New role for Kai Havertz labelled "a slap in the face" as Germany woes laid bare
Julian Nagelsmann is running out of time.
Despite only being in the job for three games, the former Bayern Munich boss is practically halfway through his preparation for Euro 2024, a tournament which Germany will host. But travel from Bavaria to Berlin or Dortmund to Dussledorf and you'll find little hope of another memorable tournament for the three-time European champions.
Instead, fans are wishing for Die Mannschaft to avoid another humiliating early exit like at last winter's World Cup in Qatar. After crashing out in the group stage at the expense of Spain and Japan, manager Hansi Flick was already walking on eggshells before a series of embarrassing friendly results in 2023 earned him the sack, a decision made during the team's September camp.
Nagelsmann, the man who succeeded him in charge of Bayern, was unanimously selected by the German FA (the DFB) to replace Flick, six months after losing his own job. A 3-1 win away to the United States in October got the 36-year-old off to a promising start before a scrappy 2-2 draw with Mexico hinted that the same defensive frailties remained. And then came Saturday.
Welcoming in-form Turkey to Berlin, ex-Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig boss Nagelsmann made headlines before a ball had even been kicked. Kai Havertz was named on the team sheet but in an unexpected twist he'd operate at left-back, a position alien to the Arsenal midfielder.
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It may have started well with Havertz scoring a goal after five minutes, but soon enough the night turned into another to forget for Germany. 2-1 down by half-time, a goal from Niclas Fullkrug drew Nagelsmann's side level before Havertz gave away a penalty for handball. It was duly scored to give Turkey a 3-2 win, reminding Germany's new boss just how big of a task he's been assigned.
Scathing criticism from fans, pundits and former players sharply returned, with the nation divided between playing the old-fashioned German way or employing the kind of possession-based football which is all the rage in the Bundesliga. Legend Lothar Matthaus took a swipe at Nagelsmann's decision to play Havertz as a left-back, labelling it a "slap in the face" to actual defenders.
Hansi Flicked was sacked by the DFB following a run of wretched results (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Arsenal star Kai Havertz played as a left-back during Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Turkey (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)"I was surprised that David Raum wasn't in the starting line-up," Matthaus wrote in his Sky column. "Especially since Benjamin Henrichs played on the other side."
The Germany icon added: "The world-class [ability] that Nagelsmann sees in Havertz has so far only been shown on the offensive. At Bayern, Nagelsmann didn't necessarily rely on a nine, he could use Havertz as a hanging striker, Leroy Sane on the right, Jamal Musiala in the middle and Florian Wirtz on the half-left or left side. Then you would have gathered the entire world-class that Nagelsmann and I see in one team."
At least with players like Joshua Kimmich and Ilkay Gundogan - controversially named captain by Nagelsmann instead of Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who's now back after a leg break - they'll be fine, right? Not if you subscribe to Matthaus' verdict.
"I don't know why they keep trying Kimmich and Gundogan together in central midfield," he continued. "Both have exceptional class, but they don't fit together, as we saw last year at the World Cup. You have to separate them on the pitch so that they don't get in each other's way.
Germany will host the European Championships in seven months' time (Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)"I don't mean that in a negative way at all, Kimmich and Gundogan had leadership roles at Bayern Munich and Manchester City in recent years and were for the most part the difference players in their clubs. But when they play together, the internal relationship doesn't work."
On Tuesday, Nagelsmann takes charge of Germany's final scheduled fixture before the opening game of Euro 2024 - although they're due to play two friendlies in March and most likely one in June. But who will the DFB dare put them up against?
In the last eight months alone, they've have lost to Belgium, Poland, Colombia, Japan and now Turkey, with draws against Ukraine and Mexico. Opponents smell blood and whoever they're pitted against in Group A of the European Championships will do, too, with the draw set to be made on Saturday, December 2.
Get involved! How far will Germany go at Euro 2024? Join the debate in the comments section.
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Germany have failed to reach the World Cup knockouts since their win in 2014 (Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)Of course, Germany's problems stem from long before their Qatar nightmare. In 2018, their World Cup defence crumbled as they finished bottom of a group containing Mexico, Sweden and South Korea. Three years later, the Covid-delayed Euros saw them suffer a stinging defeat to England in the round-of-16, leading to the departure of long-serving manager Joachim Low.
Germany's last crisis came in 2004 when they crashed out of that summer's Euros without reaching the knockouts, prompting riots in the streets as the country sank into an economic recession. DFB bigwigs, who'd enjoyed being world champions 14 years earlier, began 'Das Reboot' and concocted a plan to return Die Mannschaft to their past glories.
One of the men behind the successful strategy - which resulted in Germany winning the 2014 World Cup after finishing third at the two previous editions under Low - was acclaimed coach Ralf Rangnick, now Austria's manager. The ex-Manchester United interim boss was among the candidates to succeed Flick but ultimately remained across the border, where he's excelled.
Austria are Germany's opponents on Tuesday, giving Rangnick the chance to show his home nation what they're missing out on. Like the former United custodian would have, Naglesmann needs time to implement his tactical principles. That's a virtue he doesn't possess in this stunted run-up to a tournament, one which will either define Germany's miserable post-2018 era or mark the end of it.
But Nagelsmann doesn't want to be viewed as a victim of the mess which Germany now find themselves in. "We have to work our way into a flow and not take on the role of the victim," he told reporters in Vienna. Meanwhile, defender Mats Hummels declared: "Our fans are not responsible for waking the euphoria in us, we are responsible for bringing it out so we can make it a home Euros."
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