Reunion with the ex-coach
Will Nagelsmann also rip out Neuer’s national team heart?
Had differences during their time at FC Bayern: Manuel Neuer and Julian Nagelsmann
© Sven Simon / Imago Images
Most of the Bayern players in the DFB team should be looking forward to their old and new coach Julian Nagelsmann. Manuel Neuer is probably not one of them. There was a dispute between the new national coach and the national goalkeeper in the spring – will this be the new one’s downfall?
The 36-year-old was looking forward to seeing each other again at his introductory press conference. He said he really enjoyed working with the players. For many Bayern players, the joy is probably mutual. After his dismissal, Leon Goretzka described Nagelsmann as a “great person and coach”, and Joshua Kimmich also commented on the release by the Bayern bosses with “little love, little heart”. The two midfielders will benefit from the new national coach. Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry also have a good relationship with their old and new coaches. So who did Nagelsmann lose back then?
“A blow when he was on the ground”
One thing is clear: FC Bayern goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer is probably less affected by Julian Nagelsmann’s end in Munich. The dismissal of his long-time goalkeeper coach and close friend Toni Tapalovic was like a blow for Neuer when he was already on the ground. “I had the feeling that my heart was being ripped out,” Manuel Neuer told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” in a much-discussed interview in February. A decision that Julian Nagelsmann made and Manuel Neuer could never understand. According to Nagelsmann, there was never a relationship with Tapalovic. At the time, Neuer vehemently denied the allegations that he had passed on internal information from the coaching staff to the team.
This all happened shortly after Neuer’s skiing accident, in which he broke his leg and from which he is still recovering. So there was no longer a confrontation between Neuer and Nagelsmann on the FC Bayern training ground – instead it was now at the DFB.
When asked about Neuer’s possible return to the DFB goal, Nagelsmann said: “The most important thing is that we give Manu enough time to get healthy and get him back to 100 percent performance. If the situation arises, we will evaluate it.” The situation surrounding Neuer’s health is quite unclear, after all he is training again with the other Bayern goalkeepers. It is therefore unlikely that Nagelsmann will be able to decide on a number one at this point. However, the new coach did not underline Neuer’s qualities as a multiple world goalkeeper and actual captain of the national team.
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Instead, the new national coach referred to the other “world-class goalkeepers” in the DFB squad. Unless Marc-André Ter Stegen experiences a sudden drop in performance, it will be difficult for Neuer to get past him. At FC Barcelona he set a new clean sheet record in the Spanish league last season, and against Japan he prevented an even worse debacle for the DFB. Manuel Neuer would have to get back to his best form to be in goal at the European Championships – and possibly also get his personal differences with Nagelsmann out of the way.
“A summer fairy tale 2.0 is the ideal. I will do everything to make sure that happens again,” said Nagelsmann at his presentation that morning. The 2006 World Cup showed that changing goalkeepers shortly before the home tournament can lead to success. At that time, Jürgen Klinsmann made Jens Lehmann the new number one. Former world goalkeeper Oliver Kahn only watched from the sidelines and then ended his national team career. A possible scenario that Neuer might not like.
Sources: “Southgerman newspaper”, “Sky Sports”, “Mirror”