National team
Watzke’s wish to the DFB: sign Nagelsmann longer
According to Hans-Joachim Watzke, Julian Nagelsmann is exactly the right person for the position of national coach. photo
© Christian Charisius/dpa
He wanted it at BVB, but didn’t get it. Now Hans-Joachim Watzke hopes that the DFB will retain Julian Nagelsmann for longer.
BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke would I would like to see Julian Nagelsmann continue as national coach after the home European Championships.
“The DFB should now try to extend Julian’s contract. And if the DFB manages to sign him for longer, then it would be good for German football,” said the managing director of the Bundesliga soccer club Borussia Dortmund in the podcast “Spielmacher – The EM talk with Sebastian Hellmann and 360Media”.
Watzke is also vice president of the German Football Association and said about the possible contract talks with Nagelsmann: “I’m staying out of it a bit so that no one says that I had any influence.”
Nagelsmann the right one
Nagelsmann has a clear idea “how you should play football. He is very conceptual, he has the right mix. He was in Hoffenheim, he was in Leipzig, he was at Bayern – Julian has been successful in every place so far. If “You’re successful with three clubs of different types, it’s a good business card,” said Watzke, who said he wanted to bring the 36-year-old to BVB twice. Both times it failed due to the lack of approval.
After the cooled relationship between the fans and the German national team after the last disappointing major events, Watzke believes that a new closeness can now emerge again. “I believe that the team is now ready to play its way into the hearts of the Germans. And since the Germans basically have a very emotional and very strong relationship with football, they are easily flammable,” he said.
Spark can jump again
You have to give people the feeling “that you’re doing honest work, that you’re enthusiastic about yourself.” The team has also become more approachable again.
After the recent victories against France and the Netherlands, the German national team could ignite a new euphoria with a view to the European Championships (June 14th to July 14th). “If we play good games now, then the spark will continue to fly. And we have the self-confidence now. I’m really looking forward to the Euros,” said Watzke.