National team - Nagelsmann's announcement: A restless Christmas for national team players
With the lucky ticket in the pocket of his dark suit, Julian Nagelsmann was able to calmly make his way through the corridors of Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie. Neither the slight fever nor the thought of the exhausting car journey through the night back to Munich upset the national coach.
Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland were interesting enough as group opponents to make the home European Championship credibly respectful - but also easy enough to immediately shift focus again. The national team players were given a clear and not very contemplative message shortly before Christmas.
"I can promise one thing - that we are not helpless," said Nagelsmann in a small hall of the large concert hall and announced significant changes in the DFB selection after the massive November disappointments, both in terms of content and personnel. For one or two players, the dream of a home tournament in March could suddenly be a long way off. After the 2:3 against Turkey and 0:2 in Vienna against Austria, practically everyone has to be worried.
Germany is not the favorite
"There's no radical change now, where we leave ten players at home and invite ten new ones, but it will change something in the structure because we also have a changed national team in terms of how we see ourselves and how we perform," said Nagelsmann, leaving plenty of room for interpretation. There was no more talk of the goal of reaching the final, which head of the association Bernd Neuendorf had issued out of nowhere.
"We can't underestimate anyone. We have to make sure we get back on track," said DFB sporting director Rudi Völler, who confirmed the March plan with test matches in France and against the Netherlands. With his nebulous announcement of a change, Nagelsmann opened the now four-month discussion among fans and experts as to what - and who - the national coach might have meant. That seemed to be exactly what Nagelsmann wanted.
Nagelsmann defies the snow chaos
The 36-year-old had been in the car for a good eight hours before the draw in order to make it from Munich to the Elbphilharmonie in time despite the flight being canceled due to snow in the south. Some of them were already suffering from a fever, as the national coach, who was in poor health, reported. Anyone who drives on the highway for that long can have a lot to worry about. In the morning, the national coach was back in Munich.
"Julian is a young guy, he got in the car. He really wanted to be there," said Völler with a gesture that he liked this assignment. The former team boss has been preaching humility for weeks, saying that the national team could make it back into the hearts of the fans. The national team is "not a team that comes onto the pitch and plays the opposition away", said Nagelsmann.
European Championship opponents with a history
That is why Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland are not the Netherlands, Italy and Denmark. But they are nevertheless challenging tasks - each in their own way. Tens of thousands of away fans are expected in the Bavarian capital for the opener against the Scots on June 14 in Munich. "Positively crazy fans," said tournament boss Philipp Lahm. The second match against Hungary on June 19 has the prehistory of the politically charged 2021 European Championship group match with Leon Goretzka's heart gesture in front of angry, right-wing Hungarian fans.
Nagelsmann said that Switzerland, who will host Germany in the preliminary round on June 23 in Frankfurt/Main, were perhaps the strongest opponent "on paper". Nati coach Murat Yakin has a Bundesliga past, leader Granit Xhaka, who is causing a sensation with Bayer Leverkusen, lives in Völler's house in Düsseldorf, as Völler reported. "We have respect for all opponents, but they also have respect for us," said Neuendorf. However, the DFB team no longer spreads fear and anxiety, with England, Spain or Italy already threatening in the round of 16.
Four years ago, Joachim Löw also tried a March reshuffle, with the then national coach dropping Mats Hummels, Jérôme Boateng and Thomas Müller from the squad - but it didn't help. Hummels and Müller later celebrated their comeback and were also part of Nagelsmann's selection in October and November. "I have a clear opinion on all the players," said Nagelsmann - and only mentioned one name.
The number one
Captain Manuel Neuer will return to the squad "if he stays healthy and plays like he is now", confirmed the national coach. The race for the European Championship place in Germany's goal will be a major topic around the DFB selection in March. Marc-André ter Stegen was absent from November's matches due to injury, which was perhaps bearable for him in terms of the results, but cost him precious minutes again.
Neuer will return with the ambition of experiencing the home European Championship on the pitch for the entire season - starting in front of tens of thousands of Scottish fans in his home arena in Munich.
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Source: www.stern.de
