Originally he only wanted to stay until the end of the European Championships at home, but Julian Nagelsmann is enjoying his role as national coach. He acts a little differently in the national team than he does in the club.
National coach Julian Nagelsmann has deliberately changed his leadership style in the national football team compared to his time as club coach. “I do things differently at the DFB. I speak very clearly internally, but nothing gets out. There were also matches at the European Championships in which players underperformed, but I didn’t mention them publicly, not even out of emotion,” said the 37-year-old in an interview with “Stern”.
As Bundesliga coach of Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig or TSG Hoffenheim, he may have criticized the players “too often in the media. The criticism was received, the players understood the message, but it didn’t improve anything,” explained Nagelsmann. In the DFB team, he acts differently on this point: “I protect them. It is and remains my team.”
Nagelsmann “loves” his players
This extremely strong connection to the team is new for Nagelsmann. As a club coach, he had “maybe three or four dream players,” “with the national team you feel a different sense of responsibility for the group,” said the national coach: “You alone with your coaching team made the nominations. You love your people and give everything for them.”
For him, after the failed November 2023 internationals against Austria (0:2) and Turkey (2:3), it was clear that, with a view to the European Championship at home, not only a cut in personnel but also a change in mood was necessary. “Everyone arrived like beaten dogs in March for the games against France and the Netherlands. It was like a self-help group,” revealed Nagelsmann. He then said to the players: “Cool, now we’re playing against France and the Netherlands. We’ll beat them and then we’ll be European champions.”
Nagelsmann: Could cry during national anthem
Germany didn’t win the title in the summer, but they were convincing until their dramatic quarter-final exit against eventual European champions Spain. The team also managed to unite football Germany behind them again and spark great euphoria in the country. “I get goosebumps every time I hear the anthem. If I’m honest, sometimes I even have to concentrate on not crying,” said Nagelsmann.
In the first two Nations League games against Hungary (5:0) and the Netherlands (2:2), the DFB selection carried the European Championship euphoria into the new season. In October, the games in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Munich against the Netherlands are scheduled.
Source: Stern
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