National team - The calm before the upheaval: Nagelsmann's European Championship plans
Julian Nagelsmann set off on the long journey home from Hamburg to Munich as a passenger after his stressful day at the European Championships, hoping for a little peace and quiet. However, the national team coach is likely to give his national team players sleepless nights with his announcement of a shake-up.
"I have a clear opinion of all the players," said the 36-year-old after the draw for the group stage of the 2024 European Championship, which went very well for him - for one or two of them, the dream of a home tournament in March could suddenly be a long way off.
The timetable
Before the opening match of the European Championship against Scotland on June 14 in Munich and the subsequent group matches against Hungary in Stuttgart (June 19) and Switzerland in Frankfurt/Main (June 23), two test matches are planned. First in France and then against the Netherlands, Nagelsmann wants to make amends with the DFB selection for the sometimes desolate performances in November against Turkey (2:3) and in Vienna against Austria (0:2).
The national team is "not a team that comes onto the pitch and plays the opposition away," said Nagelsmann. But that is exactly what the German fans will be hoping for at the home tournament. Compared to Group B with Spain, Croatia, Italy and Albania and Group D with the Netherlands, Austria, France and a qualifier, Germany's Group A is at least composed in such a way that winning the group must be the clear German goal.
"We have respect for all our opponents, but they also have respect for us," said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf. Sports director Rudi Völler said that the group was "very evenly matched. I will be careful not to say that there is an absolute top favorite." It's always best "if you come first in the group". That is why Nagelsmann wants a shake-up.
The measures
"We're not going to leave ten players at home and bring in ten new ones, but it will change something in the structure because we've also changed the way we see ourselves and the way we perform," said Nagelsmann, who drove to Hamburg by car after the onset of winter in the south. There is a certain amount of leeway for the 36-year-old between ten new players and none. With the exception of Kevin Trapp in goal as a substitute, practically none of the internationals impressed in November.
The coaching team may also rethink the 4-2-2-2 tactic that Nagelsmann has been using recently, which caused a stir with Kai Havertz as a flying left-back. "It will affect the content, but also the structure a little bit," said the national coach - and only mentioned one name on Saturday evening.
The number one
Captain Manuel Neuer will return to the squad "if he stays healthy and plays like he is now", confirmed Nagelsmann. 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
