"Deniz delivers the answers on the pitch" – Sebastian Hoeneß joins debate over Undav's Germany role | OneFootball

Deniz Undav’s role in the German national team has been a hot topic over the international break.

Many called for the Stuttgart striker to start Monday’s friendly against Ghana and then argued he proved his worth by coming off the bench to score the winner.

However, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann gave an interview that sparked plenty of debate after the match, saying Undav wasn’t very involved until his goal and that it will be difficult for the striker to change his substitute role heading into the World Cup.

When asked about Undav's Germany role at a press conference on Thursday, Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß said he didn’t want to get too involved – but ended up saying quite a lot.

“Basically, I don’t want to say much on the topic. I saw Deniz doing what he does for us too: scoring important, match-deciding goals,” Hoeneß said.

Asked specifically about Nagelsmann’s comments, Hoeneß replied:

“I won’t be baited into it. It’s better for everyone if the topic rests. It wouldn’t help if I spoke at length. I can only say that Deniz delivers the answers on the pitch, and he will continue to do so in the coming weeks. I am convinced of that.”

Later in the press conference, Hoeneß highlighted Undav’s impressive statistics – 23 goals and 13 assists – for Stuttgart this season.

“We mustn’t forget that we have a player in Deniz who often makes the difference. The stats show that. You need a player who can finish off chances. We have more than just Deniz for that, but he must be mentioned first and foremost. His statistics are enormous.”