Jürgen Klopp made history with his first squad selection as Germany’s national team coach. He named an XXL squad—in fact, two of them. Some of the players will play in the first two games, while others will play in the remaining two.
Bayern stars like Aleksandar Pavlovic, Jonathan Tah, and Joshua Kimmich are on the list. The same goes for Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala, who haven’t quite found their rhythm yet—or at least not fully.
These two players, in particular, are expected to spend the entire international break with the DFB. This is a move that, in the past, a club coach like Vincent Kompany would likely not have welcomed due to the heavy workload. This time, however, it’s different.
Klopp’s Plan for the DFB Squad
In general, Jürgen Klopp’s plan upon taking office is to see as many players as possible in action during training. Watching them in highlights or live at the stadium is one thing. But keeping a closer eye on them while he himself sets the standards and gives the instructions is something else entirely.
That’s why the Nations League offers the national team coach an ideal opportunity to try things out. This competition will be over before the European Championship qualifiers begin.
Klopp can get to know his team, establish a foundation, and then use that foundation as a basis for future matches. The team can then gel during the European Championship qualifiers—ideally with a few Bayern stars at the core.
Why Klopp Is Doing Bayern a Favor
Before his appointment, the new national team coach consulted with various coaches, including, of course, Vincent Kompany. The discussions also touched on specific player selections. And Klopp made decisions that FC Bayern will be pleased to see.
“Tom will be with us in the second group. In the first group, he’ll be with the U21s as their captain. This was also discussed with Vincent Kompany. He doesn’t play three games every week either, so he’ll play with the U21s first and then join us,” Klopp explained, referring to the approach regarding midfielder Bischof.
For Bayern, Klopp’s approach is nearly ideal. Players who see a lot of action, such as Kimmich or Tah, aren’t overburdened and can recover a bit before Bayern’s next block of competitive matches. Things couldn’t be going much better.
The fact that Gnabry and Musiala are training with the DFB squad on a permanent basis is equally beneficial. In Munich, given the large number of players who are away on international duty, it would be nearly impossible to conduct regular, high-intensity team training. Klopp can provide that for them; not only does he see the two players every day, but he also builds them up physically so they can really hit the ground running with the record champions afterward.