Jurgen Klopp launches Bundesliga tour ahead of Germany debut
Germany manager Jurgen Klopp is visiting several Bundesliga clubs to establish direct cooperation with domestic coaches and scout players ahead of his first match.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Author: Tim.Reckmann
Just two weeks into his tenure, Jurgen Klopp is radically reshaping the Germany national team setup by prioritizing direct, hands-on involvement with Bundesliga clubs. The 59-year-old manager is going beyond traditional scouting by visiting training grounds and meeting with club executives at Bayern Munich, Mainz 05, Eintracht Frankfurt, VfB Stuttgart, and FC Augsburg.
This strategy allows Klopp to personally evaluate potential international talents, including VfB Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib. The latter has been a focus of Klopp's recruitment efforts following his strong start to the season, with the manager personally pitching a future with the national team.
I want to work with the coaches in the future, just as I work with the players. It's about building a relationship of trust with the coaches. It should be a collaboration that I would have wished for when I was still a club coach. Jurgen Klopp
A core element of this tour is establishing open communication with domestic coaches, as seen during his visit to Mainz, where he held discussions with Urs Fischer and Christian Heidel. Klopp views this as a vital step in creating a collaborative working environment between the national staff and club managers.
Klopp will announce his first official squad on 17 September. His managerial debut is scheduled for 26 September in Amsterdam against the Netherlands, a match that will also mark the debut of Xavi Hernandez on the Dutch bench.