The 75th edition of the Otten Innovation Cup fizzled out for PSV. After two days of fresh football and strong results, the team suffered heavy defeats today in both the semi-final and the consolation final. We looked back on the tournament and his team's performance with PSV coach Vincent Heilmann.
Young squad
'We shouldn’t forget that we reached the semi-finals with a very young group. For example, we played against AS Monaco, who fielded much older players. So the level of opposition was much higher than usual. In that sense, this outcome is understandable, and it shows that we’re still very young. Small mistakes get punished. So yes, today’s result is disappointing, but on the other hand, we mustn’t lose sight of where we came from. We made it all the way to the semi-finals with a young squad.'
Squad Rotation
With five matches in three days, the physical demands on the players were high. Heilmann explains: 'You’re constantly evaluating which players can make an impact at which moment. Who are your true starters, and who are more finishers? As a coach, you can use that to your advantage for the rest of the season—especially in Youth League matches, which are real tournament-style football, but also in league games. And we have to remember: this is part of our preseason. That’s why we rotate deliberately—we want everyone to stay involved. That way, we can keep the intensity high. If we play the full match with the same group, we simply can’t sustain it at the moment. That’s something we all need to work on physically.'
Unbeaten Run Ends
Vincent Heilmann has built an impressive track record at the Otten Innovation Cup. When asked about it, he says: 'As a player and coach, I had never lost a match here until today. We won the last two editions. That streak of 17 matches has now come to an end. But it’s not about me—it’s about the boys and the club. I really wanted them to lift the trophy.'
Reflecting on the semi-final, Heilmann points out how small details can make a big difference: 'You saw it in that match against Monaco. I truly believe we should’ve been awarded a penalty at 0–0. That would’ve put us ahead and changed the game. But the most important thing is that we learn from this. We shouldn’t focus solely on the result, because I think we played better football this tournament than in the last two years—yet we won it back then. In the end, results do matter, so we have to learn from them.'
Consolation Final
A consolation final is never an easy match, but Heilmann believes the players can still be motivated for it: 'In our last match, all the boys who had played less during the tournament got minutes. We have a squad of over 25 players. So if you don’t deliver what’s expected, there’s always someone ready to take your spot. I always say: ‘Don’t give the coach a stick to beat you with. Show your best side, prepare at your highest level, and be ready when your moment comes.’ But we mustn’t forget we’re all human, and there’s a different kind of tension and emotion involved than in a final. That’s perfectly natural.'
Development
The Otten Innovation Cup featured teams from eight different countries, each with their own style. We asked Heilmann if he takes anything from that into his own squad. He’s clear: 'As a coach, I strongly believe in doing one thing really well. Every team, club, or country has its own identity. Atlético Madrid, for example, defends brilliantly and plays with great intensity, but they’re less strong in possession. We need to focus on our own style—dominant on the ball and pressing high. What we can learn from other teams is how they handle one-on-one situations at the back. That’s an area where we have a lot of room for improvement. But it’s better to make those mistakes now than later in the season.'
He continues: 'I believe you have to do everything you can to maximize development. And I’d say: the learning process for the boys really starts now, after this tournament. Everyone heads home today, and tomorrow we’ll reflect and analyze—one-on-one and in small groups, using video and physical data. Then we’ll look at how each player can take the next step in their development, both as a team and as individuals. Development and winning go hand in hand. And you can’t separate team and individual—without individuals, there’s no team, and without a team, there’s no individual. That’s a great challenge for us as coaches.'