Is mentality more important than talent? A friend reveals his scouting formula

Christoph Freund has been working as Bayern Munich’s new sporting director for three months. The Austrian native previously worked at RB Salzburg for 17 years and was particularly known for developing his talent. Now the 46-year-old has explained his personal scouting formula.

In the past, Christoph Freund followed a clear philosophy when planning his lineup. As sporting director at Salzburg, the 46-year-old has made a clear focus on spotting and promoting young talent, which he has achieved great success in Austria. Even now, Freund’s signature can be seen in the appearances of Aleksandar Pavlovich and Frans Kratzig. In the future, FC Bayern Munich could often rely on talent from its campus.

In the club’s Q&A format, Freund explained the strategy that characterizes his youth work. The 46-year-old particularly emphasizes one factor that young players must have in order to survive at Bayern: “We are talking about the highest level here, so of course you need the requirements of football such as technique and tactical understanding. But mentality is crucial.” “You have to believe in yourself to be able to succeed again and again at the highest level. It is important to work with young players to learn what it means to deal with pressure.”

Christoph Freund: “Soft skills are very important”

In addition to footballing qualities, the 46-year-old places special emphasis on the personality traits and mentality of the players. The Austrian explained: “These soft skills are very crucial in our evaluation of players. We collect a lot of impressions from players outside the football field. How he deals with his fellow players, how he behaves in certain situations – we talk about this with many of his comrades. You have to give your all.” Your effort to reach the top and stay at the top.”

Talent alone is not enough. Freund had seen enough players with tremendous potential who eventually took a different path because their personality wasn’t up to the pressure. As a talent, you first have to admit it to yourself before you become unhappy in professional football.