With Hassan Sulaiman of Chelsea FC, we take a look at the club’s ambitions during the Otten Innovation Cup. Hassan is the head coach of Chelsea’s Under-18 team.
As a coach, how do you reflect on the matches played so far?
“It has been a fantastic tournament: very well organized and extremely competitive. Exactly what we expected, and what we wanted for the boys and for the coaching staff. We’ve brought a very young group with us, and we always knew it was going to be a big challenge – especially because of their age and where they stand physically in their development.
But it has been great because it stretches them tactically, it stretches them technically, and of course, physically it is extremely demanding. In the end, we’ve enjoyed the past two days. It has been tough – we’ve had some close games – and the rules here are very different from what we’re used to. We didn’t have much time to prepare, but we always knew it would be difficult.
We’re very grateful. It has taught us a number of important lessons, both for the group and for individual players – things they will take away and try to implement in their personal development plans, as well as in the development of the team.”
When is this tournament a success for you?
“At Chelsea FC we have a strong reputation for developing players for the Premier League, the Football League, and also for clubs across Europe. Coming to tournaments like this gives the boys a fantastic experience.
We even have some 15-year-olds here, for example in midfield. To ask players of that age to control games against opponents who are 18 or 19 years old means they are giving away three or four years in development. Physically, that is demanding, and cognitively it is a huge challenge. They have to stay sharp mentally and concentrate for long periods of the game. That’s exactly what makes this such a unique experience.”
Today you play your final match for 7th or 8th place. What do you expect?
“Our ambition for this tournament was to live up to some of our Academy values, and we wanted to make sure we achieved that. Ultimately, for us, this tournament is all about learning, learning, and learning again.
So this match will be no different from how we approach any other match. We’ll try to give the players game time, but the main goal is to gain more valuable knowledge. Of course, we have our principles and our playing style, and it’s important to show some really good phases of play in line with that. When we return to England, we want to make sure we can sustain those good phases – both in and out of possession.”
How is your team developing during the tournament? Are there players who stand out?
“You’re trying to get me into trouble! (laughs) I think all the players have done really well, and it would be hard for me to single someone out. Naturally, the focus goes to the youngest players, because the challenge is greatest for them. We have four boys who are only 15 years old. Two of them played in midfield, and for them this was a huge physical and mental test – which is exactly what we want. We want to push them.
Of course, our older players are doing well too, but they are also expected to set the right example. So if I look at the seniors, they’ve shown leadership. If I look at the younger players, it has been an incredible experience for them.”
Overall, how do you view the tournament?
“We’ve really enjoyed this tournament. We feel we’ve collected a lot of useful information, and that’s exactly what we were hoping for at this stage of the season. We’re still in pre-season, and this has been a great way to analyze the group.
Of course, we’d like to finish with a win – because whenever you enter a tournament, you want to win. But if not, there are still a lot of valuable lessons to take away. We can’t lose sight of the bigger picture, which is always to develop professional footballers. If we can produce players for the Premier League or Chelsea’s first team, then we’ve done our job well.”
What do you think of the new rules introduced here?
“I really like the dribbling instead of throw-ins. We had never seen that before, but I think it’s a fun concept. The toughest rule is probably the yellow card rule. That can absolutely kill your game. We learned that in our last group match against Atlético Madrid, where we picked up three yellow cards in just a few minutes. It completely disrupted our momentum and our game plan.
But on the positive side, it forces the players to be disciplined – no silly fouls, no unnecessary challenges, and making sure you keep 11 men on the pitch. From a psychological perspective, I enjoyed it. It keeps the players sharp.”
Would you like to add anything to this interview?
“We’ve really enjoyed our time here in Eindhoven. As a group, we’ve been tested. We’ve had to analyze quickly, prepare for opponents, and adapt. With this age group, it’s rare to get the chance to play in international tournaments because our domestic schedule is so full.
This tournament is well organized, prestigious, and features strong opponents. It was an opportunity we couldn’t turn down. When the invitation came, we thought about it carefully and said: we have to go.”