Football: Julian Nagelsmann gets ready for Germany debut after Bayern Munich axe, set to face USA in friendly
New Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says he is feeling «pressure» and «responsibility» as well as pride as he takes charge of the team for the first time against the United States on Saturday. Nagelsmann's predecessor Hansi Flick last month became the first coach in Germany history to be sacked, having overseen a run of five matches without a win after a second-straight group stage exit at the World Cup in Qatar.
A humiliating 4-1 friendly loss to Japan in Wolfsburg proved to be the final straw and the German federation turned to the 36-year-old Nagelsmann, himself fired by Bayern Munich in March.
«It's a great honour for me. I also feel kind of pressure because I want to be successful with the team and I love watching the fans in all the streets and celebrate good games of the national team and we try to do this,» said Nagelsmann ahead of Saturday's game in Connecticut.
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«I am also feeling a kind of responsibility for German soccer as a whole, not only me but the whole group — we want to be a team who can entertain the fans, especially in Germany,» he said.
Nagelsmann, the country's youngest coach for almost a century, has named World Cup winners Thomas Mueller and Mats Hummels, both 34, in the squad, with the latter last playing for Germany at the Euros in 2021. The coach said he wants to introduce his style of play while keeping the need for positive results in focus.
«I have the big aim that my style leads to a winning situation, winning games. That would be perfect. When our style does not lead to three points in the games then we have to do it a different way,» he said.
«In the end, it's also important that we play a good
