National team
Nagelsmann defends personnel policy
Julian Nagelsmann: “Many people have a hard time against Kylian Mbappé, even with 200 Champions League games. He has an extreme drive.” photo
© Arne Dedert/dpa
How risky is Julian Nagelsmann’s squad selection? The national coach does not see the many DFB newcomers as a European Championship problem. He knows from his own life that he is young and inexperienced.
“Many people have a hard time against Kylian Mbappé, even with 200 Champions League games. He has an extreme start,” said the national coach at a German Football Association fan press conference before the European Championship test match in France on Saturday (9 p.m.). / ZDF) about the upcoming duel with opponents of the caliber of the superstar from Paris Saint-Germain.
Nagelsmann had five DFB newcomers in Waldemar Anton, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Deniz Undav from VfB Stuttgart as well as Maximilian Beier from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Jan-Niklas Beste from 1. FC Heidenheim for the last test games before the final squad nomination for the home team. tournament, who have no European Cup experience to show for it. Aleksandar Pavlovic, who played for FC Bayern Munich in the Champions League this season, had to withdraw as another debutant due to tonsillitis.
Less than three months until the European Championship kicks off
The national coach said he was planning to play with the players in the same positions that they played in their clubs. “The sport is the same as on Saturday. The ball looks similar, if not the same,” said Nagelsmann. The 36-year-old also felt the criticism reminded him of his own career, in which, as the youngest Bundesliga coach and youngest national coach, he had to prove himself in important positions with limited experience. Having no experience is not an exclusion criterion for him. Because: “Then you will never get any experience,” emphasized Nagelsmann.
Despite the unusually big upheaval less than three months before the start of the European Championship, the majority of his tournament squad has been decided. “The general idea is that we now have a large part of the tribe with us. Otherwise the decision would be crazy,” said Nagelsmann.
He himself certainly has a dream team in mind, but sporting director Rudi Völler has already warned him that he always has to expect injuries. This objection was unpleasantly confirmed on Wednesday when goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who was scheduled to be number one for Nagelsmann, tore a muscle fiber. “In the end, it will be good if we found the starting line-up on June 14th,” said the national coach, referring to the date of the European Championship opening game in Munich against Scotland.