In football, we spend a lot of time talking about transfers. About winners and losers in the transfer market. But perhaps the most important competition is taking place somewhere else. Why do some clubs consistently develop players into internationals and multi-million euro transfers—even though they can't compete financially with the biggest clubs? My experiences as Head Coach at Cercle Brugge and LASK fundamentally changed the way I think about that question.

This column examines how we judge coaches in football. Triggered by the public debate around Julian Nagelsmann, it asks a fundamental question: What standards should we use to evaluate a coach's work? Rather than focusing solely on results or public perception, the column explores responsibility, decision-making and the difference between visible activity and real coaching performance.

Did Thomas Tuchel really get it wrong? This tactical analysis argues that England's defeat cannot be explained by substitutions alone. Using match footage, it examines how Argentina repeatedly created new tactical problems - and why Tuchel's adjustments were understandable attempts to solve them. A perspective on coaching decisions, structures, and the difference between analysing results and analysing the game.