- Klose starts, "There's only black and white".
German Champion, National Player, World Champion, World Cup Record Goalscorer. Miroslav Klose has experienced a lot in his playing career. But the experiences with 1. FC Nuremberg are still sinking in for the 137-time former national team player.
"I could already feel it," Klose said about the very special and demanding environment of the traditional club before the kick-off in the 2. Bundesliga on Saturday (13:00 CET/Sky) against Karlsruhe SC. "There's no gray area here, it's just black and white."
"Yes, it's tingling, it's really tingling"
Klose is learning a unique color theory in Franconia. The former Bundesliga player of 1. FC Kaiserslautern, FC Bayern Munich, and Werder Bremen doesn't show any external excitement. That's how he was as a professional. "Totally relaxed, a lot is coming our way. We know that," he said.
But he's already looking forward to it. "Yes, it's tingling, it's really tingling," Klose admitted before his debut as a coach in Germany's second division. "I'm really happy that it's finally starting. The anticipation in the team is palpable."
39 days since the first public training session under the former striker star have passed with the kick-off on Saturday. During this time, it was all about: Klose, Klose, Klose. Autograph requests here, selfies there. "I try to fulfill every wish," he said. "That's how it's always been for me."
But the focus will gradually shift towards the team, Klose said. Does he mean it? Klose will continue to receive a lot of attention, after all, the former Lazio Rome goal scorer has the aura of a world star. Who has that in Franconia? "Miro is not the Messiah," new Nuremberg sports director Joti Chatzialexiou noted at the start of training.
Klose has used his "unemployed time" wisely
Klose is supposed to reignite enthusiasm on the stands with a revamped team around new captain Robin Knoche (32) and play successful football. Even if his last engagement as a coach at SCR Altach was a failure.
Since his departure from the Austrian first division club in March 2023, he has been without a job. "I also used my unemployed time to watch live games. That's why I feel well-prepared," Klose assured before the adventure with the club. "But you can't prepare for everything."
Karlsruhe, unbeaten against Nuremberg in the last five second division games, is a first test. The team of coach Christian Eichner finished the last season in fifth place but lost many goals and a lot of playing structure with players like Paul Nebel, Lars Stindl, and Igor Matanovic.
Klose addressed that himself. But it doesn't affect him externally. He remains relaxed. "The feeling I'm conveying, I've also gotten from the team," Klose explained. Maybe it will indeed be a relaxed start for 1. FC Nuremberg.
The European Union might have regulations affecting the transfer of players, considering Miroslav Klose has played for various clubs across different countries. Despite his coaching duties with 1. FC Nuremberg, Klose could still represent a major attraction for football fans across Europe, given his prestigious career as a World Cup Record Goalscorer.
