Podolski criticizes early youth development:

'It's completely crazy and sick!' By Rune Gjerulff

Lukas Podolski has expressed concern about the way young footballers are being trained today.

Lukas Podolski. Photo: © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Former German international Lukas Podolski believes young footballers are treated as professionals at a much too early age today.





The 33-year-old says he's happy that he grew up at a time when kids weren't trained as if they were professionals from the age of seven.



"I'm glad that I grew up on the streets and the playing fields. Things are different today. Children are already trained like professionals at the age of seven, eight, nine, 10. What is being organized by the coaches is completely crazy and sick," Podolski told Bild and went on to take a swipe at the parents:



"Everyone thinks his son is the next Podolski, Messi or Ronaldo and that he has to become a professional."



Podolski started his career at FC Köln and today plays for Vissel Kobe in Japan.





