France-Germany: “Upheaval is a weak word”, how Nagelsmann shakes up the Mannschaft

Even informed observers will have to wet their necks on Saturday evening, between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., when scanning the France-Germany match sheet. Rarely has the Mannschaft been made up of so many players unknown to the general public, and only German football experts know what to expect with Deniz Undav, Waldemar Anton and Maximilian Mittelstädt, three of the six new players called up by coach Julian Nagelsmann.

“Upheaval is a small word for what Nagelsmann is doing to the national team,” wrote daily Der Spiegel following the announcement of the 26-man roster last week. More than the new ones, it is the absent ones who are talking. Mats Hummels (78 caps), Leon Goretzka (57) and Serge Gnabry (45) stayed at home. Nagelsmann brandished two arguments to justify himself.

First, the young (36 years old) coach gives priority to current form, not status. Hence the unprecedented presences of Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich, 19 years old), Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim, 21 years old) and Jan-Niklas Beste (Heidenheim, 25 years old). “Julian “I only base myself on the performances” Nagelsmann,” teased the daily Bild.

The other reason is that in the eyes of the German coach, these stars are not compatible with the status of substitute. “We had other players in mind who we think it works better for. The problem is not always finding the best players, but those who best fit the roles,” Nagelsmann explained.

Appointed coach on September 22, two weeks after the dismissal of Hansi Flick and a humiliating defeat against Japan (1-4), Nagelsmann is fumbling. He recovered a Mannschaft traumatized by elimination in the first round of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as was already the case in 2018 in Russia. A project nine months before Euro 2024 at home. Under his leadership, Germany first beat the United States (1-3), stalled in Mexico (2-2) and especially lost to Turkey (2-3) and Austria (2 -0). “The anticipated joy or euphoria is hardly perceptible so far before the home tournament,” Bild wrote again this weekend.

Beyond the courageous player choices that Nagelsmann made, there were experiments at the tactical level. The former Leipzig and Bayern Munich coach briefly tested a 4-2-3-1 to which Flick often stuck. He quickly moved towards a three-way defense with Kai Havertz, an attacking midfielder, as a piston or left back. “At 24, Kai Havertz plays as a left-back in his country? Seriously ? It’s a total lack of respect,” commented former French and Arsenal defender William Gallas about the Gunners player.

Nagelsmann has since confirmed that Havertz will not be reappointed to the post. “But it wasn’t a failure, he had two very good matches,” he maintained. “It’s not about playing 3 or 4 at the back, nor whether Kai Havertz played left defender. It's about that 5 or 10% of passion, drive and energy that we're missing. We lack these German values,” underlined Rudi Völler, sporting director of the Mannschaft.

To find these qualities, Nagelsmann is still relying on old hands, like the 2014 world champions Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller, and therefore on a youth lacking benchmarks at the highest level. “We must show our unity and everyone must be aware of their role,” Nagelsmann said. And if we do well, I am convinced that we will have a very, very good Euro.” The match against the Blues is part of this quest for growth. Germany is trying to hide it, but it is not ignoring it: it is urgent.