Julian Nagelsmann proudly presented his first trophy as national coach alongside Rudi Völler.
The dark blue jersey with his name and the number 1 on the chest and back as a gift from the football stars of the New England Patriots was of course not enough for the new head coach of the national football team. This quickly became clear from the first training impressions in Massachusetts.
“You notice the drive, you notice the motivation,” said captain Ilkay Gündogan, describing the infectious power with which the new DFB head coach goes to work on his debut on the US tour. A successful home European Championship in 2024 is the goal, not a souvenir from America.
Nagelsmann’s drive and motivation could also be heard on the training ground in Foxborough, which was surrounded by a forest. He constantly gave clear instructions to the players on how to practice. The 36-year-old himself repeatedly opened the passing relays with which the DFB selection should finally dominate their opponents again in the future.
Havertz landed in the USA – squad complete
In the morning (local time) we continued in intensive practice mode, with a unit that had not previously been noted on the published schedule. The national players trained in two groups on the pitches of the New England Patriots from the NFL and the Major League Soccer team from the New England Revolution, as the DFB announced. Kai Havertz had just landed in America. As agreed, the 24-year-old Arsenal professional arrived later after his dental operation. Nagelsmann’s 26-man squad is now complete.
Passivity, doubt, confusion, the national coach wants to banish all of that. The huge “Revolution” lettering on the roof of the training headquarters of the MLS team of the same name, which houses the national team, seems like an omen.
Visit from ex-NFL star and Bierhoff
The word liberation would also describe the basic mood in the national team before the international test matches against the USA on Saturday (9 p.m. / RTL) in Hartford and on the following Wednesday (2 a.m. / ARD) in Philadelphia against Mexico. It was relaxed. There was clapping and laughter when former German NFL star Markus Kuhn handed out Patriots jerseys to all players and the management team.
Even Oliver Bierhoff as a guest couldn’t miss this. The former DFB director was back with the national team for the first time since the painful separation after the World Cup debacle in Qatar. But only as a visitor, although the trip to the USA, which received critical comments at home, was still planned under his direction.
Direction and rhythm are now dictated by others. “A new coach always brings with him new dynamics, that’s completely clear,” said Gündogan about the successor to the hapless Hansi Flick. Nagelsmann is surprisingly tall, reported the Barça professional after the first personal encounter. “I didn’t notice on TV that he had a good stature,” said Gündogan.
The trip to America is like a crash course for Riese Nagelsmann. It gives the DFB professionals more interesting moments than the stressful moments they feared. “It was cool that we got the jerseys and we can immerse ourselves in this world a little. It’s a different world,” said Leverkusen’s Jonas Hofmann about the experiences in the football mecca of Foxborough.
Football takes center stage
But under Nagelsmann the focus is on his own sport. “The conversations quickly turn to football, to things he wants to convey,” said Hofmann. The national players also have to listen a lot – as soon as the jet lag is halfway overcome.
“The passing game is of great importance, that means playing a lot vertically, steeply, smack, small details that are clumsy and simple, but where we just want to get a feeling, where we want to get security,” reported Hofmann. The “basic principles” are crammed and preached by Nagelsmann over and over again. “We aspire to play attractive football that inspires people in the country,” said the 36-year-old football teacher, describing his aspiration.
But Nagelsmann knows that the quickest way out of the crisis after the last international games, which he followed “from a fan perspective,” is through simple processes. “The plan will not be as complex and complicated as in club football,” he said of his tactical considerations. “Simplicity is a good keyword. We won’t have 14 different basic shapes,” he announced.
Basic shape already recognizable
A basic form was quickly apparent during training in Foxborough. In the 4-2-2-2 system, the ball was repeatedly played quickly and steeply forward. The axis is all players over 30 years old, a little younger than Nagelsmann (36) himself. From Marc-André ter Stegen (31) in goal to the central defense with returnees Mats Hummels (34) and Antonio Rüdiger (30) as well as Gündogan (32) as a midfield switch point next to Joshua Kimmich, who under Nagelsmann is again intended in the center instead of on the right.
Nagelsmann’s trusted player from his Bayern days is only 28, but he is no longer a greenhorn. Kimmich’s 80 international matches are only topped by Thomas Müller (34 years/123 international matches) in the current squad. The chain of elderly leading figures is completed by striker Niclas Füllkrug (30), who has not even been a national player for a year, but sets the tone on the training pitch – almost as loudly as Nagelsmann.
