An interview with Winfried Schäfer, by Ben McFadyean for WFi at the Unity Cup at the Gtech Community Stadium, London.
You have been serving as a Technical Advisor alongside Otto Addo on the sidelines of the Ghana national team for three months; how did you perceive today’s Unity Cup game against Nigeria? Do you see improvements in the style of play?
“You must know that in this game today, most of the players, except Jordan Ayew, are all talents, many of whom have been called up for the first time today, talents who play in various leagues in Europe, and the most important thing for the players is the call-up. Overall, I liked the second half. Our team fought back; they had some chances, too, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. However, we identified some promising talents that we can build upon for the future.”
Otto Addo came as an interim solution just before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from Borussia Dortmund and is now officially appointed as the national coach. Unfortunately, Ghana is out of the race for the Africa Cup, but otherwise, how is he doing?
“I only recently joined as a consultant; Otto has been here longer; it’s no easy task, although the talents are here; one has to get quite a bit done first, but I think he’s been doing well so far; the approaches are already there.”
What are the qualification chances for the World Cup in the USA?
“We are first in the group with a three-point lead over Comoros, Mali, and Madagascar; we can qualify with that. The team had a tough time, not winning six times and playing many games to a draw. I was able to bring my routine into it. Some things come only from routine, as I have experienced multiple times in Cameroon, among others. You can tell we have good players here from big clubs like Arsenal and West Ham United, and we will be able to achieve quite a bit with them.”
You were also Jamaica’s coach, who was here for the tournament. How does it feel for you to meet the Reggae Boyz here again?
“Saturday is the final match, and they will face Nigeria. Let’s see, Nigeria won’t take them seriously, and they will manage to win the tournament. I will go there again and greet the guys. We celebrated great successes together, and it was a very special time back then. We became Caribbean champions, beat the USA, and reached the final in the Gold Cup; it was a great time. I’m looking forward to the guys.”
Which are some talents we should pay attention to from Ghana in this tournament?
“There are 10-12 under contract in Europe; among them are Gideon Mensah, who is at Auxerre, Stephane Ambrosius at St. Gallen, Ebenezer Anan, who plays for Red Star Belgrade, and Brandon Asante at Coventry City. What I like here is that the team has talent in everything. I experienced some shortcomings in Cameroon, such as long passes and shooting deficiencies, but the guys here have qualities that you can work with.”
You have coached Cameroon and are now with Ghana as Technical Director; how would you rate the overall quality of African teams currently?
“If you look around in Europe, many good players can play for African teams. Talents like Lamine Yamal or Ansu Fati at Barcelona are outstanding, and more and more talents are coming up from the youth ranks. It’s also the style of play being adopted today. If we’re not careful, two African teams could soon be in the World Cup final. It could happen sooner than you think.”
Let’s move on to the Bundesliga; Erik Ten Hag is the new coach of Bayer 04. What do you think he can achieve in Leverkusen? Can he reconnect with great success again?
“Xabi Alonso was, of course, an exceptional talent; he had a unique touch, and he was at the centre of the team. Whenever a goal was scored, all the players automatically went to the coach. Even when there was a failure, Alonso was always at the centre, which shows that he did everything right. However, many players from Leverkusen are leaving now, and that won’t make things any easier.”
A Dutchman, Peter Bosz, was once a coach at Leverkusen. Is that a good omen for success?
“Peter Bosz and Leverkusen worked exceptionally well together; after all, they reached the cup final, even if it wasn’t for too long, I mean, one and a half years. Bayer 04 is a special club; it has strong corporate backing and is well-managed. They have everything; they lack nothing, and the conditions for success are there. They don’t need a sponsor, which is a significant advantage.”
What was unique about the playing style that Xabi Alonso had Leverkusen adopt?
“Xabi Alonso has, to a certain extent, allowed his players to make their own decisions, and it has worked in contrast to other coaches, such as Thomas Tuchel, for example, who is sometimes misunderstood. Let’s see how Erik Ten Hag is received; I wish him that.”
You have coached in the Bundesliga for many decades, including with the current 2. Bundesliga club, Karlsruher SC, with whom you reached the DFB Pokal final in 1996, and VfB Stuttgart, and you also made over 400 appearances in the Bundesliga yourself. In this context, you saw how Bayer 04 repeatedly slipped past the title without winning it. How did you experience the championship title win in 23/24?
“Of course, I did, and I was also very happy for Leverkusen; why shouldn’t one be happy? They have waited long enough for it, and it was nice how they managed it.”
You are considered a legend among coaches and have been travelling the world since 1982, including in Iran, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Dubai, and Qatar. You have also reached an age where many think about retirement. What drives you to continue seeking success?
“It always brings me joy; that’s the main thing. I sit a bit higher in the stands like Hennes Weisweiler used to, not on the bench, and I don’t bear the primary responsibility, but I can still intervene. I talk to the coach, in this case Otto, and I help him with it. He has to decide, but based on my routine, I can also help him, and if it helps, that’s so much better.”
Winfried Schäfer is a former midfielder, part of the great Fohlenelf, the Borussia Mönchengladbach team under manager Hennes Weissweiler, which won the German championship three times and the UEFA Cup between 1969 to 1975. He was also a winner of the DFB Cup with Kickers Offenbach in 1970.
Since 1982, a coach, now 75 years old, led Karlsruher SC to second place in the 2. Bundesliga in 1987, and reached the German Cup final in 1996. As the national coach of Cameroon, he won the Africa Cup in 2002. In the United Arab Emirates, the coach born in Mayen won the championship in 2006 with Al Ahli and the national cup, the UAE President’s Cup, with Al Ain. A globetrotter, Schäfer also coached in Azerbaijan, Iran, Jamaica, Qatar, and Thailand, among other countries.
Since January, Winfried Schäfer has served as the Sporting Director, alongside former Hamburger SV and Borussia Dortmund midfielder and technical coach, Otto Addo, at the four-time African champions, Ghana.
Ghana are taking part in the Unity Cup 2025 alongside Jamaica, Nigeria, and Trinidad & Tobago at Brentford FC between 27-31 May 2025.
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