Pyramid Passion Is Driving Kutrieb's New Fleet Forward

Ebbsfleet United’s new manager is hardly short of inspiration from his homeland since his plane touched down.

Countryman Jurgen Klopp created history weeks after he arrived by taking Liverpool to their first Premier League title.

Then exactly one week ago Bayern Munich ruled Europe, winning every single game on their way to being crowned Champions League winners in Lisbon under the stewardship of compatriot Hans-Dieter Flick.

There’s little they seem to get wrong in German football, it appears.

But the 40-year-old doesn’t quite see it totally the same as those envious English eyes.

Kutrieb arrives at the Kufflink Stadium from Tennis Borussia Berlin, who were topping the table of Germany’s fifth tier NOFV-Oberliga Nord League in March when the coronavirus brought the curtain down on the season.

The closed-shop league system is a big problem for the highly-rated coach, so much so that he feels he had to move to earn greater standing within the game.

With the interconnected leagues run in a hierarchical system, progress isn’t straight forward.

In the latest of our special summer features, he explained why the English Pyramid and the people’s passion for the sport here is something the country should be proud of.

“In Germany and other countries we say England is the motherland of football,” he told the National League’s Oliver Osborn in a Zoom chat.

“You can see football is number one. The first weeks here I saw this, even when I have lunch they want to talk football! Everyone wants to discuss it and that is a special thing.

“It’s a bit like a circle in Germany, but in England it is different. I see people and clubs moving into higher leagues and in Germany that isn’t really possible.

“When you are a good player and show what you can do this, you have an honest chance to be more successful - that is a big point for English football.

“It feels a bit more honest, but for me I am here and want to be here. We want to achieve big things together at Ebbsfleet.”

Leading German football publication Kicker recently handed Kutrieb the title of ‘Erfolgstrainer’ - a rare honour saved for the country’s brightest bosses across all divisions.

Now he follows Klopp and Norwich City’s Daniel Farke and becomes one of the few Germans currently managing in English football.

“It’s really amazing when Bayern Munich did with the treble and what Jurgen Klopp did with Liverpool, incredible.

“It’s aggressive and powerful football. They scored so many goals.

“It’s a little bit too much to say I want to adapt things from them, but especially Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp.

“It could be the reason I am sitting here now. They could think because I am a German manager they want the same success as the others. I can’t promise that football, but it will be a great project for us.

“When you come to a new country you do need to have time - it’s not just the language, it’s driving your car on the other side of the road!

“I have noticed I am tired at the end of the day. When I talk I have to really concentrate, and when I drive my car I have to really concentrate.

“I am using a lot of energy on these things in the first few weeks, but I am very excited and we are all looking forward to football returning.”

It’s a return to the National League South for the Fleet next term, and a summer of solid signings sees them high up in tipster’s pre-season thoughts.

No fewer than 15 new players have signed up, with Marvel Ekpiteta the latest on Friday, returning after a productive loan spell last term.

Adam Mekki is also back, with winger Bobby-Joe Taylor joining midfielder James Dobson and Iffy Allen on board also.

He wants them all to respect how lucky they are to pull on their boots for a living.

“It was easy for me to say yes,” he adds. “I got an email from the club asking me to become the new manager - we had a few chats and I had a good gut feeling for it.

“I came over at the beginning of June and we have a good squad together and everyone wants to work hard.

“It’s a big plan. You have to have the right characters. If I haven’t got the right players, I can’t enjoy my job! We all have to love what we do, it’s the best career in the world.

“They have a really, really good job - we have to stay tight together as a team and remember our fortune to be in football.

“You need different things to be successful. You don’t only need a good team or players. I am not a manager who wants to play one system or one formation.

“We will always be well prepared. It’s very important to be able to adapt to different things. It’s not about doing one thing. We hope to show everyone what we are capable of when the season begins.”