Klopp starts with mixed results as national coach

The first international period under Jürgen Klopp was nowhere near as successful as hoped and expected. The 0-0 draw in the second leg against Greece marked the end of the new national coach's debut trip. The balance: two draws, one defeat, just one win. The longed-for revenge after the 0-1 defeat in the first leg failed.

To put it diplomatically: definitely expandable. Didn't win against Greece twice and didn't score in two games against this team. Reaching the quarter-finals of the Nations League will now be quite difficult for Germany; The current third place in the table is not enough.

But Klopp's start wasn't just about results and goals. It was about atmosphere, mood and the route. About new ideas and courage. About sending the right signals.

Klopp had nominated 44 players. That was brave. It paid off in that he got to know everyone and was able to have a lot of conversations. A clever measure. Ten players made their debuts.

Klopp creates a bond between fans and team

Klopp gained a lot of insights on this trip. That was his main concern, as he repeatedly emphasized. He proved to be a good communicator and stood in front of his team after the 0-1 loss against Greece. The 59-year-old created a bond between the national team and fans, thanked the audience after the games with applause in front of the fan curve and praised the support from the stands.

The hype surrounding Klopp over the past 14 days has been even greater than expected. Sometimes excessive, but also helpful in terms of the interest and mood around the team. A national coach as a star and a bearer of hope.

The feeling that Klopp conveys is worth a lot and helps the team. It takes time to clearly see Klopp's influence and ideas. That became clear in these first two weeks under the national coach. And it doesn't come as a surprise.

The trip produced winners among the players

Philipp Treu impressed as a right-back. Klopp started him in three of four games. The SC Freiburg professional was convincing, even though Germany should have scored victory in the second leg against the Greeks shortly before the end. Malik Thiaw was also very secure in the defensive line in the two games in which he played. The Newcastle United professional is a real alternative for central defense.

Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tom Bischof in central midfield, as a trio with Florian Wirtz in front of them, showed that they can shape the national team in the coming years. In the second week they shone against Serbia in the absence of captain Joshua Kimmich. In the second leg against Greece, Wirtz was captain, but the trio didn't play as well as they had four days before.

Jonas Urbig: He is number two at FC Bayern - but Klopp let him make his debut against Serbia. And offered him again in the second leg in Greece. The 23-year-old was the only goalkeeper nominated to play two games. And saved Germany from falling behind in Thessaloniki with a save at the start of the game. Urbig kept two clean sheets. In the previous games, Germany had not kept a clean sheet. Urbig radiated security and is likely to become Germany's number one in the medium and long term.

Derry Scherhant impressed with his dynamism and his move to the goal. Klopp let the 23-year-old offensive professional from SC Freiburg play in the last two games of the trip. In Greece, Scherhant prepared Jonathan Burkhardt's 1-0 goal, which did not count due to a handball. Scherhant was one of the most noticeable Germans at times on Sunday, even if he still lacks efficiency at times.

The national coach will soon have to find a framework and filter the player selection. Greece, who didn't make it to the World Cup, and Serbia are not the benchmark, and squad one and squad two are of course not a long-term suitable model.

The next games in the Nations League are scheduled for November, when the injured Jamal Musiala, Nico Schlotterbeck and Kai Havertz could also be there again. And then Klopp will no longer experiment with two squads and many newcomers.

The first period under Klopp was at least a partially successful beginning. No longer. And nothing less.