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One of the defining characteristics of Bayern Munich as a club is that they take care of their own. They've given Breno a coaching job after years in prison following his ill fated transfer to Bayern. They've stuck by Uli Hoeness after 3 decades of service. Those are just two recent examples of how far they go for their club. Today, we can add one more example to that list
So, when Steven Ribery quit football at the age of 17 after playing for the RC Lens and Stade Portelois youth systems, his career as a professional was probably over. Even his elder brother, Bayern Munich journeyman, UEFA Player of the Year, and BalLon d'Or favorite commented that he probably was not in the right place mentally and had given up on the game. Now two years later, the Frenchmen most likely has his big brother's years of service and the culture of Bayern Munich to thank as he once again gets to experience life a footballer. And Franck Ribery's insistence that his brother give it one more shot.
The 19-year-old is currently training with the Bayern Munich U19 youth team , following a successful training regimen over the late summer, and has been described as being being technically proficient, and a player who loves to have the ball at his feet.
The real question though is whether or not the 19 year old can create a career for himself at the level of a club like Bayern Munich as Franck Ribery said:
Franck sieht es so: "Ich möchte, dass er Erfolg hat. Auf welchem Niveau, wird sich zeigen. Aber er hat Qualität."
Translated (via Google Translate):
Franck sees it this way: "I want him to succeed at what level remains to be seen, but he has quality..."
Even if this amounts to nothing on the pitch, the actions of the Bayern Munich front office speak volumes about their dedication to their players, their personnel, and their organization. Steven Ribery's trial provides us with one more piece of evidence on the pile.