Football - Survey on migration faced criticism from Nagelsmann in the DFB team.
Germany's national football team coach Julian Nagelsmann angrily rejected a survey that suggested one in five Germans would prefer more Caucasian players on the team. "I hope to never come across such crap from this crappy survey again," said the 36-year-old coach at a DFB press conference before the EURO warm-up match against Ukraine on Monday (8:45 p.m./ARD) in Nuremberg.
Nagelsmann was stunned by the survey, which was conducted by the WDR show "Sport Inside." "I found it appalling that such questions were asked and answered," he remarked. "I consider it racist," he added.
WDR's head of sports, Karl Valks, defended the survey on Saturday. He explained that during the filming of the documentary "Unity and Right and Diversity," the reporter, Philipp Awounou, encountered the view that there were too few "real" white German players on the field. "We didn't want to simply report this anecdotally, but wanted to base it on credible data," Valks stated.
The TV broadcaster, therefore, commissioned the survey. "We're a bit surprised by the results, but they're also a reflection of the social situation in Germany today," Valks noted.
However, it's essential to evaluate the specific question critically, Kimmich pointed out on Saturday. This emphasizes the 20% who want fewer players with a migration background rather than the 65% who, according to the survey, have no issues with cultural diversity on the DFB team.
Nagelsmann speaks with emotion on this issue. "I get the feeling that we need to shake people up a bit. There are just so many people who have to flee, who are searching for a safe country," the national coach declared. "We're playing a European Championship for everyone in the country," he made clear.
