'Unlaid egg' - what Klopp might change to reinvigorate Germany

Jürgen Klopp is under no illusions how difficult coaching Germany might be after three early World Cup exits in a row.

>But his acceptance that radical change is needed looks like the first step in his bid to make them contenders on the global stage again, if an agreement is found for him to take up the role.

>"German football is now naturally at a turning point. We now have to fundamentally change things," he told Magenta TV on Friday after the German Football Federation (DFB) had announced Julian Nagelsmann's resignation and said it was holding talks with Klopp.

>The former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool boss is keen on the job after recharging his batteries following two years away from the touchline. He left Liverpool burnt out and has been Red Bull's Head of Global Soccer since.

>He said his first thought about how to change things was to stay pragmatic.

>"It is, if you like, still a bit of an unlaid egg," Klopp mused.

>Nagelsmann has been widely criticized for being too rigid with his ideas, especially playing Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich, his captain, at right back because of the apparent dearth of German right backs in the Bundesliga.

>Klopp showed at Dortmund and Liverpool that although he favours certain systems like four in defence with attacking full backs, the players at his disposal decide tactics.

>No German Lewandowski

>At Dortmund he had Robert Lewandowski, and archetypal number nine, so he played the Pole up top and then others such as Marco Reus around him either in behind or out wide.

>It was different at Liverpool where he played a fluid front three of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. None of them were strikers in the traditional sense and defences were run ragged.

>Germany are lacking a world-class striker so a fluid front three may be Klopp's first thought, but long-term fitness concerns over Jamal Musiala and form concerns for Florian Wirtz might mean speedier options such as Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling get more of a look-in.

>Salah famously said last season that Liverpool had suffered a poor campaign under the later sacked Arne Slot because they had gone away from the principles of "heavy metal football" seen under Klopp.

>Nagelsmann said himself after Germany's World Cup last-32 exit to underdogs Paraguay that their build-up play had been too slow.

>Klopp is almost certainly going to try to change that, with the cooler climes of the Nations League in Europe and Euro 2028 in the British Isles helping.

>But it is not just in possession, "heavy metal football" also means closing defences down quickly and trying to win the ball high up the pitch.

>Nagelsmann wanted to see this too but it was not always apparent in the heat of the US.

>Klopp will insist upon it and given he won two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund, a Premier League with Liverpool and a Champions League with the Reds, Germany fans hope the players listen to the gravitas of 59-year-old Klopp rather than 38-year-old Nagelsmann, who has one title with Bayern on his résumé.

>Youth and a steady goalkeeper

>Klopp has been at pains to point out that Germany's difficulties do not lie with Nagelsmann, given they have struggled ever since their 2014 World Cup triumph.

>But he may differ from his predecessor - if he takes the job - in believing more in youth.

>At Liverpool he promoted unknown academy player Trent Alexander-Arnold to be the starting right back. He is likely to scour the Bundesliga for potential, which may free him up to put Kimmich back into midfield.

>At Dortmund, Klopp had a strong double pivot in the middle of İlkay Gündoğan plus another. Nagelsmann tried similar but without his most effective midfielder in Kimmich.

>Goalkeeper will be another talking point if Klopp is appointed.

>Manuel Neuer has returned to international retirement and there are calls for his Bayern deputy Jonas Urbig to be given the Germany gloves - assuming he rotates with 40-year-old Neuer for the Bundesliga champions in the coming season.

>But Klopp has rarely taken risks with his keepers, he likes steady hands. He went for Loris Karius in the Champions League final in 2018 and the German was badly at fault for two Real Madrid goals in Liverpool's 3-1 defeat.

>Klopp learnt his lesson and quickly bought Brazil's Alisson from Roma. A year later the Champions League was finally his.

>He stuck with the solid if unspectacular Roman Weidenfeller at Dortmund so Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann, dumped for Neuer on the eve of this tournament, may still have a chance under Klopp.

>"I only want to express that I do know how close triumph and disaster can be in football," Klopp said.

>Bad luck can always curse a coach, but Klopp seems to avoid it.