National team
Nagelsmann understands criticism of the trip to the USA
National coach Julian Nagelsmann at the press conference at Frankfurt Airport. photo
© Arne Dedert/dpa
The national team’s trip to the USA met with a lot of criticism, including from coaches. National coach Julian Nagelsmann understands this as a former club coach – and makes a confession.
The new national coach Julian Nagelsmann can understand the massive criticism of the timing of the national soccer team’s trip to the USA.
Nevertheless, he wants to make the best possible use of his grueling debut trip as DFB head coach with a long flight and jet lag as well as two international matches against the USA and Mexico on the way to the home European Championships in 2024. Before his departure from Frankfurt to Boston, the 36-year-old also addressed this message to the 26 actors he had nominated including returnee Mats Hummels.
“We all have a great responsibility, which we also feel, to play the best football for Germany. So we should use the time and deal with it positively,” said Nagelsmann, who succeeded Hansi Flick as DFB head coach.
“From the club coach’s point of view, you don’t have to lie around, it’s relatively normal to be critical of the trip. I would probably say the same thing if I were still at the club,” said former Bundesliga coach Nagelsmann, who was until last March coached FC Bayern.
His Munich successor Thomas Tuchel, for example, had a clear lack of understanding about the overseas trip. However, the players would be familiar with such stress with a slightly longer flight. Nagelsmann had specially appointed a large squad. The players should come back “maximally fit and healthy”.
The four professionals from Borussia Dortmund have to compete again in the Bundesliga against Werder Bremen on Friday evening just one day after returning from North America. “Of course we have that in mind”. But he couldn’t say in advance who plays how much.
His aim is to have “a very good team” on the pitch against Mexico. If he were to say now that “no Dortmund player is playing in the second game”, then it would be said afterwards that he had “lied” if he did need them.
Havertz is missing at the start
The DFB team will initially travel to the USA without offensive player Kai Havertz. The 24-year-old professional from Arsenal FC had “a small dental operation” at the weekend, reported Nagelsmann. “It’s nothing wild. But he needs rest until the pressure (on his head) allows him to fly. As of now, he will travel on Wednesday,” said Nagelsmann.
Otherwise, he received “no negative reports” from the other 25 players he had nominated for the international matches next Saturday (9 p.m./RTL) in Hartford and on the Wednesday after German time (2 a.m./ARD) in Philadelphia against Mexico.
The Dortmund returnee Mats Hummels will also “be able to play fully,” said Nagelsmann. The 34-year-old defender ended BVB’s Bundesliga game against Union Berlin injured at the weekend. “Mats always has a bit of aches and pains. He’s always looking for duels in the game and gets hit.”
Nagelsmann is building on the 2014 world champion, who last played for Germany at the 2021 European Championship. “We need players who take responsibility. He has a lot of desire to play a key role again, to play for the DFB again. He will be able to deliver top performance,” noted Nagelsmann. He is in good spirits that from Tuesday in Foxborough all the actors traveling with him will be “able to train”.