DW: Mr. Bosz, football in Germany is often still defined by its aggressiveness and physicality. How do you like the way football is played in the Bundesliga?

Peter Bosz: I like the football in Germany. The atmosphere in the stadiums is always good. When you talk about aggressiveness and physicality, you have to say: that's where it all starts. That is the foundation, but it is not the end all be all. Players need a professional attitude, without which you cannot win any games. But there is so much more.

What do players still need?

The players need to have good technique. Without proper technique, you can't do what I want to see as a coach. Of course, success is always in the foreground, and you can achieve it in different ways. All roads lead to Rome. My approach is attacking football with a compact defense. With this playing style, I want to entertain the fans in the stadium. People should see a great game. When I go home, I should say: "Wow, that was exciting." But we also need to win matches; that is most important.

That means, because of your courageous playing style, you accept your team will sometimes concede goals?

When we execute the proper playing style — play compact going forward and in defense — then we will concede very few shots on goal and therefore fewer goals. The team proved in the second half of last season that that works. In contrast to the first half of the season, we not only scored 17 more goals but also conceded six fewer. But it's true: If we do not implement our plan correctly, then there is a lot of space behind our defense that opponents like to use. But even with defensive tactics, you can concede a lot of goals.

Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz (left) and midfielder Kai Havertz (right) celebrate the club's qualification for the Champions League

You were yourself a defensive midfielder. Why do you prefer attacking football so much?

That's connected with emotions. I like to watch teams where something happens. Playing wide, playing backward, only playing long passes, that doesn't belong to the football that I love. I want to cheer when I watch football. It should be fun to watch. That also is why I try to let my team play in a way that the fans like.

You are a former Dutch international. If you could bend time, would you the coach select Bosz the player?

No. My quality [as a player] was not good enough for the football I like to see [as a coach].

Are defensive players even noticed in the Netherlands?

In Holland, we only really have Ajax. There, the style of play always is becoming more attacking. All the other teams are compact in the back. However, often they defend with many young players that are not even 20-years-old yet. That's why it may not look as physical as it does in Germany.

Why is only Ajax able to play this way?

That is because the players in the youth ranks play from the back, press high and [want to put teams under pressure]. That is the club's philosophy. They also have not only the best players but also the most money. They are clever.

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In Germany, there are complaints that there are hardly any street footballers with exceptional technical skills left. Do you miss, perhaps with the exception of Kai Havertz, this type of player too?

There are always these types of players but you can't be afraid of using them because they work a bit more unstructured than their peers. Kai is not, but most of the others are. That was also an issue in Holland. Back then, when I was still playing on the streets, parents said that these types of players don't exist anymore. Perhaps maybe we coaches have also changed. When I drive through the streets, I still see boys that are playing in the street. They still exist.

You spoke with Johan Cryuff for a week about football shortly before he died of cancer. What did you take away from these conversations?

Johan was a man who always thought and behaved independently, who had no fear and followed his path — even though there were setbacks. He was courageous, and he loved football and good players. I also go my way, which I believe in and of which I am convinced. I don't believe that you can be successful in the long run if you are constantly changing directions.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid to Bayern Munich) Bayern made Hernandez the Bundesliga's record signing by splashing out €80 million ($89.7 million) for the versatile center-back, who will also provide cover for David Alaba. A powerful defender with plenty of room to grow, the 23-year-old is one of two members from France's World Cup winning side in 2018 set to join the club this summer…

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart to Bayern Munich) …the other is fellow 23-year-old Pavard, who already has over 60 Bundesliga appearances to his name. After the triumph in Russia, it was clear the Frenchman was destined for bigger things and, while other sides were interested, Pavard claimed "Bayern were the only ones for me". €35 million ($39.2 million) looks to be an absolute bargain.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Kerem Demirbay (Hoffenheim to Bayer Leverkusen) With Julian Nagelsmann Leipzig-bound, Hoffenheim are also set to lose a key figurehead on the pitch. Demirbay has come on leaps and bounds since moving to Sinsheim in 2016, having a hand in 38 goals (12 goals & 26 assists) in 87 appearances in all competitions, and wants to take the next step in Leverkusen with a view to adding to his 2 caps for the German national team.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Luan Candido (Palmeiras to RB Leipzig) A player that had caught the interest of Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund among others, 18-year-old Candido (right) has been touted as one of the hottest defensive talents in Brazil. A left-back trade with 8 appearances for Brazil's Under-20s to his name, Leipzig kept tabs on Candido for "half a year" before making the move to bring him to Saxony.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Hannes Wolf (RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig) Wolf (center) boasts a wealth of experience and title-winning exploits that would be the envy of most players his age. A three time Austrian champion and a UEFA Youth League winner, the 20-year-old felt it was "time to take the next step". Since 2012, Wolf is the 18th player to move from Salzburg to sister club Leipzig, who wrapped up the transfer back in December.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Filip Kostic (Hamburg to Eintracht Frankfurt) After being relegated with Stuttgart in 2016 and Hamburg in 2018, few would have expected Kostic to be a contender for 'signing of the season' when he joined Frankfurt on a two-year loan deal. The Serb has been a revelation in Adi Hütter's system, playing in 45 of a possible 49 games in all competitions, making Eintracht's decision to trigger the buy-ou clause a no brainer.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Kevin Mbabu (Young Boys Bern to Wolfsburg) With Paul Verhaegh leaving and reinforcements needed at right-back, Wolfsburg turned to four-time Switzerland international Mbabu (right). The 24-year-old, formerly on the books at Premier League outfit Newcastle, has featured in the Champions League and won back-to-back titles since making his loan move to Young Boys permanent in 2017.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Joao Victor (Linzer ASK to Wolfsburg) With Oliver Glasner taking over as head coach in the summer, Wolfsburg have brought in one of the key members of his LASK side with Joao Victor making the move to Northern Germany. The 25-year-old Brazilian has had a hand in 31 goals (19 goals & 12 assists) in 33 games for the Austrian side in the current campaign.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Ihlas Bebou (Hannover to Hoffenheim) Heavily linked with a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach, there was a surprise twist in the tale for Bebou when it was announced he had signed a contract until 2023 with Hoffenheim. The 25-year-old forward, who has 41 Bundesliga outings to his name, scored four goals and laid on three assists, but was limited to just 11 appearances due to torn thigh tendons.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Konstantinos Stafylidis (Augsburg to Hoffenheim) With Germany international Nico Schulz reportedly set to leave the club, Hoffenheim have snapped up Augsburg's Stafylidis (right) to provide cover. The Greek left-back only made one appearance before Christmas, but has made nine starts in the second half of the season and is now "eagerly anticipating then chance to prove myself in this incredible environment" with 1899.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Sargis Adamyan (Jahn Regensburg to Hoffenheim) Hoffenheim triggered a release clause to make Adamyan (left) their first signing of the summer with sporting director Alexander Rosen referring to him as a "very exciting player". An international teammate of former Borussia Dortmund star Henrikh Mkhitaryan with Armenia, the 25-year-old has been in blistering form this season grabbing 15 goals and 11 assists in the 2. Bundesliga

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Benjamin Goller (Schalke II to Werder Bremen) Goller (center) first came to the attention of Bundesliga fans in December when he made his professional debut for Schalke, starting in their must-win UEFA Champions League group game against Lokomotiv Moskva. The winger hasn't featured for the Royal Blues since and, as a result, has sought out regular first-team football with a move to Bremen.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Niclas Füllkrug (Hannover to Werder Bremen) A product of Bremen's academy, Füllkrug (right) is set to return just under five years since he left to join Nuremberg. The striker's 14 goals helped Hannover survive the 2017/18 campaign, but cartilage damage in his knee restricted him to just 14 games and two goals this season. Nevertheless, Werder were willing to take the risk.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Dong-Won Ji (Augsburg to Mainz) Ji (2nd from left) has been bouncing around the Bundesliga since joining Augsburg from Sunderland in 2013 and, after spells with Dortmund and Darmstadt, will make Mainz his fourth different station in Germany. The South Korean is still only 27 and, while he may not be the most prolific striker, he has a real penchant for scoring important goals. Just ask BVB.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Dedryck Boyata (Celtic to Hertha Berlin) The 28-year-old Belgian defender moves on a free to the capital, signing a deal until 2022. Business manager Michael Preetz said Boyata had been a target for some time. The Belgian joins having won eight trophies with Celtic, and a year after being part of Belgium's World Cup squad. Hertha also announced that captain Vedad Ibisevic had extended his contract for another year.

Bundesliga Transfers: Deals done for 2019 Other done deals Omen Hanin (Hapoel Hadera to Mainz), Atakan Karazor (pictured, Holstein Kiel to VfB Stuttgart), Mateo Klimowicz (Instituto AC Cordoba to VfB Stuttgart), Florian Kastenmeier (Stuttgart II to Fortuna Düsseldorf), Thomas Pledl (Ingolstadt to Fortuna Düsseldorf), Julian Krahl (Leipzig to Cologne), Kingsley Schindler (Holstein Kiel to Cologne) Author: James Thorogood



How has Bayer Leverkusen been successful since you took over as coach?

It starts with the fact that we have good players and a clear idea of how we want to play. We have convinced the players that they can do it. Then the players also are having fun and stand behind [our philosophy]. All players like to have the ball. Sometimes we have 70 per cent of the ball and want to play forward. If the players are having fun, then most of the time they are successful, too.

When you were introduced in Leverkusen, you said: "Most people in Germany have not seen the true Peter Bosz yet." What does the true Peter Bosz look like?

I said that because people always remember their last impression — the final minutes of a game, the end of a long football career, the final weeks of my time in Dortmund. We played good football in Dortmund at the beginning and got good results — we were five points in front of Bayern Munich. And I wanted to show that our football also worked over long stretches. In the second half of last season in Leverkusen, it already was better.

Peter Sylvester Bosz, born November 21, 1963, is a Dutch football coach and a former professional footballer. As a player, he played for various clubs in the Netherlands, France, Japan and Germany. He played 14 games in the Bundesliga with Hansa Rostock. After his playing career, he became a coach and worked for various clubs in the Netherlands. In 2016, he was appointed to the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv. After spending time with Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, Bosz was appointed as Bayer Leverkusen's coach in January 2019.

This interview was conducted by Jörg Stroschein.