Wolfsburg's head of sport criticizes national player Brand
VfL Wolfsburg sporting director Ralf Kellermann has voiced clear criticism of the development of national player Jule Brand. "She has no consistency in her performances, always hints at her potential, but has not yet found a way to reliably bring this potential onto the pitch. She also lacks a sense of achievement," said the 55-year-old in the "Kicker" interview (Thursday).
Interim national coach Horst Hrubesch did not use Brand at all in the Nations League in the 5-1 defeat to Wales and only as a substitute in the 2-0 win in Iceland. The attacking player has been regarded as the biggest talent in German women's soccer for years. Brand moved from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim to Wolfsburg in 2022 and was runner-up at the European Championships that summer. Since making her debut for the national team in April 2021, she has played 38 international matches, but disappointed with her performances at the World Cup in Australia, among others.
"It's noticeable that she can't physically assert herself against her opponents. You also have to remember that she's still very young at 21 and this is only her second season at this level," said Kellermann. "If Jule wants to become a top player, she has to work hard on herself and live one hundred percent for soccer." That's not so easy with everything that's coming at her: "We're helping Jule as best we can, but we can't influence her environment."
Despite her potential and being hailed as Germany's biggest talent in women's soccer, Jule Brand has struggled to consistently perform at a high level for both VfL Wolfsburg and the national team. Despite moving to Wolfsburg in 2022, she's yet to fully grasp the Bundesliga, even at just 21 years old.
Source: www.dpa.com
