Most top footballers can credit one particular coach with a crucial stage in their development, but the amount who credit German coach Norbert Elgert is incredible.

The 60-year-old Schalke under-19s coach has been in his role since 1996, overseeing the development of a staggering amount of top players.

They include four members of Germany's 2014 World Cup winning squad - Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil, Benedikt Howedes and Julian Draxler.

Neuer lifts the World Cup in 2014 (
Image:
Getty)
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Speaking last year, Elgert said of his former proteges: “Of course I am very happy they won the World Cup.

"But the fact that they are four good, decent men is just as important. You can reach for the stars, yes. But you have to keep your feet on the ground.”

More recently, the likes of Sead Kolasinac, Leroy Sane and Max Meyer have developed under the tutelage of the charismatic coach, and Arsenal defender Kolasinac was full of praise for his former mentor when speaking to the latest edition of the Gunners' official magazine.

Ozil and Kolasinac might not be Arsenal players if it wasn't for Elgert (
Image:
Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Sane is another who benefitted from Elgert's coaching methods (
Image:
PA Wire)

"Norbert Elgert is somebody you need to meet to learn why he has such an impact," said Kolasinac, who joined the Gunners from Schalke in the summer.

"It’s not just Mesut and myself who have benefitted from him, there are lots of players both in the Bundesliga and elsewhere who managed to make the step to becoming a professional because of his help."

With his Schalke contract expiring at the end of this season, there have been rumours in Germany that he could be tempted to joined Bayern Munich's youth setup, and Kolasinac would presumably see that a coup for the Bavarians.

Manuel Neuer came through under Elgert's tutelage too (
Image:
AFP)

"It was only really when I met him [that I thought I could make it]," he continued.

"He took me to one side and told me that if I pulled in the right direction, listened to him and did as instructed in the two years I had with him, I’d have the opportunity to break into the senior team.

"When I started working with him, I started to notice the progress - I was improving, tactically I was getting better and my game in general was getting better.

Kolasinac has enjoyed an impressive start to his Arsenal career (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

"You go to him as a boy and he moulds you into a man, helps you build your personality. He does that really well.

"You notice during every training session how much he loves his job. That’s why I think Schalke have been so successful at generating young players for the first team.

"A large portion of that is down to Norbert Elgert."

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