Otto Addo: Youth Development at Borussia Dortmund & Working with Erling Haaland
Aug 4, 2023
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Otto Addo, former Dortmund player and current Talent Coach, discusses the development pathway at Borussia Dortmund and the processes involved. Topics include the role of video at Dortmund Academy, Haaland working on his weaknesses, individual meetings with Jude Bellingham, and the importance of youth coaches facilitating learning in training sessions.
Dortmund utilizes extensive video analysis in player development, using a library of clips to help players understand different situations and make better decisions on the pitch.
Dortmund believes in allowing players to focus on their strengths naturally, while also pushing them to work on their weaknesses, turning them into weapons for their game.
Deep dives
Giving Young Players a Chance
Borussia Dortmund is known for giving young players a chance to play in the first team, regardless of age. Their scouting departments search for talented young players globally. This approach has been successful in developing players and also as a business model, as Dortmund has sold many players for large sums of money. While it can be disappointing to lose talented players to bigger clubs, Dortmund continues to prioritize the development of young players.
Video Analysis and Individual Player Development
Dortmund utilizes video analysis extensively in player development. They have a vast library of videos from first-team players worldwide. They show players clips of excellent performances in their positions and highlight key actions for them to emulate. The aim is for players to understand different situations and make better decisions on the pitch. Dortmund also emphasizes regular video analysis with individual players to analyze their performance, focus on weaknesses, and work on specific aspects of their game.
Finding the Balance: Strengths vs Weaknesses
Dortmund believes in allowing players to focus on their strengths naturally. Players who excel in certain areas, such as scoring goals, are encouraged to continue developing those skills. However, the club also pushes players to work on their weaknesses, as it can turn them into weapons. Youth coaches are encouraged to strike a balance, giving players the freedom to be creative and discover solutions while providing guidance and training to improve weaknesses.
Gary is joined by current Borussia Dortmund Talent Coach, Otto Addo, to discuss the pathway at the club and the processes that go into developing a first team player at the club.
A former player with Dortmund, Mainz and Ghana, Otto, was also on the sideline as head coach for Ghana in the recent World Cup in Qatar. In the interview he discusses:
- Role of Video at Dortmund Academy
- Haaland working on his weaknesses at young age
- Individual meetings with Jude Bellingham
- Youth coaches facilitating learning in training sessions
You can watch the full webinar at: https://apfa.io/
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