German national team coach Dirk Bauermann knows first hand how difficult the situation for young, talented German players is in the German BBL league.

In 19-year-old scoring point guard Sajmen Hauer and 18-year-old athletic big man Tim Ohlbrecht, Bauermann has two of Germany's top prospects at his BBL club, Brose Baskets Bamberg.

The problem is that Hauer and Ohlbrecht hardly receive any playing time since the BBL allows clubs to play up to 10 foreigners.

Most rosters in Germany are dominated by Americans.

Hauer, Ohlbrecht and many other young Germans are left to practice with the main team and playing for the club's second division or U19 NBBL league affiliate.

Bauermann addressed the problem and discussed other issues including this summer's EuroBasket in Spain with David Hein.

FIBA Europe: You have two extremely talented players with Samjen Hauer and Tim Ohlbrecht. Alba Berlin also have a couple of very talented developing players in Johannes Herber and Demond Greene, besides some young prospects. What kind of feeling do you have as national team coach that the big teams - including Guido Gruehheid at Koln - also have some of the best German talent at those clubs?

Bauermann: "That's the way it's supposed to be. The young guys, the kids, have to go to the quality programs so that they get good coaching and a very professional environment. I think that's what Berlin, Koln and ourselves are trying to do. What's frustrating in a way is that it's so difficult to play these guys. If you're allowed 12 Americans - or 10 as it is now - everybody does that because they're allowed to. Then it's so hard to play these young guys. If we had 8-and-4 rules, then Sajmen and Tim would probably both be playing. But that's the direction that we've been taking - the league has. We're going to go to 4-and-8 in 2009. That's going to be very important. Eventually I would like to see a 7-and-5 or even 6-and-6 foreigners rule. But we'll see. But the young players have to play. Right now, both Sajmen and Tim are playing great in the second division. It's just such a shame we can't play them more in the first division."

FIBA Europe: Germany's newly-created Under-19 youth league, the NBBL, has its Final Four coming up soon. How much have you observed that league and what are your thoughts on the league's development?

Bauermann: "I've seen five or six games, and I think it's wonderful. There are a lot of fans because I think German kids are playing. A lot of spectators are coming because they're interested in the young German players. It's tremendous for German basketball and great for our young players."

FIBA Europe: Talk a bit about Tim Ohlbrecht, who at last summer's U18 European Championship averaged a double-double and had three games with more than 20 points and 20 rebounds. He's just getting back to full fitness after a serious leg injury. What kind of role do you see for him?

		Tim Ohlbrecht is one of Germany's top prospects.

Bauermann: "We have very high expectations for both - Sajmen and Tim. It's just really disappointing that Tim got hurt. He would have played a lot - meaning 10 to 12 minutes a game. And he would have helped us with his athleticism and basketball intelligence. It took him a long time to get back because we wanted to be very careful, very thorough. But in his first Division Two game he had 21 points and nine rebounds. He's a tremendous talent. If he stays healthy, I expect great things from him."

FIBA Europe: Can we revisit the old debate in Germany about the country's possible  demise once Dirk Nowitzki, Ademola Okulaja and Patrick Femerling retire from the national team? Looking around at other German big and wing players, there are Jan Jagla, Dirk Madrich, Guido Grunheid as well as Chris McNaughton, Yassin Idbihi and Maximilian Groebe. It doesn't seem as bleak as people think. Do you agree with that, and why do you think there's this stigma that Germany has no  talent coming through the ranks?

Bauermann: "It's not going to be as bad as a lot of people think it will be. But obviously, there's going to be a little bit of a slack off because that generation has been tremendous and kind of dominated the national team. And it was kind of difficult for young players to make the national team. I think that's why a lot of people don't know a Guido Grunheid. They don't know a Jan Jagla because he's playing in Turkey. They don't know Dirk Madrich because he's playing in France. Joe (Herber) didn't play much early in the season in Berlin, but now he's playing more. Because they weren't in the limelight, people didn't get to know them. But they will get to know them. And a lot of people will be surprised with  how good they are. It's going to be difficult to maintain that same kind of quality. But I think we'll be better than many people think we will be."

FIBA Europe: Do you think much about the up-coming EuroBasket, or is all your concentration on the BBL and the nearing play-offs?

Bauermann: "You have to do both. Obviously right now my main focus is the club team Bamberg. But every day I think about the national team. We've already planned the summer. You have to talk to your players and watch video - see what they're doing, what they're not doing. So you have to do a little bit of both, but the main focus is Bamberg."

FIBA Europe: Germany's training camp for EuroBasket will again be in Mallorca I assume. And how many players will be invited?

		Dirk Nowitzki and Co. will play the Chinese national team as part of their EuroBasket preparations.

Bauermann: "Sixteen players if everybody is healthy. And it will be Mallorca just like you said. But we'll be there just a little longer than in the past because we want to be more thorough with our preparation. Then we go to Austria to play two friendly games. Then we have two friendly games in Hamburg and Mannheim against the Chinese national team. Then we'll be in Bamberg for a week to play in the SuperCup. Then we'll go to Spain and play the Spanish national team three or four days before the start of the tournament. I really like the way things are shaping up. Our pre-season will be short but effective. And I'm looking forward to the summer."

FIBA Europe: You saw that Spanish national team big man Jorge Garbajosa went down with the leg injury. Say he doesn't play, he's kind of the glue to that team, so what do you, as a coach, think Spain does after that?

Bauermann: "I think they'll find a guy who'll fill that role. They're so good at the guard positions and if the big guy (Pau Gasol) plays and if Memphis lets him play at home, they're going to be so difficult to beat. With Garbajosa, they're obviously better because he gives them toughness. And like you said, he's the glue to that team. That outside shooting really stretches you out defensively. But I think they'll be great no matter what."