Gladbach CEO Stegemann states: “Back to ‘Foals football’ is the strategy” | OneFootball

The young foals are coming off the back of a hugely impressive season, where they dispatched RB Leipzig 3-1 in the German U17 championship final to win the competition for only the second time in club history. It appears a golden generation could now be emerging for Gladbach.

It looks like those in charge at the club echo the media and fan’s excitement about the current crop of players coming through. Following on from the success, they have taken the decision to immortalise the accolades of the U-17 title winning team in the club’s interactive museum Fohlenwelt, by displaying the trophy and winners medals for all to see.

Speaking to the media, Sporting Director Roland Virkus said: “We have clearly defined the mission: to develop and bring this 'Golden Generation' to fruition. We have to see one or two players in the big stadium; that's the goal".

At the start of pre-season training, 16-year-old Wael Mohya was present with the first team. The highly rated talent has just extended his contract with Die Fohlen - further highlighting Gladbach’s commitment to its youth development strategy, as they strive to find the perfect mix of energy and experience to propel them back to the upper reaches of the Bundesliga.

Head coach Gerardo Seoane has proven he won’t shy away from giving any prospects a chance to prove their worth, promoting Niklas Swider to the first team last year whilst at the age of seventeen. “This will be Borussia’s way of giving young players this platform again,” said Virkus, referring to Mohya, Swider and many other promising prospects ready to make the leap from the youth set up.

When speaking about the path for the next three to five years, Borussia CEO Stegemann emphasised: “Borussia must return to 'Fohlenfußball' (foal football). That's the strategy. We want to develop young talent, improve them, and bring them up to speed. We may not always be able to keep them, but we want to return to the club that Borussia was”.

With a clear and passionate direction being put forward, he later added: “Courage to embrace youth—that's a very bold slogan,".

With Virkus and Stegemann heading the mission, Gladbach are hoping to nurture and integrate a new crop of young stars, as they look to push the club back towards European football - a feat they haven’t achieved since the 2020/2021 season.