Weidenfeller bluntly: Klopp must rid Germany of 'ego trips' | OneFootball

Numerous newcomers and more than 40 names in the initial squad: Jürgen Klopp’s start with the DFB is a radical one. Roman Weidenfeller believes the approach is the right one, but attaches one condition to it.

Weidenfeller, the former BVB goalkeeper, knows Klopp better than almost anyone else. He spent seven years between the posts under the man who is now Germany’s national coach and experienced his work from the very first minute. It is precisely this experience that underpins his prediction that Klopp will take a different path with the DFB team than his predecessors.

In an interview with DAZN, Weidenfeller points to the decisive factor on which success will depend. “That the team idea always comes first and not the ego idea. In the last tournaments, and often before that as well with the national team, it seemed to me as though individual ego was frequently put first,” says the former keeper.

Photo: IMAGO

Klopp will do everything he can to get every player fighting for one another again and to build a new sense of unity. Weidenfeller sees the fact that the national coach called up so many professionals for the first international break as a deliberate signal: everyone gets the chance to prove themselves. Klopp stands for emotion and credibility, “you believe every single word he says. Every single word carries weight, right up to politics.”

Klopp’s overhaul also affects well-known names

That even strong form does not guarantee a call-up is evident in the case of a former BVB professional. Julian Brandt is now performing at a high level for Ajax Amsterdam, scored again in the 2-2 draw against Excelsior, and has six goals in 11 competitive matches. Even so, he is absent from Klopp’s squad. The 48-time Germany international had not expected a nomination even before the squad announcement, but wants to keep making his case and still hopes for a DFB comeback. Marc-André ter Stegen, on the other hand, is in the squad.

Weidenfeller describes Klopp’s leadership style as a mix of trust and pressure. Names do not count for him: “You are my number 1, but you also have to perform. And if you don’t perform, then I’ll throw you out.” That is exactly the attitude the national coach conveys to each individual.

How tough the new standards are is shown by the change in goal. Oliver Baumann was not invited this time after already having to line up behind returning Manuel Neuer at the World Cup. Weidenfeller sees this as a generational shift: the 36-year-old has had a good career in the DFB shirt, but the future belongs more to ter Stegen, young keeper Urbig, and the younger goalkeepers.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.