Julian Nagelsmann’s first squad list as manager of the German national team saw a break with recent protocol.
Since Euro 2016, Germany outfield players have been categorised in strictly binary terms when squads are named, they were either “defenders“ or “midfielders/attackers”. (In Hansi Flick’s abortive rein, they were grouped in “defence” or “offence”.)
Advertisement
The idea behind that, dreamt up by Joachim Low after the 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil, was that midfield and attack should seamlessly blend into one, in the manner of pass masters Spain, Low’s biggest inspiration. As a side effect, ditching that traditional distinction also helped mask Germany’s problems in producing centre-forwards.
Nagelsmann has gone back to basics, however.
For this week’s pair of international friendlies against the United States and Mexico, Germany has designated “defenders”, “midfielders” and “attackers”, like just about every other national team. The message behind that change was subtle but clear: with the new man in charge, things will be simple and straightforward once more.
The 36-year-old had also been at pains to emphasise that he won’t complicate matters at his unveiling last month, when quite a few journalists wondered if he would get enough time with the players to implement his sophisticated tactical ideas. During his 20 months as coach of Bayern Munich, some players complained about his overly detailed and frequently-changing instructions.
“We’ll equip them with a playing style that will be easy to implement,” Nagelsmann promised in his first press conference, showing that he had taken some of the past criticisms on board.
An open training session in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before Saturday’s meeting with the USMNT suggests that he will line them up in his preferred formation, a 4-2-2-2. A lot of emphasis was put on third-man runs and verticality, Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Jonas Hofmann explained. Nagelsmann was repeatedly demanding “tiefe” (depth) in Germany’s game, penetrating runs and quick passes forward.
First impressions are, as you would expect, favourable.
“You can feel his motivation and eagerness to get going,” said captain Ilkay Gundogan. Other players said similar things, praising the newcomer’s eloquence, perhaps in contrast with his predecessor. Flick, 58, was exposed as a poor communicator by a very damaging documentary series.
Personnel-wise, there’s a little bit for everybody in the squad. Veteran Mats Hummels, 34, was rewarded for some excellent performances at Borussia Dortmund with a first call-up for two years. Union Berlin striker Kevin Behrens, only two years younger, is in the squad for the first time, as is holding midfielder Robert Andrich, 29, from league leaders Leverkusen and Stuttgart’s up-and-coming winger Chris Fuhrich, 25.
Midfielder Emre Can (Dortmund, 29), defender Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund, 23) and forward Timo Werner (RB Leipzig, 27) are among the big names overlooked. Winger Serge Gnabry (Bayern, 28) misses out through injury and forward Karim Adeyemi (Dortmund, 21) has been demoted to the under-21s.
Above all, Nagelsmann’s first squad smacks of meritocracy and thoughtfulness.
One of the reasons Flick failed to turn things around after the group-stage exit at last year’s World Cup was the fact his squads had stopped following any discernible rhyme or reason. In-form players were frequently left behind and others were punished for supposedly not trying hard enough.
GO DEEPER
Nagelsmann is a coup for Germany but Klopp still looms large
It will be interesting to see how Nagelsmann solves the midfield conundrum that was a big source of friction at the World Cup.
By continuing with Gundogan as captain, he will probably have to leave out either Leon Goretzka or Joshua Kimmich, who were among his staunchest supporters at Bayern. Early signs point to a Kimmich-Gundogan combination, which will offer plenty of guile on the ball but not much protection for the back four.
Advertisement
Nagelsmann’s overarching task for this trip to America (they play Mexico in Philadelphia on Tuesday night) and the coming months on the road to Euro 2024 on home soil will be to build on the positive momentum caretaker Rudi Voller created when Germany beat France 2-1 a month ago.
Good results are vital in that respect, obviously, but installing a bit of team spirit and fun will also be vital. Germany haven’t had much of either for a while.
At the same time, Nagelsmann needs to be careful not to come across as too friendly. A lack of discipline was one of the issues that beset Bayern during his tenure. Incidentally, it was the same for Germany under Flick.
Nagelsmann understands that players and supporters alike expect more seriousness and seniority from him. He will probably tone down the fashion statements in Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday night after a series of fashion faux pas when managing Leipzig and Bayern, and he’s already made good on one of the promises from his unveiling, too: the longboard he rode to a couple of Bayern training sessions was nowhere to be seen.
(Top photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images)