Hjulmand not a slave to success at Leverkusen: 'I don't need this job'

Hjulmand took charge of the Werkself after the second matchday

Coach Kaspar Hjulmand sees the special team spirit as a key factor in Bayer Leverkusen’s recent upswing. “Football is a team sport, leadership is a team sport, life is a team sport. To develop yourself in the best possible way, you need a good environment, a family-like atmosphere,” the Dane says in the Christmas edition of the KF6lner Stadt-Anzeiger. “The better the environment you live in, the greater your chances of personal development.”

Accordingly, after taking over at the club on the Rhine, he tried to “create an atmosphere where we have a strong sense of togetherness that gives everyone a foundation for growth,” Hjulmand explained. “We provide a framework with a football philosophy that everyone should internalize, so that everyone knows what is expected of them in their role to make the team work. If that works, everyone looks better individually as well.”

He shares this mindset with the club’s management in Leverkusen. “They know me, they know my values, they know how I think about football, how I lead people, how I develop football teams,” said the 53-year-old. “That’s so important for my work. I’m too old to try to convince people in the football business. It’s not worth it to me. To be honest: I don’t need this job, I could do other things with my life.”

But he joined Bayer “because it’s an interesting club that wants to achieve great things with a fantastic team spirit,” Hjulmand said. “Bayer 04 is dreaming big. I like that. And the club gives you the feeling that we all want to achieve this together.” Hjulmand took over the job in Leverkusen after the second matchday, and the Werkself are now spending the winter break in third place.