It was a brewing controversy between Julian Nagelsmann and Jurgen Klopp. Klopp was heavily criticised in the German media — and by Andreas Moller, Stefan Effenberg and Lothar Matthaus — for making a rather off-hand comment ahead of the Curacao game.
Klopp was naming his preferred line-up, after which he said “fortunately, Julian Nagelsmann is still picking the team — for now”. He repeated the “for now” bit too, which came across as a bit of a swipe at Nagelsmann. It was easy to read too much into it, given Klopp has often been rumoured to be Nagelsmann’s successor.
Everyone had their say thereafter, especially that trio of former German internationals, but Klopp apologised to Nagelsmann on-air following the 7-1 win. Klopp said on Magenta:
💬 “It was too late, I was on TV. It just slipped out carelessly, it meant nothing. What I’ve realised is: I’ll be 59 the day after tomorrow – and I’m still an idiot. We’re completely on your side. Nothing will be done to disrupt the process.”
Nagelsmann graciously accepted the apology and the two shook hands.
In Klopp’s defence, this is the character he’s been playing on television. He and Thomas Muller are working together as pundits and are leaning into a fan-in-the-stadium dynamic. Klopp wore a Germany shirt for the Curacao game, so you get the idea. He and Muller are there to provide some knockabout fun which in this instance, got a bit loose.
This is Germany though, so it was compulsory to have a big argument about it with everyone giving their opinion. And inevitably, here I am doing exactly that.
