The coach sat down – and was immediately asked about the topic of the day in the stadium in Dortmund: Who will be playing in the attack for the German national team this Saturday evening (9 p.m. FAZ live ticker for the European Football Championship, on ZDF and MagentaTV)? Kai Havertz or Niclas Füllkrug?
It doesn’t really matter, said the coach, because there will be “quality” in the team either way. He then explained that the style of play would change somewhat with Füllkrug, but that Havertz could also move to the wing, which is why it is not an either-or scenario, but rather a both-and scenario. And when he had finished his brief analysis, Danish football coach Kasper Hjulmand, who is currently preparing his team for the round of 16 match of the European Championship against Germany, said: “We are prepared for every scenario.”
Later, Julian Nagelsmann also sat on the podium in the press room – the man who was to answer the question that football fans in Germany were probably more interested in than anyone else.
“Tough opponent”
In the first few minutes of the question and answer session, he was not supposed to talk about the German team, but about the Danish team. He said that in the preparations he had seen a lot of “one-touch actions in the final third”, as well as “good physicality” and a “clear structure”. All in all: “Tough opponents.”
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But then the national coach was asked about the topic of the day: Will Havertz play? Will Füllkrug play? Or will both play? And anyway: How had he followed the discussions about it?
“I’m not following the discussion at all,” said Nagelsmann. “We are the coaching team and we decide who plays. Tomorrow evening. Not before. I’m not giving out any information either.” He didn’t do that when a reporter from abroad asked in English whether the role of substitute striker Füllkrug could change in the knockout round. On the one hand, he has the skills to play in the first eleven, but on the other hand he also has the skills to come into the game later and bring new energy. “I’ve decided,” said Nagelsmann. “But I won’t tell you.”
When the conversation turned from the German attack to the German defense, Nagelsmann revealed a little more. He reported that central defender Antonio Rüdiger, who had suffered a thigh strain in the game against Switzerland, was able to train with the team again.
And? The first impression was a good one. And provided Rüdiger’s body doesn’t react unexpectedly overnight, there will probably be one less secret with regard to the national coach’s line-up.
