National team
Andrich, Behrens, Führich: Three newcomers and their “momentum”
With VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, the team of the hour, appreciated by Julian Nagelsmann: Chris Führich (M). photo
© Federico Gambarini/dpa
At the national team’s first training session in Foxborough, the focus is on the three new players. One immediately stands out. The national coach has a plan for everyone.
At the first training session of the national soccer team in the USA, in addition to the new national coach Julian Nagelsmann, a trio was also in focus and under careful observation: Chris Führich, Robert Andrich and Kevin Behrens, the three newcomers to the DFB squad.
Who is particularly pushing for an international debut on Saturday (9 p.m.) in Hartford against the USA or next Wednesday (2 a.m./ARD) in Philadelphia against Mexico? First answer: Chris Führich, the offensive player from VfB Stuttgart, second in the Bundesliga table, who started the season so surprisingly well.
The man with the “momentum”
Nagelsmann nominated Führich because the 25-year-old has “very good momentum right now”, i.e. a run. In numbers this means: The blonde winger has already prepared five goals for VfB and scored two himself. When Nagelsmann’s call reached him, Führich was “of course totally surprised.” But he was also “immediately wide awake.” He also appeared wide awake during training. Führich attracted positive attention with his quick turns and dribbling and received praise from his new colleagues. “He is an excellent one-on-one player,” Nagelsmann remarked about Führich’s qualities. The chances of use are good straight away.
The slightly different nine
At 32 years old, Kevin Behrens is a latecomer. The center forward from Union Berlin, who got off to a turbo start with four goals in the first two league games, described his nomination as “madness”. He approaches this “dream” modestly. He did not immediately make the 2024 European Championship at home his goal. He first wants to see in the USA “what it takes”. He immediately felt the high speed and quality on the pitch. Nagelsmann wanted “another striker who is strong in the air.” In addition, someone “who marches incredibly defensively.” And one that could be used as a crowbar. “If we still need a goal at the end with a lot of crosses, we have an additional player with him who is present in the box,” noted Nagelsmann.
The destroyer with the defensive mindset
Robert Andrich has often been considered a DFB candidate. But it is Nagelsmann who gives the midfielder a chance at the riper age of 29. And that at a time when Andrich is not a starting eleven for league leaders Bayer Leverkusen. Andrich spoke about his “most difficult phase” as a Bundesliga professional. At the first DFB training session, he went to work with full physical effort, as Nagelsmann expects of him.
“We wanted a different profile on the six, a player who could be a kind of destroyer,” explained the national coach. He also has a clear usage plan for Andrich: “If we have to maintain a result in the end,” it would be good to have a player “who simply has a sense of responsibility for the defense.”