The rise of Alphonso Davies under Hans-Dieter Flick is an inspirational story. Flick transformed Davies from raw talent to a global superstar and showed a masterclass in player development. It’s a transformation Barca should study closely and must take notes from. Let’s discuss how the German crafted a 19-year-old into an €80 gem.
Flick Re-invented Alphonso Davies at Bayern
Alphonso Davies was originally a left winger. He played this position at Vancouver FC. But when he joined Bayern, Flick shifted him to a marauding left-back. It turned out to be a tactical reinvention for the Canadian because Flick saw what others did not.
Hansi Flick used Davies’ blistering pace and versatility as a weapon. He unleashed him as a hybrid defender wingback. In transitions, Davies turned defense into attacks with just one surging sprint. Flick’s action initially looked like a gamble but is now remembered as a career-defining move for Davies.
Flick’s Coaching & Trusting the Process
Hansi Flick’s coaching style not only tactically developed players but also psychologically improved them. He handed Davies the keys to Bayern’s left side. Davies was given a completely free role, no restrictions, just a natural game. He made him learn from his mistakes and embrace them as fuel for growth.
And thus, by trusting the process, the Canadian thrived in the left-back role. He not just thrived; he reached heights of success and established himself as a football superstar in his teenage years. Keep in mind he was a left-back, and it’s extremely tough in modern football to make your mark so young that, too, being a defender.
Davies’s Example: What Barca Needs to Learn
Alphonso Davies’s rise under Flick was not luck but a systematic process. Flick’s Bayern was a machine in explosive transitions. The fullbacks overlapped, and vertical passing lanes turned the Canadian into a total cheat code. Flick has somewhat replicated this system here at Barca, but he perfected this system at Bayern.
Young Barca players should keep Flick’s Bayern as an example. See how he turned good players into superstars and veterans into the world’s best. Especially Balde should learn from Davies’ example. The Barca left-back also has similar potential and can become a superstar like Davies; all he needs to do is trust the process, work hard, and leave the rest to Flick ball.