National squad - Nagelsmann sets the pace for the European Championship with an emphasis on high intensity in a picturesque backdrop.
Right behind a large rust-brown iron gate, soccer enthusiast Thomas Müller will feel right at home. A well-maintained green lawn snugly fits into a small forest clearing. An electric wire running a few hundred meters into the woods at knee height on the path serves as a deterrent for wild boars, the only unwanted guests in this area.
A little further on, an idyllic luxury lodge in a half-timbered style awaits Bayern veteran Müller and his national teammates before the start of his fourth European Championship competition.
How many times Müller will be able to swing a golf club on the course at the Golfhotel Weimarer Land in Thuringia in the coming days depends on Julian Nagelsmann. It's up to the national coach to determine this as the team prepares for the tournament. The national championship is significant, so it's crucial everyone performs at their best, regardless of their age. "The whole team is expected to perform at full speed, whether they're 14, 2, or 18. This creates the necessary competition and excitement," said Nagelsmann.
On Saturday evening, Nagelsmann and his assistant coach Sandro Wagner watched the DFB Cup win of Leverkusen's three European Championship players Florian Wirtz, Robert Andrich, and Jonathan Tah against 1. FC Kaiserslautern from the stands at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. Following that, Nagelsmann and his team moved towards Thuringia on Sunday. This is the National team's first time preparing for a major tournament in the east of Germany. Rudi Völler, the sports director, emphasizes the importance of this decision, especially for the asset-strapped areas in the east.
"We wanted to show that we're all connected," said Völler at a gathering in Blankenhain. People in the region often feel neglected when it comes to big soccer. Only Leipzig is a European Championship venue in the new states. The three European Championship matches against Scotland (June 14/Munich), Hungary (June 19/Stuttgart), and Switzerland (June 23/Frankfurt) will take place in the southwestern part of Germany.
Nagelsmann cannot consider regional sensitivities. He has to ensure ideal conditions for his team's preparation. And these are present in the privacy of Thuringia, with short distances between the hotel and a brand-new training field with Wembley-quality turf. The state of Thuringia has invested in this infrastructure. Based on information from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, about 1.5 million euros are being invested in the renovation of the municipal sports field, the redesign of the castle forecourt, and the media center, among other things.
After the German team, England is next to visit. Harry Kane, a star striker at Bayern, reportedly approved of training at the "Three Lions" in Blankenhain when he saw the pictures. Host Matthias Grafe, who moved to Thuringia in 1990 and renovated the old estate, half-jokingly claims he's trying to host the European Championship final. Nagelsmann can only focus on creating an optimal atmosphere for his team, regardless of the host's location.
After the DFB team, England visits this secluded location. Bayern star Harry Kane gave his approval for the European Championship quarters after viewing images from Blankenhain and the golf courses there. The host, Matthias Grafe, who relocated to Thuringia in 1990 and refurbished the estate, humorously insists he wants to host the European champions. Nagelsmann would undoubtedly like that as well.
Nagelsmann needs to find a good mix to start with. Only two-thirds of the 27 players he's nominated will be involved in the opening game. The Bayern trio of Tah, Andrich, and Wirtz, Captain Ilkay Gündogan, and goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen will all turn up late due to their last league match for Barcelona. The four Champions League finalists from Real Madrid (Toni Kroos, Antonio Rüdiger) and Borussia Dortmund (Niclas Füllkrug, Nico Schlotterbeck) won't join the DFB team until after the first friendly match against Ukraine (June 3/Nuremberg).
Manuel Neuer, the Bayern professional and provisional starter in goal for the DFB team, couldn't make it to Blankenhain on Sunday due to a stomach bug.
With players such as Bayern's Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sané experiencing illness not long ago, Nagelsmann must be cautious with the team's well-being. In preparation, he's invited U21 internationals Brajan Gruda (Mainz 05) and Rocco Reitz (Gladbach) to participate in training. These young players will readily fit into Nagelsmann's meticulous personnel design with clear role allocation. "We've found a good balance between strong personalities and players who can adapt for the good of the team," said the 36-year-old coach. "We already have two bus full of people, and they need to fit in together."
Translation by DeepL asked me to add:"I have to carefully manage the team's wellbeing because they've had some recent health issues," said Nagelsmann. To make sure they can practice effectively, he's invited U21 internationals Brajan Gruda (Mainz 05) and Rocco Reitz (Gladbach) to join as training guests. "We ended up with a good mix of strong personalities and people willing to support each other. We need to balance these two groups since we already have a lot of people in the team."
Time is running out in Blankenhain as the team prepares to move to the European Championship quarters in Herzogenaurach on Friday. The fans' eagerness to be near their idols will also play a part in the pre-tournament preparations. On Monday afternoon, the team will hold a public training session with 15,000 spectators at regional league club Carl Zeiss Jena's stadium.
Ensuring everything is in order
In his usual cool demeanor, Nagelsmann seeks understanding that there will be no more opportunities to interact with the European Championship stars. "We don't want to hide or lock ourselves away. However, it's natural to focus on something when there are 6,000 people involved. I'm not sure how the Tuareg will drive or if the screw will hold as it did previously," he said, drawing a parallel between factory work at the DFB's main sponsor.
Nagelsmann is aware that the momentum gained during the March qualifier matchup against France (2:0) and the Netherlands (2:1) could easily fade if preparations or the match against Scotland in the European Championship opening game on June 14 in Munich don't go as planned. "I believe that stability has improved, but it is not possible to rule out that it may fall apart again. Now it's about maintaining that stability on the pitch for six weeks," he said. Ideally, this could start in Blankenhain.
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Source: www.stern.de
