Nominated for the first time: Tim Kleindienst
Photo: imago/Laci Perenyi
Julian Nagelsmann sat down in front of the camera in a white turtleneck sweater with a black jacket to explain his squad nomination in a video made by the German Football Association (DFB). The fact that a spotlight shone directly behind him made the explanations on German Unity Day even more enlightening. While the national coach recently adopted a more conservative approach, small surprise effects are now being staged again for the Nations League games against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica (October 11th) and the Netherlands in Munich (October 14th).
The appointment of striker Tim Kleindienst, who moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach, is just as unexpected as the nomination of goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, who now plays for Red Bull Salzburg. “The group that took part in the European Championships deserves to continue to be in focus,” said Nagelsmann, although there is now no alternative to “minimal changes” due to a few failures. On the one hand, there is the patella tendon rupture of goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, whose case Nagelsmann called “tragic”.
»He is our number one – and he will stay that way.«
Julian Nagelmann National coach, about the injured Marc-André ter Stegen
Of course he spoke to the 32-year-old on the phone. “He’s doing well under the circumstances. He seemed sad but composed. He’s our number one – and he’ll stay that way.” A sign of trust that the Mönchengladbach native can really use. The ball catcher from FC Barcelona, who has had surgery for a long time, shouldn’t make any unnecessary hassle because: “If he comes back a year before the World Cup, he will still be able to play at a top World Cup and have a good World Cup qualification.”
The 37-year-old has already promised Oliver Baumann his debut. The keeper and captain of TSG Hoffenheim “deserves to get an international match.” Nagelsmann also found his performance in Kraichgau “outstanding” despite all the turbulence. It has not yet been decided whether the 34-year-old will play both Nations League games or whether Alexander Nübel from VfB Stuttgart will also play. Blaswich, who was loaned out from Leipzig to the Austrian sister club, was nominated as the third goalkeeper. “Janis has been there before: he’s a good guy who holds the group together,” explained the national coach. As is well known, teamwork is a valuable asset in the goalkeeping group.
The Kleindienst case, which serves to expand the attack department in numbers, is different: the forced break for the injured Niclas Füllkrug, who has had to take a break since the last international match in Amsterdam against the Netherlands (2-2), is a good opportunity to expand Kleindienst to test it on an international stage. “His reaction on the phone was promising – very euphoric,” revealed Nagelsmann with a smile. The 29-year-old is the next late starter in the center forward position. First Kleindienst shot the upstart 1. FC Heidenheim into the Bundesliga with 25 goals, then in his debut season he contributed twelve goals to the European Cup. The 1.94 meter man, who was successful in his first two games for the Fohlenelf, is the only newcomer in the 23-man squad.
Serge Gnabry is now also benefiting from the fact that doors open more easily again. The dribbler, who is rarely convincing in the DFB jersey, especially around the World Cup in Qatar, gets a new, perhaps last, chance. “He has managed to stabilize himself after a difficult year,” said Nagelsmann, justifying the return of a star who, at the age of 29, may be given a new test of asserting himself in the national team, which will gather again in Herzogenaurach, Franconia, from Monday.
Things are different for someone like Maximilian Beier, who is only 21 years old. The new signing from Borussia Dortmund “doesn’t yet have the flow, the minutes, the scorer points” at club level, explained the national coach, who therefore agreed with U21 national coach Antoni Di Salvo that Beier, like Karim Adeyemi, would prefer to play “twice at the “U21 should gather rhythm” because after all, the German youngsters have two important European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and in Poland. Incidentally, his club colleague Adeyemi scored five goals in two matches with the U21s during the last spell away – and continued this flow directly at BVB. Beier is welcome to imitate it in order to bring “the interlocking” (Nagelsmann) of the two most important selection teams to life.
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