Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann under fire ahead of World Cup qualifier

Berlin: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is facing mounting criticism after a run of poor results, with pundits and media questioning his constant tactical changes ahead of Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.

The 38-year-old former Bayern Munich coach oversaw a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia last week, the four-time World Cup winner’s first-ever loss to that opponent. Germany has won only once in the last six games, while Nagelsmann’s record stands at 12 victories from 24 matches - nearly identical to predecessor Hansi Flick, who was fired in 2023 after three straight defeats, reports Xinhua.

Former Germany greats Lothar Matthaus and Stefan Effenberg have led the criticism. Matthaus, capped 150 times, said Nagelsmann was “overchallenging the players” with too many tactical tweaks. “He needs to go for one system and keep it,” Matthaus said.

Effenberg, who captained Bayern in the 1990s, argued that Nagelsmann’s micromanagement of “running and passing paths” was paralysing the squad. He singled out midfielder Leon Goretzka, who was deployed as a No. 10 against Slovakia. “We all know he is a box-to-box performer, not a ten,” said 35-cap Effenberg. IANS

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