Julian Nagelsmann is counting on his extensive experience to help Germany win the 2024 Euros
Nine months away from hosting Euro 2024, Julian Nagelsmann, the youngest coach of Germany in almost a century, has turned to veterans in an effort to restore the fallen titans.
After Germany’s second consecutive withdrawal from the World Cup’s group stage in Qatar, Hansi Flick oversaw a run of five games without a victory, becoming the only coach in the country’s history to be fired.
On Saturday night, German time, Germany will play the United States in Connecticut, and on Wednesday morning, German time, Germany will play Mexico in Philadelphia.
When he assumed the position in October, Nagelsmann said that he would make hiring decisions based on performance rather than reputation or potential.
Thomas Mueller, a World Cup champion, and Mats Hummels, a 34-year-old who last competed for Germany at the 2021 Euros, were both picked by Nagelsmann to the team.
Nagelsmann, who is only under contract with the German FA till the conclusion of the tournament next summer, has obviously gone with experience in the hopes of winning now. Twelve of the 26-man team are over the age of thirty.
Flick said that his choice to leave Hummels out of his 2022 World Cup roster in favor of 20-year-old center-back Armel Bella-Kotchap was “not against Mats, but in favor of younger players.”
Bella-Kotchap sat on the sidelines as Germany lost in Qatar and didn’t participate for a single second.
On the other side, Nagelsmann said that Hummels was chosen “due to his experience”.
He is a capable coach who can inspire the other players with his tactical acumen.
Even the debutants chosen by Nagelsmann were chosen with the present in mind.
Nagelsmann chose veteran attacker Kevin Behrens, 32, and midfield enforcer Robert Andrich, 29, in addition to in-form midfielder Chris Fuehrich, 25, for his starting lineup.
Additionally, the manager supported Flick’s choice to choose Ilkay Gundogan, a 32-year-old midfielder for Barcelona, as captain rather than Joshua Kimmich, a 28-year-old who Nagelsmann appointed captain at Bayern Munich.
German supporters have seen their team’s tendency to lose focus, toss away excellent effort with careless blunders, and make repeated mistakes while being used to rigorous control.
Gundogan noted that veteran players provide “a little calm, a little patience” after winning the treble with Manchester City last season.
“I know that when you’re young, you might not have a feel for certain situations on the field, then sometimes you make decisions that aren’t carefully considered,” the player said.
The current German player of the year cautioned against “the danger, if you are younger and have not been in these situations so often, that you will make the wrong decision”.
According to Nagelsmann, hosting the event next summer will add additional strain.
“I feel a lot of responsibility because you have to be good,” he added, adding that the only way to rekindle the German public’s enthusiasm for the national team after almost ten years of underwhelming results would be to win.
According to Nagelsmann, “We have to win to get the special mood.”
“In football, it’s always been that way. Everything is great when you win the game, but everything is terrible when you lose.
