Steyr in a downward spiral: How the club moved the youth!

Steyr in a downward spiral: How the club moved the youth!

In recent years, FC Blau-Weiß Steyr has experienced a changeable sporting development, which ended in the regional league until the 2022/23 season. When looking at the last three seasons, there is a clear trend: from a seventh place in the 2020/21 season to a tenth place in the following season to relegation and remaining in the national league since 2022. How 90minuten.at reported, the club remained in the league during the corona pandemic, which in retrospect can be viewed as a missed opportunity to promote youth.

General manager Andreas Blumauer said in the winter that coaching changes are often not the solution to sporting problems and that they reacted too late when relegation approached. The club experienced back and forth, some of which was its own fault, particularly due to the transition to professional play. Players only received the statutory minimum gross salary of 1,650 euros, which meant that in the regional league or lower leagues, players with professional training could earn up to 720 euros more through travel expense compensation.

Lack of triage and scouting

An anonymous insider explains that Steyr's development was in a professional direction, which entailed regular training and a certain professionalism, but without proper scouting, making it difficult to form a competitive team. In the past, after bad games, the club quickly looked for solutions, but often purposefully changed strategy without clear planning.

In order to counteract the threat of relegation, a stronger focus on youth development would have been necessary. In Germany, this is structured via the DFB talent development program (TFP), which includes 339 bases for talented players in the prime learning age. Around 14,000 talented players are screened to keep the quality of German football at a high level. The individual support begins with the U12, where additional training is offered weekly. This will be through dfb.de that focuses on the importance of systematic talent development.

Sustainability and social responsibility

The basic conditions for promoting young talent in Europe are shaped by regulations, economic interests and social responsibility. Players from football, business and society recognize that the promotion of talent not only increases the competitiveness of clubs, but must also be handled in a socially responsible manner. Academies such as La Masia in Spain and Clairefontaine in France have established themselves as important places for talent development, where training includes technical, tactical and social aspects.

Financial support for youth work in Germany amounts to over 150 million euros annually, which is necessary to ensure high-quality training facilities and qualified personnel. This article shows how important it is to see youth development as the core of consistent success in football. Loud Sports blog online The challenges are great, because social inequality and the pressure on players prove the ethical issues that are increasingly in focus.

The future of talent development in football requires a rethink. The connection between digitalized training methods and international cooperation will be crucial in giving talent a fair chance for development. FC Blau-Weiß Steyr may have an important learning process ahead of them here. An increased focus on scouting and the integration of youth could not only improve the club's sporting situation, but also raise the level of football in the region in the long term.