Overview

• He officially took over the role of director at VfL Bochum’s Nachwuchsleistungszentrum on June 19, 2025.
• He brings over a decade of youth development leadership from stints at VfL Wolfsburg and from 2021 to 2023 at Hertha BSC.
• His mandate includes building sustainable structures and fast-tracking homegrown talents from the U9 to U21 levels into the professional squad.
• Sports director Dirk Dufner highlighted Thiam’s broad network and expertise as key to elevating the club’s talent pipeline.
• Thiam returns after a two-year sabbatical and reunites with coach Dieter Hecking, with whom he previously collaborated at Wolfsburg.