National football team
“Not in the role of victim”: Nagelsmann on the Austrian bankruptcy
Germany’s national coach Julian Nagelsmann finds it difficult to be optimistic. photo
© Christian Charisius/dpa
Mentality, tactics, atmosphere – the national team lacked a lot against Austria. The national coach assures us that he will continue to believe in his plan. He doesn’t have much time.
Less than seven months before the home European Championship, the 36-year-old, who had previously only been employed until the end of the tournament, found it visibly difficult to spread optimism in any way. “I understand the concerns of the fans, I can absolutely understand that,” said Nagelsmann, whose DFB selection had revealed glaring weaknesses in practically all areas.
One team, many “individual fighters”
Nagelsmann assured that, outside of the games, his team was a “very closed community with an incredibly good atmosphere.” When it comes down to it, there’s little to be seen. Unlike the Austrians, who, according to their team boss Ralf Rangnick, play “like friends,” there is rarely a sense of togetherness in the German team.
“I have the feeling that we are still too many lone fighters,” said Nagelsmann. “Everyone is busy with themselves, which is of course somewhat normal given recent and middle history.” The national coach admitted that he didn’t have a “perfect solution”. He decided against a major restructuring of the squad after Hansi Flick took office in September. The next two of four European Championship test matches are scheduled for March.
Game presentation: poor
The strengths of his players are “game control” and “offensive football,” said Nagelsmann. There was no sign of this against Austria. In addition to an “absurdly” high rate of ball losses, the game delivery was “too slow, too undynamic, very much off the mark.” His tactics, which were again heavily based on a 4-2-2-2 system, didn’t work. Nagelsmann said the style of play would also be geared to the players available.
Far away from the EM atmosphere
The Austrians celebrated their team, which Germany could also face in the preliminary round of the European Championship, on Tuesday evening until well into the night. There is “no euphoria around his team at the moment, that’s understandable,” said Nagelsmann, repeating the mantra that Flick and DFB sports director Rudi Völler had said before him: It’s all about winning, about “persistent” good performances. “Not by babbling,” said the national coach.