When Manuel Baum stepped in as coach at FC Augsburg on December 1, he was actually solely speculated to convey one factor to the membership: calm. Nothing extra. No main tactical revolutions, no wild experiments. Simply purchase time till a brand new coach arrives. However Baum didn’t simply purchase time—he additionally received video games. The query now could be whether or not this wave of success will all of the sudden come to an abrupt halt?
It hadn’t been as nervous in Bavarian Swabia for a very long time because it was within the earlier months. Below Sandro Wagner, uncertainty reigned. With simply ten factors from twelve video games, Augsburg was in 14th place, with a transparent downward development. The heavy defeats in opposition to Leipzig (0:6) and Hoffenheim (0:3) specifically set off all of the alarm bells.
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Baum’s mission was subsequently initially to stabilize the staff within the quick time period and get them to the winter break in moderately good order. However underneath him, FCA all of the sudden appeared rather more steady. In three video games, the staff conceded just one objective and picked up necessary factors—together with in opposition to runners-up Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Baum is subsequently allowed to stay head coach till the top of the season.
Even this information was in all probability a private spotlight for the 46-year-old. As a result of, in reality, he had lengthy since written off working as a Bundesliga coach.
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A coach who was already written off
Baum is aware of Augsburg inside out. Between December 2016 and April 2019, he already sat on the FCA bench and led the membership via a number of comparatively steady Bundesliga years. However after that, his teaching profession turned bumpy. You can additionally say suboptimal.
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His stint at FC Schalke in 2020 became a quite unlucky chapter. After simply three months and solely 4 factors from ten video games, it was over, and Schalke had been relegated on the finish of the season. Key phrase: Arenaring.
After that, it appeared as if Baum had lastly closed the Bundesliga chapter for good. A small element exhibits how little he himself believed in a return: He had as soon as promised his daughter a horse as soon as he reached 100 Bundesliga video games as a coach. Baum was near that mark on the time, however apparently assumed he would by no means attain it.
As a substitute, he later labored as sporting director at RB Leipzig’s youth academy. Initially of this season, he lastly returned to FCA and took over as Head of Growth and Soccer Innovation.
He solely stepped in as interim coach as a result of his beloved membership was all of the sudden in acute relegation hazard. And since he was assured that he may return to his unique place afterwards. What adopted in all probability shocked even Baum himself—and earned his daughter a pony.
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“Maintain it easy”
What’s significantly outstanding is how Baum managed this turnaround. He was once thought-about the prototype of the considerably overthinking “laptop computer coach,” who analyzed soccer right down to the smallest element and generally overcomplicated issues. At present, he follows a a lot less complicated motto: “Maintain it easy.”
An anecdote completely describes this variation. If he had written a soccer ebook previously, Baum as soon as mentioned with a smile, it could in all probability have been 200 pages lengthy. At present, it could possible be simply 5.
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This very discount to the necessities appears to be doing Augsburg good. Baum has given the staff again its basic core virtues. Some would additionally say that the standard Augsburg nastiness is again.
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FCA defends compactly, is aware of precisely what it will possibly and can’t do, and has no drawback making video games unattractive if mandatory. The principle factor is to get factors in the long run.
On this manner, Baum’s strategy is virtually the other of his predecessor Wagner’s thought. The extroverted former assistant to nationwide coach Julian Nagelsmann wished to show Augsburg right into a possession-based staff and introduced in lots of complicated ideas. Baum, alternatively, merely reset FCA’s enjoying model to manufacturing facility settings.
Maybe probably the most stunning run of the season
After twelve video games in cost, the coach now boasts a outstanding common of 1.75 factors per recreation. Projected over a full season, that will be practically 60 factors. With that tally, you’re often within the operating for the Champions League.
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In the event you look solely on the second half of the season’s desk, Augsburg is definitely proper there: on a Champions League spot. Solely FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund have been extra profitable on this interval.
Just lately, FCA has received 5 of its final six video games. That even included a win in opposition to Bayern on the Allianz Enviornment. For a membership that was deep within the relegation battle just some months in the past, that’s a reasonably spectacular turnaround.
All of a sudden, Augsburg is simply three factors behind a European competitors spot. Eighth place, which could qualify for the Convention League, is even simply two factors away. Something apart from one other contract extension for Baum could be a shock.
Euphoria with a small asterisk
The high-flying run, nevertheless, can’t be judged with out some caveats. In current weeks, Augsburg has performed completely in opposition to direct rivals from the decrease third of the desk. The upcoming challenges will likely be a lot harder. Of the following seven opponents, six are at the moment in a European competitors spot. So it’s fairly attainable that the present upward development will come to an finish quickly.
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However even when it does: Baum has already achieved all the things he was initially introduced in for—and rather more.
He calmed the turbulent Wagner-era FCA, stabilized the staff, and ensured that survival within the league is virtually sure after simply 24 matchdays. The few factors Augsburg theoretically nonetheless wants, the staff will virtually definitely accumulate. And doubtless within the typical Augsburg manner: unattractive, robust, and fairly annoying for a lot of opponents.
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence.