The new boss had a lot to discuss in the first half of the week. Jürgen Klopp has been talking to his staff and making numerous phone calls over the past few days. These are intensive days for the national soccer coach - he is putting together a squad for the second time in the position. And has to significantly reduce his squad compared to the first time, from XXL to normal size. Klopp will almost halve the squad.
On Thursday morning, the German Football Association (DFB) will announce which players the 59-year-old will rely on in the final group games in the Nations League in Belgrade against Serbia (November 13th) and in Berlin against the Netherlands (November 16th). Klopp has to solve several explosive personal issues at the same time. Some conversations this week may have been less humorous than those before Klopp's premiere last September.
At that time, Klopp had appointed 44 professionals into two separate squads, and there were surprising nominations for some still relatively unknown players. This time Klopp has to turn down many, he only has 23 invitations to hand out. His squad may be expanded to include a few additional players. The regulations of the European association UEFA allow 23 players per matchday squad. Now Klopp has to show who he is really counting on when rebuilding.
Many prominent returnees are not expected. After his VfB Stuttgart lost 2-0 in the Champions League at Galatasaray Istanbul, striker Deniz Undav replied: “Not at all” when asked how high his hopes were for a nomination. When asked how he justified his assessment, he added: "What can I say? It's hard to be there without goals, right?" Klopp is also unlikely to nominate offensive professional Leroy Sané from Galatasaray Istanbul, while midfielder Leon Goretzka only recently returned to action at Aston Villa after knee problems.
“It’s not my fault,” says Jürgen Klopp
Niclas Füllkrug from Werder Bremen could be there for that. Experts and fans have been debating the personnel for weeks. “Niclas Füllkrug scores one goal after the other in the Bundesliga, but he’s 33. That’s not my fault,” Klopp recently told DAZN. In other words: in his opinion Füllkrug is too old. It also seems uncertain whether Nick Woltemade from Juventus Turin will be there.
In the 2-0 win against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Füllkrug scored at least one goal in the seventh game in a row, equaling the record set by Werder legend Rudi Völler, who achieved this in the 1982/83 Bundesliga season. Füllkrug is in top shape and in top form, with nine goals after eight matchdays he leads the top scorers list in the Bundesliga. And the storm has recently been Klopp's problem position.
In the first four international matches under him, no striker scored a goal. Apart from Kai Havertz from Arsenal FC, no player appears to be in the squad in attack. To avoid relegation from the Nations League, Germany needs victories. Füllkrug's quota of 14 goals in 24 international matches also speaks for him. Record national player Lothar Matthäus recently described Füllkrug's nomination in his Sky column as almost having no alternative.
"I don't believe that we only have to rely on young players. We should rely on players who have strong performances on the pitch, no matter what age they are," wrote the 65-year-old. “In other countries there are also players who are still playing for their national team at the age of 33 and are playing at World and European Championships.” Harry Kane, FC Bayern's star striker, is also 33, but England coach Thomas Tuchel "invites him anyway."
It's a difficult decision for Klopp. After all, he announced the rebuilding. “We have a present, a medium-term future and a long-term future,” said the national coach recently. "It can of course work in the present, and in the medium term under certain circumstances too. In the long term, yes, we'll have to see now..."
Klopp relies on fast-paced football and pressing. As outstanding as Füllkrug's form is, there are faster attackers. With a view to a possible lack of nomination, Füllkrug recently said on ZDF: "I understand that if that is the case. And if not, then we can still react to it."
A young offensive professional has good chances
Younes Ebnoutalib has good prospects and recently scored ten goals for his club. The 23-year-old professional from Eintracht Frankfurt was one of Klopp's ten international debutants. These included, for example, Mika Baur, Vitaly Janelt, Bambasé Conté and Yannick Engelhardt. Most of the newcomers will probably no longer be there. Felix Keidel recently impressed SV Elversberg with five goals, including two free kicks. He has a good chance of being part of Klopp's squad.
Since Klopp is relying on his 4-3-3 system, SC Freiburg winger Derry Scherhant's chances of being confirmed again also increase. The 20-year-old offensive professional Paris Brunner from AS Monaco can also hope for a nomination. Young star Lennart Karl, who missed the World Cup with an injury, is expected to be there after his recently significantly improved form and his goal in FC Bayern's 2-0 win in the Champions League at Atlético Madrid.
Bayern's playmaker Jamal Musiala has not played since his muscle injury at the end of September and is expected to be missing from the squad. His Munich club colleague Serge Gnabry has to miss the game again with an injury, and Angelo Stiller from VfB Stuttgart is also injured. There is still a question mark behind Freiburg's Philipp Treu, who impressed as a newcomer at the back right and recently had to take a break due to an ankle injury.
The goalkeeper question remains exciting. Will Klopp also decide on a number one in the long term or will he call for a duel? Veteran Marc-André ter Stegen from Ajax Amsterdam or Jonas Urbig from FC Bayern? The national coach has to give direction. Last September he said that Ter Stegen was number one, at least “for the moment”.
The two goalkeepers Finn Dahmen (Augsburg) and Noah Atubolu (Frankfurt) did not appear in the first few weeks under Klopp. This time the national coach is likely to nominate Urbig, ter Stegen and Alexander Nübel from Besiktas Istanbul.
The start to the Nations League was mixed. Germany only won against Serbia, played 1-1 against the Netherlands, lost the first leg against Greece and couldn't get more than a 0-0 draw in the second leg. Germany urgently needs points to reach the quarter-finals in the Nations League.
In the worst case scenario, there is a risk of relegation or even direct relegation to the B league. Fourth place in the table must also be avoided at all costs, otherwise Germany would not even be in the top twelve teams in the draw for the European Championship qualifying groups.
“When the players arrive next time, the DFB national team football hard drive will not be empty,” Klopp said after his first trip as national coach at the beginning of October. “We don’t have to start from scratch.”
The national coach and his team are facing important weeks.
