Klopp is banking on a contrast to FC Bayern at the DFB | OneFootball

Jürgen Klopp is the new head coach of the German national team. The former coach of Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool FC wants to revolutionize the national team. And he certainly needs to. Apparently, he’s aiming to set himself apart from FC Bayern. 

This also has to do with the coaching staff. It’s a team that’s typical of Klopp. It consists of assistant coaches he’s worked with before. And it includes Sven Bender, whom he knows from his time in Dortmund when Bender was still a player.

Marc Kosicke, better known as an advisor, is also on board. Surprisingly, he will serve as assistant coach “for strategy, development, and innovation,” as Klopp announced during his introduction.

Typical Klopp-style soccer at the DFB

The new national team coach has already announced that the squad will take on a new look. He has therefore already taken a closer look at numerous field players. “Players who aren’t even expecting it will get opportunities. Because I like to be bold,” Klopp explained.

Photo: IMAGO

Despite a potential Bayern-dominated lineup, it won’t be classic Bayern-style soccer. “High-pressing will be a key focus, along with a solid formation and a clear footballing philosophy that accounts for all the uncertainties,” he said. “We won’t play man-to-man defense. But the best team in Germany does play man-to-man defense.”

Vincent Kompany, however, also has other players at his disposal whom Klopp cannot integrate into his system. Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, and the outstanding offense centered around Harry Kane and Michael Olise are, of course, not available to him.

And the counter-pressing elements that were mentioned are also present at FC Bayern and are being utilized—just in a different form. Klopp’s debut is on September 24 in Amsterdam, when the Nations League group stage kicks off in the Netherlands.

Until then, the new national team coach will have time to evaluate enough players to select a cohesive squad, but also enough time to develop a strategy that can then be implemented on the field—with a style of play that doesn’t quite match what we’re used to seeing from Bayern. But that doesn’t have to be a problem.