Michael Ballack Quotes

Every new coach is interesting.

I walked in and inherited a management group that I didn't know very well. They didn't know me, and we had a very short window to put together a credible recovery plan.

When I started to be a coach, I expected a lot - maybe too much - in terms of physical approach, tactics, and technique. There was too little emphasis on human relationships.

I think there are always growing pains with teams.

When you're the head coach, you coach 53 people, and their wives and their girlfriends and their families and all those people.

I miss coaching - certain elements of coaching.

When I was playing, I had that passion and fire, cussing everybody out, but I had the opportunity to change that being out on the floor. But now that I'm coach, I can still have my passion, but I just have to tone it down.

You coach to your personality.

Not head coach - Assistant would be very attractive, but I don't think I have the discipline to deal with all the egos and personalities a head coach has to deal with.

Obviously when a new manager comes in, he's got to instill his own ideas within the team and with his set-up for the games.

To become a good coach, it is important to be equipped with tactics and strategy. But first of all, you need to have strong leadership.

You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.

I'm not aggressive by nature and it was tough for me to make the transition to directing.

So if the players trust the coach, it's not a problem. If the players don't trust the coach, it is a problem, and vice versa.

It's always really challenging trying to go from player to player/coach. You have a kind of friendship basis of relationship with all of your teammates, and now you go to this power position where you have to make decisions that might hurt people's feelings.

You don't have to be popular with the players to be a good manager or coach.

The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers. Are the followers reaching their potential? Are they learning? Serving? Do they achieve the required results? Do they change with grace? Manage conflict?

There is still a big onus to be coached. I understand the best teams don't need a huge amount of coaching, but that's when a coach should decide not to do coaching.

If the coach is good, I don't think a psychologist is needed.

I'm interested in coaching.

As a player, you can be more spontaneous and instinctive, but now as a coach I have to find a psychological balance within the team.

One of the things I like to do is let the players play and the coaches coach.

One of my strengths is connecting with the players.

There are small things that every coach brings when they go to a new team. Like, you need to press this way or the other way.

It is difficult for every manager, I think, in the first year.