Germany lost 2-0 to Slovakia in Bratislava on Thursday, losing their first World Cup qualifiers away from home, putting pressure on former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich bosses
German manager Julian Nagelsmann has claimed he is not worried about the safety of his job as he enters the World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland heading into Sunday’s World Cup qualifiers on the back of three consecutive defeats. After being disappointed in losing to both Portugal and France in the international league in June, Germany lost its first-ever World Cup qualifiers from home when the campaign began with a surprising 2-0 reverse to Slovakia in Bratislava on Thursday.
It left Nagelsmann under pressure to enter Sunday’s game in Cologne as criticism in German media grew.
“Being frightened is never a good thing,” Nagelsmann said at a press conference on Saturday. “I’m still brave enough and want to win every game. I’ll do my best tomorrow too. The team is important, not me. I think I’ll do a better job than Thursday.”
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Despite recent results, Germany remains a strong favorite against Michael O’Neill’s side, with Michael O’Neill ranked 71st in the world and 62nd in the opponent. However, Nagelsmann admits that O’Neill’s men have the weapons to cause problems on his side through a direct approach.
“The Northern Ireland team has clear plans,” he said. “They play a lot of long balls and are very good at attacking the second ball. When they get the second ball, they play very fast, deep passes behind the defense.
“They try to get closer to their opponents’ goals of scoring, and they have strong set pieces, which is the most important topic, to avoid these set pieces and avoid the space behind their defense.
“It’s not that easy as there are a lot of players who are used to playing long balls and attacking with the second ball. There are a lot of players who are not very familiar with the way this soccer plays.
“Tomorrow we’re trying to find the best player in this case. We’re trying to be the best competitor possible. We’re trying to win our home game. It’s a very important game for us, both for stands fans and for World Cup qualifiers.”
Nagelsmann’s Squad includes two players who made a massive move in the Premier League this summer, with Liverpool’s £116 million midfielder Florian Wirtz and Newcastle’s £65 million record.
“For the Bundesliga, it’s not perfect for the best young players to move to the UK, but that’s what it is for now,” Nagelsmann said when asked about the deal.
“The most important thing as a national team coach is that you’re confident enough to play a role with the national team because you can play a lot of minutes and get a good game during the season.
“Florian has always been one of our most important players. He’s been in the past and now he’s the future. Nick is a new player for us. He’s been well under the age of 21.
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