Germany needs a new national soccer coach, the number of candidates is manageable, and time is running out until the trip to the USA. These contenders are still in the running.
There isn’t much time left: The German Football Association (DFB) wants to sign a new national coach before October 8th, because then the trip to the USA begins with tests against the USA and Mexico (October 14th and 18th).
Schedule Germany Date opponent 08.10.23 Meeting point Frankfurt before departure to the USA 09.10.23 Departure to the USA 14.10.23 USA 18.10.23 Mexico 21.11.23 Austria 02.12.23 Draw groups EURO 2024 18.-26.03.24 International match window 14.06.24 European Championship opening
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf imagines Hansi Flick’s successor as: assertive, robust, resilient. “It has to be someone who is very focused and works directly.” These candidates are being traded:
Stefan Kuntz
It would be a typical DFB approach: a national coach with the smell of a stable. Kuntz made a name for himself as a successful U21 national coach with two European Championship titles and was also popular with the players of the time, including Serge Gnabry, Florian Wirtz and Nico Schlotterbeck.
The recent reports about Kuntz’s dismissal as Turkish national coach seem to open up new possibilities for the DFB.
Julian Nagelsmann
He is considered a great expert and most recently coached Bayern Munich – it makes sense that Julian Nagelsmann is considered a hot candidate. According to media reports, the DFB has already contacted him, but would have to buy him out of his contract with FCB. Nagelsmann knows many of the national players from his time at Bayern, but after his release there were also reports of differences with some stars. The 36-year-old doesn’t lack knowledge or self-confidence, but he does lack experience at major tournaments. It would be a long-term solution beyond the home European Championships in 2024.
Louis van Gaal
Experience, on the other hand, is van Gaal’s biggest asset. He was the Dutch national coach three times and got FC Bayern going in 2009. The former Bayern players Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger are supporters of van Gaal as national coach. “The team needs a personality who has big shoulders,” said sports show expert Schweinsteiger.
Van Gaal himself has signaled his general willingness to become a national coach. The only question that remains is whether he is fit and resilient enough at the age of 72 and whether the DFB dares to bring the controversial power figure into the house.
Oliver Glasner
Since DFB President Neuendorf is open to the idea of a foreign national coach, the Austrian Glasner is also considered a candidate. He sensationally led Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title, is currently without a club and therefore free of charge.
However, this is also due to the fact that he had to leave early after mixed results and disagreements at Eintracht. Glasner is considered uncomfortable and has never experienced a World Cup or European Championship either as a player or as a coach.
Felix Magath
Many of the attributes mentioned by the DFB also apply to him; Felix “Quälix” Magath would be something like the German light version of Louis van Gaal. Magath – like Kuntz – won the European Championship as a player and was a very successful Bundesliga coach in the noughties with three championship titles.
That was a long time ago and Magath’s methods are sometimes ridiculed as outdated, but he recently saved Hertha BSC from relegation in 2022. Magath would have time and desire – he could become plan B or C.
Roger Schmidt
During his only Bundesliga coaching job at Bayer Leverkusen (2014-2017), Schmidt was considered an outstanding coach with strong, sometimes excessive ambition. He is currently impressive as a master coach at Benfica Lisbon.
This puts him on the candidate list with the problem that he is contractually bound. The exit clause from his contract, which runs until 2026, is 30 million euros – hard to imagine for the cash-strapped DFB.
The rejections
Is not available Jürgen Klopphe wants to fulfill his contract with Liverpool FC, which runs until 2026. Matthias Sammerthe gray eminence of German football, will not put up with the stress.
And also Rudi Völler had already canceled before he coached the team to a 2-1 win against France as interim national coach. Völler is employed by the DFB as sports director and is therefore in the middle of the search for a successor.
