RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesGermany sporting director Rudi Völler admitted on Monday that he considered quitting in the wake of another World Cup flop but he is now looking forward to working with new national team coach Jürgen Klopp.
Völler said at an international coaches congress that he was "close" to stepping down as he "considered whether it makes sense to continue after this World Cup" in which Germany went out in the last 32 against Paraguay.
One of the reasons why Völler decided to stay and see out his contract until 2028 is Klopp, who was formally appointed on Friday and will start on August 15 in succession of Julian Nagelsmann.
Praise for Klopp
"Jürgen has a great CV. of course I am happy when he says that you have to stay. I will support him in my way," Völler said.
"We must give the people in Germany some optimism over the next two years (until Euro 2028). He can do that in his way. He has already lit up the country.
“It’s brilliant that he’s been chosen. His greatest strength, alongside his footballing expertise, is his ability to inspire people.”
Völler said that "we must thrill the masses again and do things better at the Euros." He said what was missing lately was resilience and defending in a better way.
Völler, who won the World Cup as a player in 1990 and was a finalist as coach in 2002, said that Nagelsmann had no support in the end while Klopp has "the quality, the might and the power to try out things.
"With him, people are willing to turn a blind eye now and then if things don’t quite go to plan. He’s earned that standing over the course of his coaching career," Völler said.
Klopp not present
The former Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool coach Klopp was originally due to hold the opening speech at the three-day congress but did not because of his new job.
“I don’t want to make the headlines again right at the start, without ever having played with the team. That’s why I thought it made sense not to talk about what I had intended to talk about,” Klopp said in a video message.
“The topic would have been: becoming a manager isn’t difficult, but being one is all the more so. I would have talked about my career and how I coached – without knowing exactly how it all worked – to stay with the respective clubs for so long.
“If I imagine I’d have talked about that, it could well come back to haunt me over the next few days and weeks. Because now I’ve become a coach. That was hard enough. But now I also have to show that I can stay in the job. That’s what I want to focus on,” Klopp said.
No major player changes expected
Klopp's tasks will include reshaping the team but neither Völler nor forward Nick Woltemade expect sweeping changes regarding players ahead of the first matches against the Netherlands, Serbia and Greece in the Nations League autumn.
Völler expects Klopp to pick players based on his chosen philosophy and revealed that "it will be exciting. He already has ideas we have talked about."
Woltemade said in a video call with former international Thomas Müller provided by Google that "many players will be the same" and Völler also believes that captain Joshua Kimmich will continue to be a team leader.
"He has proven in many international matches that he is a flag bearer and a great captain. I don’t want to pre-empt the national team coach, but I don’t expect any major changes there," Völler said.
Looking at the upcoming matches, he added: ‘This is the third World Cup in a row where we haven’t performed well. But we’re not that bad. We’re still a nation that can beat anyone on a good day."
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