Millions of questions still unanswered
FC Bayern apparently opens the door for national coach Nagelsmann
September 12, 2023, 10:31 a.m
Rudi Völler is said to be a big fan, as is Hans-Joachim Watzke: The decision-makers at the German Football Association apparently consider Julian Nagelsmann to be ideally suited to succeed Hansi Flick as national coach. Now there are first signs that FC Bayern could release him cheaply.
Felix Magath has submitted his unsolicited application in a very public manner, Louis van Gaal is basically ready to be convinced of the task. Desired candidate Jürgen Klopp could also imagine looking after the German national football team as national coach at some point. However, he still sees no reason to get out of his contract with Liverpool FC, which is valid until 2026.
However, interim coach and DFB sports director Rudi Völler has clearly communicated that a new boss should be found and hired by the international matches in October. Several media outlets are now reporting that Julian Nagelsmann has the best chances – and that FC Bayern is prepared to accommodate the financially struggling DFB in return. “The FCB wants a transfer fee, but knows that the DFB cannot pay one,” writes Sky – and explains that the Munich team would even consider letting Nagelsmann move to the DFB “for free” in order “to get their ex-coach off the payroll.” Around seven million euros per year are rumored to be due by the end of the contract in 2026.
At the DFB, on the other hand, there are said to be several Nagelsmann supporters among the decision-makers. Sky describes the 36-year-old, who was released by the Bundesliga record champions in March, as “Rudi Völler’s dream solution”. At Sports1 It is said that DFB Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke also thinks highly of Nagelsmann and wanted to bring him to Dortmund “three times (!). Watzke is known to be the managing director of the Borussia ball game club, or BVB for short.
So far there have been no discussions between the DFB and coaching candidates
Nagelsmann also has the potential to work as a national coach beyond the 2024 home European Championship. Candidates like Magath or van Gaal would be more like a temporary solution, which Völler actually rejected in the wake of Flick’s dismissal. The DFB is looking for a long-term and sustainable solution. Record national player Lothar Matthäus also advocated for this, albeit with one exception: in the event that Jürgen Klopp agreed to take over after the European Championships.
Sky and Sport1 unanimously report that there has been no contact between the DFB and Nagelsmann so far. However, this should also apply to all other candidates, because: Völler first wants to prepare for the international match against France on Tuesday evening (9 p.m./ARD and in the live ticker at ntv.de) concentrate in Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion. After the embarrassing 1:4 against Japan on Saturday in Wolfsburg, the priority should be to avoid being paraded in front of the home crowd again.
It also remains completely unclear whether Nagelsmann is interested in the national coaching job and feels ready for a new task. After his surprising departure from Munich in March, he was linked to FC Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, among others, without anything concrete coming of it. Sport1 reports that he “deliberately took some time out to recharge his batteries.” Energy that he would urgently need to lead the DFB team out of the serious crisis.