Hans-Joachim Watzke Defends Jürgen Klopp’s DFB Appointment Against Uli Hoeneß’s Criticism

The discussion surrounds Klopp’s upcoming appointment and debut as DFB head coach scheduled for September, alongside his longtime advisor Marc Kosicke. Hoeneß recently voiced criticism over the dual setup.

“I don’t know what that has to do with a friendly takeover,” Watzke stated. Pointing to recent history at Säbener Straße, the DFB-Vizepräsident noted that Germany’s previous two national team managers—Julian Nagelsmann and Hansi Flick—both arrived directly from Bayern Munich. “Nobody said that was a friendly takeover by FC Bayern,” Watzke added.

Managing Reputations and Staff Autonomy

Watzke argued that securing a manager of Klopp’s stature naturally necessitates granting a degree of operational leeway. According to the sources, Watzke emphasized that Hoeneß understands this dynamic better than most, given the caliber of world-class managers Bayern Munich has employed over the decades.

“That is completely normal; every coach has a few ideas regarding his staff,” Watzke said, drawing a parallel to current Bayern manager Vincent Kompany bringing his own backroom personnel to Munich. “That has nothing to do with a friendly takeover.”

Klopp is set to officially step into the dugout and lead the national team for the first time on September 24 in Amsterdam against the Netherlands, with his squad selection expected to be announced one week prior.

Watzke also pointed to a broader psychological shift among supporters following past tournament disappointments. “This deep depression that we all felt after we had to go home early from the World Cup has almost turned into euphoria in Germany,” Watzke said. “People are looking forward to it again.” Expressing absolute confidence in the incoming manager, he added, “My trust in Klopp is huge. Just let him do his thing, and in the end something good will come out of it.”