In an exclusive interview, Frankfurt Sports Director Kloescher elaborated on the club's successful transfer and training strategy. The 45-year-old Kelescher will hold this position since 2021. In four years, Frankfurt not only won the 2022 Europa League and qualified for the Champions League twice, but also achieved a profit of 169 million euros through player transactions, ranking fifth among clubs in the world.
The key to success is to establish a clear tactical philosophy.
"Only when you clearly know how you want to play football can you define what kind of players you need, and you can do a good job in scouting and signing. When planning and recruiting lineups, you must know what you want and what you need to achieve it."
When evaluating players, Kelescher emphasized the identification of advantages and plasticity. Equal emphasis
"We first look at the strengths of the player. Some traits, such as height and speed, cannot be taught. Then analyze the weaknesses: Can we help him improve through training? At the level of the Bundesliga, there are no perfect players. If you just find faults, you can always find reasons not to sign."
"I told the scouting team: Focus on the strengths, and then judge the weaknesses. Can our analysts develop his strengths? Is the team's style of play suitable for him? In addition, personality fit is crucial: Is he suitable for the locker room? Is there a mentality of continuous improvement? "
" There was a heated discussion before signing him. At that time, he was a player with obvious weaknesses and outstanding strengths. He was fast, strong, good at finishing, and worked hard in training. However, the data showed that he was one of the players who lost the ball the most in the Bundesliga. His decision-making ability was obviously insufficient. "
"But we judge that his decision-making problem stems from the lack of stable game time. Forwards, they need to continue to play to accumulate decision-making experience. They are active creators rather than passive. Responder. Without room for trial and error, it is difficult to make progress. "
Klesche admitted that timing is as important as luck.
"If Kolo Muani did not suddenly leave the team at the end of the summer window in 2023, Malmouche might not have had so many opportunities. At that time, coach Topmueller even faced the dilemma of having no striker available, but it was during that period that Malmouche won trust at first. He will still make mistakes repeatedly, but as he plays more games and builds confidence, his decision-making has improved significantly. "
On the decision to sell Malmouche when his value is at its peak
"When we sold Malmouche in January 2025, we knew that it might affect our Champions League qualification. But from an economic perspective, that was the best time to cash in. He was at his peak, and Manchester City had urgent needs. The timing is just right."
Adhere to the concept of "the team is above the individual"
"Football is a team sport, and it is never a player who determines the outcome. As long as the lineup is properly constructed, we can prepare for the personnel flow one year in advance. We learned from the experience of selling Muani that we must plan for the future in advance, which is why we signed Bahoya in advance."
"Sold Muani to make room for Malmouche; after Malmouche's rise, he was acquired by Manchester City, which provided Ekitic with growth opportunities. Now Ekitic can shine in Liverpool precisely because we dare to let go of the previous core at the right time. As long as the lineup structure is reasonable and trust is given to the players, we will have the confidence to make transactions at the appropriate time."
source:cn7m