Women

Going into new season with optimism

Ralf Kellermann, director of women’s football at VfL Wolfsburg, on expectations for the 2023/24 season and changes in the transfer market.

VfL Wolfsburg Women are heading into the final stage of pre-season. A few days before the beginning of the training camp in Harsewinkel, Ralf Kellermann, director of women’s football, speaks in an interview about goals for the forthcoming campaign and VfL’s transfer policy.

Ralf Kellermann, what expectations and feelings are you taking into the new season?

Ralf Kellermann: “I’m very optimistic that we’ll start the season well and immediately produce our qualities on the pitch. The spine of the team – with the exception of Jill Roord – has stayed together. We’ve also brought in new players who are really pushing. The competition for places will be high and that’s exactly what we wanted to achieve.“

What’s the objective for this season?

Kellermann: “We want to be Bundesliga champions. The clear objective with this team must be to compete for titles. One advantage is the physical rest that the players have had as a result of Germany’s early exit from the World Cup – as disappointing as that was.”

Ein Gruppenbild der Neuzugänge vom VfL Wolfsburg mit Stroot und Kellermann.

In countries like England and Spain, there’s heavy investment in women’s football at the moment. To what extent is that having an impact on VfL Wolfsburg’s transfer strategy?

Kellermann: “Because of our success in recent years, we have to be prepared for the fact that other clubs will be interested in our players despite them being under contract. That’s why we try to agree early extensions with sought-after players. However, we’re a long way from having to sell players for financial reasons. But the issue of transfers of players whose contracts aren’t expiring will become quite normal, as it is in the men’s game.”

On the one hand players are becoming more sought-after, on the other it’s becoming more difficult to sign good ones. Is it therefore an option for VfL to look beyond Europe for talent, for example in Asia or South America?

Kellermann: “Yes, we have to think globally. It’s been well known for a long time that the training is good in Asia, and especially in Japan. Now South America has come into the equation. If you look at how, for example, Colombia performed at the World Cup, then you should be looking at this market. There’s no harm in building up a good network there, also because I think that those players are a good fit for us in terms of mentality.”