Speaking at his pre-match press conference (via @iMiaSanMia) ahead of Germany’s Nations League game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, head coach Julian Nagelsmann has commented on the about of injuries in the squad.
Ahead of the first game, five players have dropped out of the national team due to injuries. Jamal Musiala was the first before he was then followed by Kai Havertz, Robin Koch and RB Leipzig duo David Raum and Benjamin Henrichs. In return, Jamie Leweling, Jonathan Burkardt, Kevin Schade and Robin Gosens have all been called up as replacements.
On the amount of injuries, Nagelsmann said:
“As a coach, you can look at it from two sides: either you complain or – the view that I take – see it as a good opportunity for the core team that was at the Euros to transfer the atmosphere that we had there and the way we played recently to the newly assembled team. For the players who are new or who have played less recently, it’s a chance to get playing time. I have no different expectations than recently: That we play a good game and show that we are proud to play for Germany, that we give everything we have in terms of character and that we win the game in the end.”
However, despite the increase in games this season, Nagelsmann is not quick to blame the increased schedule for the injuries:
“I’ve often stressed that I don’t want to constantly complain about the schedule. In the end, the many games finance the expensive sport. On the other hand, you have to look at what kind of injuries they are. If they were all reactions to overexertion, we could talk about it. Fülle (Niclas Füllkrug) has had them for ages, even during the break, there was not much evidence of overexertion. David Raum twisted ankle, which also had nothing to do with overexertion. With Henrichs, we don’t know for sure, he has had back problems for a while. But it can’t be a burden either, when I look at the minutes he played in Leipzig.
There won’t be fewer games in the future, but more. We need to talk a bit about how the breaks are structured. In the NBA, players play around 80 games and also have to travel many kilometers. But they have a very long break, the NFL also has a long break. We don’t have that in football.”
In this international break, Germany play two Nations League games in this international break. The first is against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday evening, before they then return to Germany and on Monday host the Netherlands in Munich. Then in a month’s time, Germany have another set of Nations League games including the return against Bosnia as well as a trip away to Hungary.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
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