Cautious Klopp does not overpromise as weight of Germany job apparent

Juergen Klopp reacts during a press conference to introduce the new national team head coach. Florian Wiegand/dpaJürgen Klopp did not promise Germany would win the World Cup in 2030 but instead said he wanted supporters to be proud of the way they play.

>It was a stark admission from the new Germany coach, who has signed until the next global showpiece in four years, that the national team has fallen down the pecking order of world football.

>But he said that does not mean the Germany team can not make a big difference to fans' lives.

>"We have to do everything we can to ensure – not that we become world champions, but that we play in a way that shows we’re capable of it," the 59-year-old said at his presentation in Frankfurt on Friday.

>"We can’t do it without the people on either side of us," he added. "I want to play football where people go home and think "wow, that was really cool'."

>Germany's men have gone out early in three straight World Cups since their 2014 triumph.

>Klopp said "certain patience" was needed as he tries to implement his ideas. His first match is a Nations League clash against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on September 24.

>His first home match will be against Greece three days later in Augsburg.

>"I’ve seen three times how successful football can transform a city," said the former coach of Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool. "Football can also change a country."

>Klopp, who won two Bundesligas, a Premier League and a Champions League, was famous at his clubs for what former Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah recently described as "heavy metal football."

>He plans a similar style including high-pressing and a "clear footballing idea."

>"I'm keen together with lads to play football which everyone loves," he added, acknowledging it might not be "immediately successful."

>'Realistic expectations'

>Klopp agreed that four-times world champions Germany were not on a par with the likes of France at present and sit 12th in the FIFA rankings.

>"But can we beat the 11 teams before us, yes," he remarked while also adding a dose of reality about the lack of star quality.

>"Success is performance relative to expectations. We must have realistic expectations."

>He said he did not want to make decisions too early on personnel amid a groundswell of opinion in Germany that current captain Joshua Kimmich should return to midfield from his right-back berth.

>Finding a new right back proved elusive to Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned after the World Cup last-32 defeat to Paraguay last month.

>Hansi Flick left after a run of bad form following the 2022 World Cup group-stage exit and Joachim Löw, who lifted the title in 2014, failed to repeat the trick and his side went out in the group stage in 2018.

>Klopp said there was "unbelievable talent" in Germany's youth teams and that the players "are out there."

>Former Arsenal youth academy head Per Mertesacker is becoming managing director for sport at the German federation from January 1 to try to better harness the potential of young players.

>Rudi Völler, the 1990 World Cup winner and former Germany coach, is staying on until at least Euro 2028 as sporting director for the men's team and Klopp said he would be a "really important" partner.

>Klopp has never been a national team coach before and joked that as a club manager "international matches annoyed me before."

>Asked if he would find it strange not to be with his players day in, day out like in club football, he said: "I feel I can still have a connection to the team. They all have telephones. I will watch their games and probably give them my feedback."

>Now he is ready to dive in once his deal begins on August 15 but cautioned that he did not have much time with the players before the Dutch date.

>"Sunday to Thursday, we have four days. I would love to see progress," he mused.

>"I'm up for it, if you are too, let's go."

Juergen Klopp reacts during a press conference to introduce the new national team head coach. Jennifer Brückner/dpa