Germany is advised to appoint Klopp after Euro 2024
After firing Hansi Flick, while waiting for the DFB to appoint a new head coach, the German team will use a temporary coaching staff to prepare for a friendly match with France at home in Westfalen, Dortmund on September 12. This group has three members, including DFB Director Rudi Voller - who led the team to the 2002 World Cup runner-up position, U20 team coach Hannes Wolf, and 35-year-old former striker and former national player Sandro Wagner.
According to Matthaus - the record holder for Germany with 150 matches, if he helps Germany win good results against France, Voller can be the interim coach until the end of Euro 2024 held at home. The 62-year-old player believes that Voller has a good relationship with the players and can decide for himself to continue sitting in the "hot seat" of the German team. He also evaluated Wolf and Wagner as two suitable assistants for Voller.
"I don't think those responsible will object to Voller continuing to lead the team," sports magazine Kicker quoted Matthaus as saying in an interview at the football museum in Dortmund on September 11. "In general, if the atmosphere is right and the results are right, then it hardly matters who coaches Germany."
According to Matthaus, the DFB should then seek to appoint Jurgen Klopp. In January 2023, Klopp left open the possibility of leading the German team if he left Liverpool. But the problem with this deal is that Klopp still has a contract with Liverpool until the summer of 2026, and the DFB has to pay a large fee to break the contract and then appoint the 56-year-old coach to lead his hometown team.
Matthaus also revealed that Matthias Sammer is ready to be Germany's interim coach until Euro 2024. Sammer is a former 1996 Golden Ball-winning midfielder who led Dortmund to the 2002 Bundesliga championship before working as Technical Director of DFB from 2006- 2011.
But regardless of the specific personnel decisions, Matthaus emphasized that the new coach must strengthen unity in the dressing room. Flick - with whom Matthaus had a friendly relationship for 40 years - failed to do so.
The release of the four-episode documentary "All or Nothing" last week exposed the terrible crisis within the team during the 2022 World Cup. The Amazon series captures Antonio Rudiger and Joshua Kimmich During a heated argument on the training ground, Flick warned his players that they did not receive much support from home fans, while Leon Goretzka complained about the difficulties of playing in Qatar.
The series also showed a lack of discipline when Julian Brandt arrived late to a tactical meeting without being reprimanded, in addition to his controversial action - taking a photo posing with his hands covering his mouth, to protest the captain being banned from wearing them. The rainbow "One Love" armband shows support for diversity and non-discrimination, especially for the LGBTQ community.
Besides the three names mentioned by Matthaus, German media listed other candidates who could succeed Flick including Julian Nagelsmann, Miroslav Klose, Jurgen Klinsmann or foreign leaders such as Oliver Glasner, Louis van Gaal and Zinedine Zidane.
