Stefan Effenberg urges Julian Nagelsmann to look abroad, not Germany
Former Germany national team coach Julian Nagelsmanns is still without a new job after his Aus with the DFB. Stefan Effenberg, the former Nationalspieler, says the 39‑year‑old should not take his next role in Deutschland.
Manchester United rumours
In a t‑online column the former Nationalspieler discussed rumours linking Nagelsmann with the struggling English Rekordmeister Manchester United. Manchester United’s head coach Michael Carrick is under criticism and Sky reports Nagelsmann remains a candidate to succeed him.
Effenberg's counsel
Effenberg wrote: “Ganz gleich, ob Nagelsmann sich für United entscheidet oder nicht: Ich würde ihm dringend dazu raten, für seine nächste Aufgabe ins Ausland zu gehen.” He added that a new coaching Job in Germany does not make sense for Nagelsmann at present. Effenberg cited Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, Hansi Flick and Fabian Hürzeler as positive examples, suggesting Nagelsmann should follow their path and withdraw from German public view for a while.
Effenberg also offered advice to Nagelsmann’s former assistant Sandro Wagner. Nach dem gescheiterten Engagement beim FC Augsburg in der Vorsaison, Wagner is now at Hannover 96 in the second division. Hannover 96 endured three defeats in their first four league games before securing a 2‑1 win over Dynamo Dresden on the weekend.
Effenberg said he would have preferred Wagner to move abroad as well, noting his setbacks at Augsburg and Hannover 96. He wished Wagner luck but warned that focusing on him could go wrong.
Past split, speculation and other advice
Nagelsmann and the DFB split after the botched World Cup campaign of the German national team in the United States, Canada and Mexico, ending prematurely. Before that, the once‑popular coach had lost credibility due to several questionable decisions.
Recent speculation suggested that Nagelsmann’s former club RB Leipzig might seek a reunion if current coach Martin Demichelis’s experiment fails. However, RB Leipzig officials have consistently backed the Argentine coach publicly. Nagelsmann coached the Saxons from 2019 to 2021 before moving to FC Bayern. After his dismissal from Bayern in spring 2023, he joined the DFB in autumn that year.
Former European champion and ex‑DFB sports director Matthias Sammer also gave advice on Nagelsmann’s future a few weeks ago. Sammer suggested Nagelsmann should consult a “football‑wise” person, naming Lothar Matthäus, Dietmar Hamann and Stefan Effenberg. He also implied Nagelsmann should tidy up his surroundings, focusing on him if he were in a responsible position.