season, under Baum’s leadership, Augsburg achieved a ninth-place finish, marking the club’s best final position in the Bundesliga since 2015. What commenced as a three-match interim role after Sandro Wagner’s dismissal in December transformed into a long-term appointment.
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Initially, Baum expressed a desire to simply enjoy his unexpected return to Bundesliga coaching, famously describing his approach in December as “installing guardrails on the Autobahn” before aiming to return to his previous role overseeing development and innovation in football for the club.
However, by late April, players Anton Kade and Fabian Rieder were publicly endorsing Baum for a permanent position after he successfully guided Augsburg away from relegation. Ultimately, Baum signed a new contract through 2028.
During his conversation with Kicker at Augsburg’s Achensee training camp, Baum shared that his final decision to remain head coach came a week after the season concluded. After some reflection, he concluded that staying on as head coach was the right choice.
Baum highlighted the importance of continuity for the club’s long-term success, arguing that regular changes in coaching can disrupt a team’s progress and identity.
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Baum Emphasizes Club Culture and Identity
Baum’s commitment to fostering a strong club culture has been a cornerstone during his second stint. When Augsburg’s supporters protested the club’s controversial “image change” last December, Baum reached out to the FanKurve and requested that fans contribute “ten percent more than their best.” Get German Football News noted that Augsburg had a strong points tally after Baum’s Matchday 13 return, with only Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim, and Stuttgart earning more points during that period.
Baum attributes Augsburg’s success to creating a cohesive unit and positive atmosphere among players, emphasizing that the coaching team focuses on adapting football to fit players’ strengths rather than imposing a rigid tactical framework.
Tactical Outlook and Player Roles for the Season
A strategic change that emerged towards the end of last season has now become a permanent fixture: Fabian Rieder will continue in central midfield. Rieder communicated to Baum that this position was where he delivered his best performances.
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Baum also confirmed that strikers Michael Gregoritsch and Rodrigo Ribeiro can effectively play together, bringing contrasting styles to the attack. Ribeiro’s role was initially ambiguous when he arrived during the winter transfer window, but Baum recognized the potential for collaboration with the squad’s offense and started him in a Bundesliga match in February, where he scored his first goal.
Baum praised Ribeiro’s technical skills and highlighted the effective scouting efforts that led to his signing. The coach also defended Gregoritsch after his well-publicized fair-play gesture against Hamburg in April, asserting that he does not wish to continuously explore new tactical options that could confuse players.
Players should have defined primary and secondary roles to promote clarity on the field. Anton Kade exemplifies this approach: initially seen as a wing-back, Augsburg’s staff identified his potential to contribute offensively.
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Kade even took on a center-forward role during Baum’s early period, significantly impacting Augsburg’s memorable win over Bayern during Gregoritsch’s absence. His development has reached a point where Baum considers him a potential candidate for the national team.
Possible German National Team Call-ups
When asked by Kicker about Augsburg players who might be on the radar of Jürgen Klopp, Baum confidently mentioned Finn Dahmen and Anton Kade as likely candidates.
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He expressed hope that Mert Kömür, Noahkai Banks, and academy talent Tim Schnitzer might also be considered. Additionally, Baum mentioned new acquisition Hennes Behrens as a noteworthy prospect and suggested that Robin Fellhauer could also bring value as a wing-back.
Last April, Baum publicly advocated for goalkeeper Dahmen following a standout performance against Bayer Leverkusen, asserting that his consistent displays merit international attention.
Banks is an intriguing case, having made significant strides last season, and has indicated his openness to representing either the United States or Germany in senior competitions.
Baum believes Hennes Behrens, a €3.5 million signing, perfectly aligns with Augsburg’s recruitment vision, praising his grounded character and potential impact on the team.
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Fans can expect Behrens to contribute significantly, particularly in creating goals and scoring opportunities.
Baum’s Return to Schalke
This upcoming season kicks off for Augsburg with an intriguing match against Schalke, the club Baum coached for a brief spell in late 2020. During that time, COVID-19 restrictions significantly altered the experience of managing the club.
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Baum reminisced about restricted attendance during a Revierderby against Borussia Dortmund, indicating he never fully experienced Schalke’s atmosphere. In contrast, his second tenure at Augsburg has been filled with celebrated victories, including notable wins against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.
As the new season approaches, Baum reflects on the remarkable turnaround that saw Augsburg rise from relegation candidates to a solid ninth-place finish. He now looks ahead to what his cohesive team can achieve over a full season, humorously acknowledging that he hopes to still be in his role as head coach in a year.
FC Augsburg head coach Manuel Baum has spoken at length on his decision to remain in charge of the Fuggerstädter, his tactical plans for the coming season, and precisely where several members of his squad fit into them in an interview with Kicker. The 46-year-old also identified a number of Augsburg players he believes new Bundestrainer Jürgen Klopp should be monitoring.
Baum ultimately delivered Augsburg a ninth-place finish last season, the club’s best final Bundesliga placement since 2015. What began as a three-match interim assignment following Sandro Wagner’s dismissal in December eventually became something considerably more permanent.
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Baum initially insisted that he merely wished to enjoy his unexpected return to Bundesliga coaching, famously explaining in December that he was effectively “installing guardrails on the Autobahn” before returning to his position as Augsburg’s head of development and football innovation.
By late April, however, Anton Kade and Fabian Rieder were openly endorsing Baum for the permanent job after the coach had guided Augsburg safely away from the relegation battle. Baum ultimately agreed a new contract through 2028.
Speaking to Kicker at Augsburg’s Achensee training camp, Baum revealed that his decision was not finalized until the week after the season ended. After taking some time to reflect on things, Baum ultimately decided that he should remain head coach.
Baum believes switching back into his former administrative position and appointing another head coach would have threatened the continuity established during his successful second stint on the touchline. He noted that sustainable clubs cannot redefine themselves every time a new coach arrives.
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Baum speaks on club culture and his role within it
The importance Baum places on club culture has been evident throughout his second tenure. When Augsburg’s organised support continued protesting the club’s controversial “image change” last December, Baum personally approached the FanKurve and asked supporters to give the team “ten percent more than their best”. A Get German Football News Augsburg relegation check from February noted that only Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim and Stuttgart had accumulated as many or more points than Augsburg following Baum’s Matchday 13 return.
Baum himself believes FCA succeeded because they created a genuine unit and a healthy dressing-room culture. Players enjoyed training and working with one another, while the coaching staff attempted to give every individual a clear purpose. Crucially, Baum says Augsburg adapt their football to suit their players rather than forcing the players to conform to a preconceived tactical plan.
Baum speaks on tactical plans for the season
One positional experiment from the conclusion of last season has already become permanent. Fabian Rieder will remain in central midfield. The Swiss international apparently told Baum during Augsburg’s end-of-season celebrations that his performances there represented the best football of his career. Baum has now found what he believes to be Rieder’s optimal position.
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Baum also confirmed that strikers Michael Gregoritsch and Rodrigo Ribeiro can play together. The two forwards offer significantly different profiles, something Baum considers desirable. Ribeiro’s role was anything but obvious when the Sporting CP loanee arrived during the winter transfer window. Gregoritsch had already been added to the squad and FCA possessed several other centre-forward options.
Baum nevertheless handed Ribeiro a surprise Bundesliga start in February and later explained the club’s reasoning in detail. Augsburg wanted to provide young players with a platform, but only when the coaching staff considered the timing correct. Ribeiro promptly rewarded the decision with his first Bundesliga goal, with Baum praising his technical quality and the scouting work behind the acquisition. GGFN examined Baum’s decision and Ribeiro’s breakthrough.
Gregoritsch also became an important figure during the successful second half of the campaign. Baum notably offered a nuanced defence of the Austrian after his widely praised fair-play intervention against Hamburg in April. The coach does not, however, wish to manufacture endless tactical possibilities merely because his squad contains versatile players.
Every player should possess a clear “1A” position and, where appropriate, a “1B” alternative. Constantly opening new possibilities risks confusing players rather than helping them. Anton Kade serves as Baum’s prime example.
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The former Basel player initially viewed himself primarily as a wing-back, but Augsburg’s staff believed his attributes could be utilised further forward and showed him how playing higher could place him into more scoring situations.
Baum subsequently took that versatility much further. Kade was even used as a centre-forward during the early stages of Baum’s tenure and spearheaded the attack in Augsburg’s sensational victory over Bayern while Gregoritsch was unavailable.
His progression has now become significant enough for Baum to mention him as a possible Germany international.
Dahmen, Kade, Kömür, Banks and Schnitzer for Klopp?
Kicker asked Baum whether any Augsburg players might feature among the 57 names new Bundestrainer Jürgen Klopp reportedly has under consideration. Baum did not struggle for candidates. Finn Dahmen and Anton Kade should, he hopes, already feature on the list.
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Mert Kömür, Noahkai Banks and academy prospect Tim Schnitzer are players Baum hopes may eventually join them. New signing Hennes Behrens was another name the FCA coach volunteered, while Baum has also considered Robin Fellhauer’s potential merits as a Germany wing-back.
Baum was already lobbying publicly for his goalkeeper last April after Dahmen produced a spectacular nine-save performance against Bayer Leverkusen. The Augsburg coach said at the time that a highlight package of Dahmen’s performance could have lasted ten minutes and argued that his weekly displays rendered him worthy of international consideration.
Banks presents a particularly interesting international case. The Augsburg academy defender enjoyed a major breakthrough last season and subsequently revealed that he remained open to representing either the United States or Germany at senior level. In February, Banks credited both Wagner and Baum for helping young players such as himself and Kömür develop.
One of the players intended to provide something new is Hennes Behrens. Augsburg paid €3.5m for the youngster and Baum believes the signing neatly embodies the club’s recruitment profile. Behrens is young, but has already demonstrated that he can operate at Bundesliga level with Heidenheim.
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Following Giannoulis’ departure, Baum considers the likelihood of Behrens receiving significant playing time very high. Character again played a role in the transfer. Baum described Behrens as grounded and natural, precisely the type of personality Augsburg wants to have in the locker room.
The coach expects supporters to appreciate a player prepared to repeatedly work the flank, create goals and potentially score himself. Heidenheim trainer Frank Schmidt even recommended Behrens once it became clear he could not retain him.
Manuel Baum prepares for Schalke reunion
The fixture list has supplied Augsburg with an especially interesting opening opponent. Baum will begin the new campaign against Schalke, the club he coached briefly between September and December 2020. His spell in Gelsenkirchen remains an unusual chapter in his career, not least because it took place during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Baum recalled that only 300 spectators were permitted to attend one Revierderby against Borussia Dortmund. As a result, he never truly experienced Schalke as the club normally exists. His second Augsburg stint has produced rather different memories.
It included victories over Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, the latter ending Bayern’s 27-match Bundesliga unbeaten streak. The aftermath even produced one of last season’s more humorous press-conference exchanges, when Vincent Kompany became confused by a Bavarian reference to a case of beer before Baum eventually confirmed that his Augsburg players could celebrate with one.
More importantly, Augsburg transformed themselves from relegation candidates into ninth-place finishers. The question now concerns what Baum and his unusually settled squad can do with a full season. Asked what would need to happen for him to be happy when sitting down for the same interview in one year, Baum first offered another characteristically dry answer.
It would be nice, he joked, if he were still conducting the interview as Augsburg head coach.
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