Jurgen Klopp Still a Top Target for German FA Despite Appointing Julian Nagelsmann
The German Football Association (DFB) have confirmed the appointment of Julian Nagelsmann as their new national team manager, but that hasn’t stopped them from hoping to convince Jurgen Klopp to take the job in the long term.
Klopp, who is currently in his eighth year as Liverpool manager, has been the DFB’s top target for some time, and they were reportedly keen to bring him in following Hansi Flick’s sacking. However, Klopp’s agent Marc Kosicke has since rejected any links with the Germany job, and Klopp himself has reiterated his commitment to Liverpool.
Julian Nagelsmann Appointed National Team Manager
Friday saw Nagelsmann officially announced as the new Germany manager, six months after he was sacked from his most recent job with Bayern Munich. The 36-year-old earned his move to Bayern through his success with Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, and appears the ideal candidate for the role.
The DFB have only handed Nagelsmann a short-term contract, with his initial deal keeping him in the position until July 31, 2024. This will take Germany through next summer’s Euros, which they will host, but after that it remains to be seen whether he will be retained.
In a DFB statement, sports director Rudi Voller described Nagelsmann as their “preferred candidate as national coach when the search began.”
Klopp Still a Top Target for German FA
According to BBC Sport’s Constantin Eckner, there remain hopes Klopp will take over as national team manager in the long term. His contract at Anfield ties him to Liverpool until 2026, meaning there is little chance of him taking over from Nagelsmann in the event of an approach next summer.
Speaking to RTL earlier this month, Klopp backed the decision to appoint Nagelsmann and stressed that his “heart is here in Liverpool.” He said: “We are currently building Liverpool 2.0 here. We want to really attack again and not just see how long will it last. I have a duty of loyalty to Liverpool. My heart is here in Liverpool. You can’t just cut out the eight years.”
Conclusion
Despite their hopes of bringing in Klopp, the German FA have made a wise decision in appointing Julian Nagelsmann as their national team manager. He is an experienced and successful coach who has already proven himself at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, and he looks set to be a great fit for the role.
However, it appears that the DFB still have their eyes on Klopp for the long term. Whether or not he will ever take up the role remains to be seen, but it is clear that they are still hoping to convince him to make the move at some point in the future.