Klopp must find new ways – what Bundesliga colleagues can teach

Maja rates Jürgen Klopp as one of the best coaches in the world and emphasizes that his previous successes at Mainz 05, Borussia Dortmund and FC Liverpool provide clear evidence of that. These achievements have made him the long‑standing favorite for the position of national team coach.

For years he was seen as the top wish‑candidate of the entire German football nation for the national team coach position, and his appointment at the DFB raised hopes for a swift and marked improvement of German football.

Managing the German national team differs fundamentally from the day‑to‑day bread‑and‑butter business of a club and presents Klopp with a new challenge in which he must continue to grow.

New Task with Limited Resources

While at club level he could assemble his squad as needed and work daily on his ideas, as national team coach he now has to work with what German football provides him.

Thus he faces the demanding task of conveying his football philosophy to professionals with varied backgrounds and adapting it partially to create a functional overall concept.

Preparation is especially difficult because the national team coach has only a few days before the international matches to develop a suitable system that meets the expectations of the DFB and German fans.

Nevertheless, the DFB selection must achieve success despite the upheaval and restart.

In addition, Klopp must deal with fluctuating performances and changing personnel, communicate staff decisions, explain setbacks, and take responsibility for them.

He has not encountered such a task in this form during his long and highly impressive career so far.

The tasks and obstacles have fundamentally changed for Jürgen Klopp as national team coach.

Since he is regarded as the appointed saviour of German football, expectations are high and he must partially reinvent himself in this role.

In doing so, he could even pick up some tricks from his Bundesliga colleagues, who provide him with most of the player material for the national team.