Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav may be the best No. 9 that Germany have at the moment. Despite this, Julian Nagelsmannn does not seem willing to give him a real shot. Even though the 29-year-old scored the goal that helped Germany beat Ghana, the coach seems to imply that roles for the World Cup are already set in stone.
Julian Nagelsmann said before the game that the roles have already been clearly communicated to the players and that he sees Deniz Undav as someone who comes off the bench.
Undav was asked about that after the game and said: “If I keep scoring goals, maybe that [role] will change” Nagelsmann was then asked if it’s possible Undav’s role would change, he said: “We’ll see. But it’s unlikely, because the roles are for the World Cup, not for March”
This is the most frustrating thing about Nagelsmann, and something that will earn him no small amount of criticism. Undav is the most in-form German striker at the moment. Nagelsmann may prefer Woltemade and Havertz for the role, but it’s clear that performances should take precedence over reputations.
Maybe, when the World Cup comes around, he will change his mind.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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