Germany seek stability in Julian Nagelsmann’s home debut

BERLIN – Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann takes charge of his first match on home soil in the friendly against Turkey in Berlin on Nov 18, promising improvements in defence seven months from hosting Euro 2024.

The 36-year-old took over the national side in September after former boss Hansi Flick became the first coach in the country’s history to be sacked.

Flick was let go with Germany administrators fearing a humiliation in the home tournament with the coach having overseen a group-stage exit at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and a run of five winless games.

Flick’s Germany conceded 13 goals in that five-game run, including four against Japan in what became the 58-year-old’s final match in charge.

Nagelsmann then took over Germany ahead of the United States tour in October.

The Germans beat the Americans 3-1 and drew 2-2 with Mexico, showing Nagelsmann that the side still have defensive improvements to make.

When Germany won the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, the team conceded just four goals in seven matches, shutting out Portugal, US, France and runners-up Argentina.

Speaking when announcing his squad on Friday, Nagelsmann called the team’s habit of leaking goals a “construction site”, saying that “we want to build a stable defence”.

It is a sentiment well understood throughout Nagelsmann’s charges, with midfielder Leon Goretzka saying on Wednesday that “it is still too easy to score goals against us”.

“Everyone is aware that defence is the key to success in tournaments. We haven’t been able to do it so well in the past few tournaments,” he added.

Known for his tactical flexibility, former Bayern Munich boss Nagelsmann wants to understand his options at the back, saying his side “need to become more variable defensively”.

He brought back 2014 World Cup winner Mats Hummels, who has had an impressive season at Borussia Dortmund, while regulars Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule and Jonathan Tah have also been selected.

Tah, the defensive lynchpin of undefeated league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, recognised Germany’s problem but said everyone on the field needed to pitch in.

“We’re definitely conceding too many goals. That’s something that we need to fix tactically as a team,” he said.

Tah has been in career-best form under coach Xabi Alonso as his Leverkusen side have won 16 and drawn one of their 17 matches in all competitions this season.

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Pascal Gross, 32, handed a national team debut as part of Flick’s last Germany squad in September, echoed Tah’s sentiments, saying that defensive stability should not only be left to the defenders.

“(In the midfield) you are on the ball and can give the team stability, security with the ball, against the ball.

“You can put the attackers in good positions, but also take care that there’s a good balance in both directions,” he said.

While Flick’s gung-ho approach tended to leave his side open at the back, Nagelsmann has his side focusing on the minutiae of top defending.

“That’s what we’re working on here. Better processes, details. We will try and implement that in the next two games,” Tah added.

The 27-year-old also said that “it is important that you communicate a lot” when trying to defend.

Barcelona’s Ilkay Gundogan, the first Germany captain with a Turkish background, will play the nation of his parents for the first time on Nov 18.

Despite missing Germany-born captain Hakan Calhanoglu and winger Cengiz Under for the match, Turkey come into the game in top form.

They have lost just one of their seven Euro 2024 qualifiers, scoring 13 goals in the process.

The Crescent Stars sit top of their group, with their progress to the tournament guaranteed.

The match in Berlin might be a friendly but the German capital’s huge Turkish population is likely to turn out in force in the hope of a big performance. AFP