Luis de la Fuente knows what it takes to build a successful national team, and the Spain coach has offered some valuable perspective on Jürgen Klopp as he looks to rebuild the German national team.
De la Fuente recently praised Klopp while also acknowledging the differences between managing a club and managing a national team. He believes Klopp has the quality to build something special with Germany, but warned that the process will require patience.
“He’s a world-class coach whom, unfortunately, I
have not yet had the opportunity to meet personally. Of course, you have to distinguish between the work of a club coach and that of a national team coach. There are quite a few differences that he will have to get used to. However, I believe that Jürgen Klopp will be capable of building a world-class team with top players. But that takes time. Everyone in football wants quick success — but constantly changing the coach is not the solution. To achieve success, you need a clear philosophy, and you have to stick to it, even when there are setbacks,” De la Fuente told Sport Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Unlike club football, Klopp does not have months of daily training sessions with his players to implement his ideas. International managers have limited time together with their squads, making consistency and a clear tactical approach even more important.
Some would argue that Germany has a talented group of players for Klopp to work with, from established stars to emerging young players who could become important pieces of the team.
There will inevitably be setbacks along the way. De la Fuente’s message is that those setbacks should be viewed as part of the process rather than a reason to immediately abandon the project.
For Klopp and Germany, building something lasting will take time.
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