Schalke youngster Julian Draxler got his vocational diploma (Fachabitur) yesterday. Despite Felix Magath originally trying to persuade him to leave school and concentrate fully on his football career, the big wigs from the DFB (sic!) and a couple more people convinced Julian Draxler it would be better to complete school first before only playing football. With the Fachabitur, Julian Draxler would be allowed to study at a university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) among other things. Congrats!

http://www.schalke04.de/aktuell/news/einzelansicht/artikel/schools-out-julian-draxler-erhaelt-das-fachabitur.html

Wow, nicely Done. Congrats!

Magath furthering his status as an absolute douche. He's got a lot of nerve trying convince this guy not to complete his education. That's scummy as hell imo. Gratz and kudos on Draxler for not listening to him. He's going to be a much better person because of it now.

McLewis wrote:Magath furthering his status as an absolute douche. He's got a lot of nerve trying convince this guy not to complete his education. That's scummy as hell imo. Gratz and kudos on Draxler for not listening to him. He's going to be a much better person because of it now.

Indeed. Well, when that Magath comment was published, it caused quite an upset in Germany and a lot of people including the minister for education got their say, and practially all of them urging Julian Draxler not to listen to Magath.

Most football clubs in Germany actually have cooperations with schools in their vicinity to give the young players the chance to complete their education parallel to their training. SC Freiburg even demands the school certificates of their young players and if their marks are not good enough, they get less training, but additional private lessons. The school in Gelsenkirchen that Julian Draxler visited has such cooperation, too. The headmaster of the school even said: "And if the young athletes are in Namibia in a training camp, then they have to write their exams in Namibia." But they have to write them anyway ^^

I remember thinking it was weird by Magath at the time already. It's not like a young athlete has zero time to finish school, in fact most pros in Germany do it, and basically all footballing academies got partnerships with schools, so it literally is no problem.
On the other hand, who cares, Magath gave his opinion, and we can probably all expect Draxler to be a millionaire either way.

A millionaire with a good education though. It's something I see a lot here in the US, that's why it tweeked a nerve with me. We're a country where sports stars are not openly lobbied by guys of Magath's ilk to shirk school and just play sports, but they are enticed from completing their education by the decadence of what it is to be a sports star, whether it's at college level or pro level. Basically, who's gonna care about a 2-hour exam when you're getting a sports car and a big house for your whole family thrown in front of you by some mega rich team or college, it's that type of scenario essentially.

Bottom line is not enough of these guys make the right decision in that situation so it's great to see that a youngster like Draxler actually did.

In the age we live in now, with all the globalization and the internet and with the money these guys make in their prime years, there is actually no need to go for a degree unless you are interested in it.

There are several avenues to make money if you are a little sensible in your approach.

But kudos to him for doing this anyway.

I think basically all youngsters here do it, that's why I just thought Magath was weird, not starting a controversy

kiranr wrote:In the age we live in now, with all the globalization and the internet and with the money these guys make in their prime years, there is actually no need to go for a degree unless you are interested in it.

There are several avenues to make money if you are a little sensible in your approach.

But kudos to him for doing this anyway.

Well, the problem is more that for one Julian Draxler who makes it, there are probably 100 others who fail to become a well-earning pro. And if these would have thrown school, they'd be in for welfare afterwards (in Germany there are practically no good opportunities for people who didn't complete school education as every company here demands the proper papers). And there were lots of former football players who didn't get any job afterwards, so nowadays the football clubs are very strict about seeing to it that the players get a proper education.

Who cares, Education or no Education, he's a rich professional, that alone is sufficient for most of the things he needs in life and how to overcome problems, nevertheless congrats.


In my honest opinion, I wouldn't bother about University if I was a natural skilled footballer, I mean what's the point.?

I'd still at least try to get my Abitur even if I was a pro, to be honest. But that's not about needing them, it's about perspective.

You just do, indeed, learn a lot at school, even if it's just every day life with people your age, those are valuable experiences, too.

And sniffing a little University air never hurt anyone, I even voluntarily went back for a second round.

A guy like Draxler really doesn't need it, though, he's 18 and probably already a millionaire. Even if he gets injured now, he can just see out his contract, and if he isn't stupid with his money, he'd never need to work again.

VivaStPauli wrote:I'd still at least try to get my Abitur even if I was a pro, to be honest. But that's not about needing them, it's about perspective.

You just do, indeed, learn a lot at school, even if it's just every day life with people your age, those are valuable experiences, too.

And sniffing a little University air never hurt anyone, I even voluntarily went back for a second round.

Soon the days of University will soon come to an end, mark my words. (although we'll be far dead by then)


and I can't be bothered to explain the reason why.



Yeah, he can also learn a lot in Schalke 04 academy, even on and off the football pitch and he can apply this to his everyday life as well.

My university is 626 years old, I reckon it'll survive another couple decades TBH.

rwo power wrote:

kiranr wrote:In the age we live in now, with all the globalization and the internet and with the money these guys make in their prime years, there is actually no need to go for a degree unless you are interested in it.

There are several avenues to make money if you are a little sensible in your approach.

But kudos to him for doing this anyway.

Well, the problem is more that for one Julian Draxler who makes it, there are probably 100 others who fail to become a well-earning pro. And if these would have thrown school, they'd be in for welfare afterwards (in Germany there are practically no good opportunities for people who didn't complete school education as every company here demands the proper papers). And there were lots of former football players who didn't get any job afterwards, so nowadays the football clubs are very strict about seeing to it that the players get a proper education.

Yeah, that is true Rwo. I agree. But i just feel that it is not very difficult to get a degree later on if you don't make it as a pro-footballer. You need to be sensible and you need to put in effort, but there won't be many other obstacles i feel.

Nevertheless, this model is far better than what i am saying in any case. So, it is good that the young German athletes do this. I hope every country follows this model too.

Coach Carter

Fantastic player. No need for him to do the diploma because he will certainly be at the top for years.

Good on him for getting his diploma. I would've done the same if I were him.

kiranr wrote:Yeah, that is true Rwo. I agree. But i just feel that it is not very difficult to get a degree later on if you don't make it as a pro-footballer. You need to be sensible and you need to put in effort, but there won't be many other obstacles i feel.

Nevertheless, this model is far better than what i am saying in any case. So, it is good that the young German athletes do this. I hope every country follows this model too.

Actually in the sports school the young athletes usually are not only educated in the normal school subjects. I recently saw a documentation on this, and the kids also get classes in how to deal with media, rhetoric and similar stuff. Ever wondered why the average German player usually is more coherent in interviews than quite some players who didn't go through Bundesliga academies?

Hehe. Goal.com just published the "news" now, too: http://www.goal.com/en/news/15/germany/2012/07/07/3226933/schalkes-teen-sensation-draxler-finishes-high-school