Jürgen Klopp had already said a lot more than he actually wanted to. But when Jonathan Tah was already sitting ready for the second part of the media round before the Nations League game against Greece, the national coach stormed back into the room to the astonishment of all observers.
"If the boys don't perform tomorrow, my receding hairline will come back," said Klopp in the team's headquarters in Herzogenaurach and disappeared from the scene with a grin.
What did that mean? Klopp's hair, which he had surgically improved a few years ago, was not yet a public issue in the first week of international matches under his direction.
Tah didn't want to contribute to the clarification. “Unfortunately I can’t reveal what it’s all about,” said the Bayern professional with a smile. When he ended his appearance with his own question about the pastry known in some regions as "pig's ears", the impression emerged that the national coach and the defender had indulged in public fun. Did they possibly have to include the words receding hairline and pig's ears in their statements?
In any case, the fact is: the mood is great again for the national football team before the first home game under Klopp as head coach. Not only is there work to do, there is also laughter. «We didn't have a lot of time now. But I think, as you can see, the positive energy that the coach and the coaching team bring in helps us as a team," said Tah.
Of course, Klopp also commented on sporting topics before the second of four games in the narrow Nations League window after the encouraging start in the 1-1 draw against the Netherlands. As planned for the long term, former Stuttgart player Alexander Nübel will be in goal on Sunday (8:45 p.m./ARD) in Augsburg instead of Marc-André ter Stegen.
Playmaker Florian Wirtz, who was called up to the DFB squad earlier on Friday to replace the injured Jamal Musiala, will not yet be in the starting line-up. “That would really be a bummer and the worst thing we could do,” said Klopp, specifically referring to Wirtz. The same applies to Jonathan Burkardt as Kai Havertz's replacement. No more personal information was revealed. Klopp wants to keep it that way on the day before international matches in the future.
Instead, when asked about his relationship to the venue, he humorously said that his cousin had a pharmacy in Augsburg. The national coach is also happy that standing room is allowed again at a national team home game for the first time in 25 years. «The atmosphere in the stadium has a dramatic impact on performance. People who stand, that's where the noise comes from," said the former coach of the Emotions Clubs in Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool.
Klopp wanted to give a clear warning about Greece with the young Dortmund player Konstantinos Karetsas. Perhaps this is the “golden generation” of Greek football. “We respect Greece a lot, we have to work really hard to get a good result,” said the 59-year-old. The opponent started the competition with a 2-1 win in Serbia.
Klopp emphasized that his goalkeeper swap had nothing to do with Ter Stegen's performance in Amsterdam. He couldn't understand the critical comments about the 34-year-old's performance anyway. “I am very happy with his performance.”
But now Nübel can play in his fourth international match. «He deserves this. I hope he enjoys it and keeps the place clean," said Klopp after the final training session in Herzogenaurach, where all 24 players in his squad were there.
Klopp quickly analyzed the draw in Holland. «We found really great scenes. We noticed that in all the moments in which we acted together against the ball, we had really, really great defensive moments," said the national coach.
For him, working collectively in a deep block remains the basic prerequisite for the “freedom” and “willingness to take risks” that he wants to see moving forward. Regardless of whether the opponent is called Holland or Greece.
