- Schuster is enthusiastically preparing to step onto the stage of the Streich-Inheritance in Freiburg.
Absolutely relaxed. Julian Schuster steps into his role as SC Freiburg's Bundesliga manager with tranquility and excitement. "I've got a good feeling about this," the newcomer to coaching legend Christian Streich's position shares before Saturday's 3:30 PM/Sky home game against last season's runner-ups VfB Stuttgart. "We've found our groove quickly and achieved a few things swiftly. But it's still an ongoing process."
His squad isn't fully set yet. With the transfer window closing on August 30, the task will take longer to complete. There's still a possibility of adding another offensive player, such as Fabian Reese from Hertha BSC, according to media reports.
On this matter, Schuster mentioned, "Then I'd have to let a player go." Currently, the 30-professional squad includes only defender Manuel Gulde and forward Daniel Kofi-Kyereh, who are out due to injury.
Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, set to be replaced by Florian Müller against Stuttgart, and Matthias Ginter have returned to training. "If everyone's fit, we're well-stacked. We don't necessarily need more players," says Schuster, a former midfielder.
From 2008 to 2018, Schuster donned the SC jersey. Following this, he worked as a youth coordinator for six years before being chosen to fill in Streich's shoes. This is the first time since the 2011/12 season that Freiburg has a new coach.
Schuster's competitive debut, a 4:0 win against VfL Osnabrück in the DFB-Pokal's first round, was successful. Now, he faces a more significant challenge with several key players departed, including captain Waldemar Anton and top scorer Serhou Guirassy, who left Stuttgart during the summer. "Regardless of departures, Stuttgart still has the quality, precision, and crystal-clear structures. That makes facing them incredibly challenging," Schuster acknowledged.
Remarkably, Schuster himself played with nine current Freiburg players, one of whom is captain Christian Günter. Günter recently described their partnership under the new coach as "incredibly successful." The roles prior to Schuster's debut differ from their years together on the field.
A change from the Streich era is Schuster's desire to be closer to the home fans during home games. "We're switching sides with our bench in our stadium, drawing us closer to the South Tribune," he explained. This closeness to the fans is vital to Schuster, demonstrating his willingness to make adjustments and create new momentum.
Despite facing a challenging opponent in VfB Stuttgart, SC Freiburg's new manager Julian Schuster remains optimistic, given their quick adaptation and early achievements. However, he acknowledges the potential arrival of Fabian Reese from Hertha BSC might necessitate a squad adjustment, as current injuries leave the squad slightly depleted.
As Schuster prepares for his first Bundesliga home game against last season's runners-up VfB Stuttgart, he reflects on his past as a Freiburg player and the significant change he is introducing by getting closer to the home fans during matches.
