Toni Kroos on why management role is ruled out, leaves door open to becoming sporting director | OneFootball

Real Madrid and Germany legend Toni Kroos has a vision and understanding of the game that few can rival, but the 34-year-old will not transition into a coaching role after retiring this summer. He is not shutting the door entirely on holding a role in the professional game though.

The iconic midfielder will be passing on his knowledge in some capacity, having started up a football academy in Madrid, something he says he has only missed three or four days of since he came back from the Euros. The idea of management did not attract him though, as he explained to The Athletic.

“No, I’m not going to be a coach,” he said, adding ‘No’ when he was asked if he would consider it at all.”

Kroos gave some insight into why the idea did not attract him too, reasoning why he would not consider even coaching, even if Carlo Ancelotti asked him to be part of his staff.

“No, that’s impossible. Whenever he wants, I will always give him my opinion. But he knows why I retired. An important part of it is the amount of travel, hotels, etc. It’s never been the 90 minutes on the pitch. If that’s all it was, I could play until I don’t know when. Sometimes he and I are in contact, it’s normal with the relationship we have, but Carlo knows there’s no point in even asking me because he knows the answer.”

“A day at Valdebebas (Madrid’s training ground) is even more difficult as a coach than as a player. As a player you come, you do your job and you go home. As a coach, you are responsible for everyone, the first to come and the last to leave, you also have all this travel… I see myself well in the academy.”

He did leave the door open to becoming a sporting director, without sounding especially keen.

“Maybe as a sporting director, you’re a bit freer, you work more with your mobile phone, etc, but it’s impossible to be a coach. I’m a coach, but in another way, of many children.”

Kroos has admitted that he never lived his life in the same fashion as those who were optimising every last meal for peformance, and is enjoying playing tennis and spending time with his children, without the hectic schedule of the football calendar. Retiring earlier than many of his colleagues, most notably Luka Modric, it would be no surprise if the schedule sees the top-level players call it a day earlier, or at least move to less demanding leagues down the line.