RB Leipzig coach Uzun critical of his departure and still sees potential

RB Leipzig's outgoing coach Saban Uzun is critical of his departure from the promoted team and would have seen a lot of potential under his leadership. "What we have achieved here, including this season, was development work, a kind of foundation on which you can then build. How can we build the tower higher now? That would have been the next step with me and for me. I would have liked to help shape that," the 37-year-old told the Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper. But only "if the conviction had been there".

The 1:2 draw at SC Freiburg on Sunday was Uzun's last game as RB coach. His contract will not be extended after two years. Sporting director Viola Odebrecht cited different ideas "about the future direction and further development of the team" as the reason for this. Uzun's successor will be Jonas Stephan, who previously coached Eintracht Braunschweig's U19 men's team.

Uzun said that he would not be coaching in the women's Bundesliga next season. The coach sees the difference to the men less in the game itself and more in the implementation, the daily work and the social aspects. "At the how level, you have to understand the nature of women, their minds, their bodies, everything that goes with it," said Uzun. "Women have to go through something every month that men will never know. This has an impact on performance, on emotions."

According to studies, women behave differently in groups than men. Communication is also different. "I always say: you can't persuade women. You have to convince women," said Uzun.