DFB striker search under Klopp: Derry Scherhant as the winner of the restart

Derry Scherhant was happily talking about his unexpected international career at the basement exit of the Toumba Stadium when Rudi Völler, behind him, turned left towards the team bus. A smile could be seen on the DFB sports director's face. Finally, the former world-class striker gave the young attacker an important tip.

“Accelerate, don’t hide,” Völler advised him, Scherhant said – and he stuck to it exactly. The Berliner, who only found his football happiness at the other end of the republic at SC Freiburg, is an absolute winner of the restart of the national football team after two games in Klopp's heavy metal rhythm. He is an encouragement in the attack department, which is still waiting for something to be counted.

After the 0-0 draw in Greece, it was also thanks to Scherhant's fast performance that a critical analysis of the striker's play did not gain momentum at Scherhant's speed. Because the output of the offensive department is still inadequate under Klopp. Four games, ten different candidates in the front row of three - zero goals. Felix Nmecha, Tom Bischof and Florian Wirtz contributed the three goals from midfield.

Klopp didn't want to take part in this lament. “I’m not in the mood,” said the national coach. “All the strikers did it very well in their own way,” he spoke explicitly about the four central attackers used in the first four games.

Regular Kai Havertz ran out of competition. He was injured early against Holland. Debutant Younes Ebnoutalib positively surprised the national coach “with many things”. Nick Woltemade “fits in really well with how we want to play”. And Jonathan Burkardt scored against Greece after a remarkable Scherhant assist before the VAR intervened due to a handball in the creation of the goal.

The poor striker ratio is not a genuine Klopp thing. It has also been problematic in the recent past. Woltemade largely secured qualification for the World Cup with four goals as sole entertainer. This year he is still without a DFB goal.

What does Klopp do with Undav?

At the World Cup, Deniz Undav was the bright spot as the top joker and three goals. Klopp's predecessor Julian Nagelsmann still publicly criticized the Stuttgart player. The new national coach is completely without the 30-year-old. Undav doesn't fit into his 4-3-3 system, which is perfect for speedster types like Karim Adeyemi or Scherhant.

“We will continue to work with the boys in the sense of supporting them,” said Klopp. This also applies to Scherhant and the other five wingers. In addition to Adeyemi in the first Nations League turn, it was Scherhant who implemented Klopp's ideas for the raid game most impressively.

Record national player is impressed

Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl, Kevin Schade and Said El Mala, on the other hand, were (still) out for different reasons. If Lothar Matthäus has his way, then Scherhant will continue to be part of the DFB team. “For me he is definitely a candidate for the smaller squad in November,” said the very impressed record national player as an RTL expert in Thessaloniki. Scherhant made a “huge game”.

Scherhant had to collect himself to understand it all. His path to professional football was not easy. «For my part, I am grateful that I was able to be there. It's more than a dream for me when I realize where I come from," said the 23-year-old.

He didn't have a picture-perfect career in the capital; in his youth he was often just a substitute player at Viktoria Berlin and Tennis Borussia Berlin. The move to Hertha BSC only worked because the transfer window was extended due to the corona pandemic. Now he is a national player. “The jerseys will be framed,” announced Scherhant.