It seemed strange that Julian Nagelsmann extended his contract with Germany at the height of this summer’s managerial jumble. But this boy is a genius.
In this, the summer of ManagergeddonJulian Nagelsmann’s actions and deeds looked stratospheric.
Liverpool’s plan to replace Jurgen Klopp involved his compatriot at one point.. Barcelona were linked. Manchester United and Newcastle too. Bayern Munich came crawling back during a coaching search that would have caused second-hand embarrassment even at Spurs.
The 36-year-old had an increasingly desperate fleet of clubs falling at his feet, with the Manchester City job among those likely to come up during the year. This was to be the tournament where Nagelsmann fought his way to the top of every shortlist..
Then came a “decision of the heart” that raised eyebrows outside in April. Nagelsmann was so “touched by the euphoria of the supporters” that he extended a contract that initially only ran until the end of 2024, committing to the national team at least until the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup .
As a role that Nagelsmann could have taken on and been embraced at any stage of his professional life, it seemed a curious path toward which to take his career, an unnecessary withdrawal from his coveted candidacy.
Then Friday evening came.
Those who missed the full vision of the impressive victories against France and the Netherlands in March were treated to a glimpse of an incredibly positive and truly exhilarating future for Germany against Scotland. Because as embarrassing as their adversaries arethe hosts were incredibly brilliant.
Jamal Musiala was sensational from the first minute until his merciful substitution in the 74th minute. He, Florian Wirtz, Ilkay Gundogan and Kai Havertz lined up, rushed and danced around a Scotland midfield that didn’t seem to exist and a defense that could only pray for such a reprieve. The space between these two areas has been invaded and exploited with laughable and frequent ease.
Toni Kroos orchestrated from deep and on the rare occasions when Scotland forced a loose ball in that general area, Antonio Rudiger and Jonathan Tah made Che Adams look like a little child asking for his ball.
The Southampton striker would not have debated his withdrawal at half-time, a necessary sacrificial lamb after Ryan Porteous’ foolish intervention in attempting to separate Gundogan’s ankle from the rest of his leg. It was a truly despicable tackle and the Watford defender’s late finish was perhaps the only constructive result of the Scottish evening.
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They managed no shots – Scott McKenna’s header which deflected off Antonio Rudiger for the most consoling goal in no way qualifies for such a descriptor – and only two touches in the opposition’s penalty area. Billy Gilmour’s gamble apparently backfired, but in truth Scotland were organized so atrociously that no amount of player configuration would have allowed his approach to work.
Steve Clarke asked a week before the tournament what there was “reason to be negative about”. It was foolish optimism at best and at worst, total ignorance of Scotland’s position. It was a categorical answer to his own question.
But it was also a complete vindication of Nagelsmann’s own gamble. Germany still has plenty of time to implode, as it has done in the last three major tournaments. Any specific praise of this match must be partly caveated due to how awful Scotland were. But this is a wonderful German team with a potent mix of ridiculous experience and ridiculous potential.
With Gundogan, Kroos, Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich and Manuel Neuer on one side and Wirtz and Musiala on the other, Germany may have everything, as Nagelsmann himself said midweek, “everything “.
This includes quite possibly the best manager in the tournament, and surely the one most clubs would want above all others. But perhaps Nagelsmann was right to flip the script; Although he could have had his pick of teams instead and held the national job at any time over the next two or three decades, his tactical acumen complements this specific German team exceptionally well and those positions at the club will invariably become available later.
Until then, the interest in contributing to the development of this new generation of superb German players is obvious. And who in their right mind wouldn’t want to take a closer look at Niclas Fullkrug’s shooting technique?
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