A sobering sight

Nagelsmann admits: “I was very, very shocked”

"I was very, very shocked during the November training session." As Germany coach Julian Nagelsmannadmitted  in the "Blickpunkt Sport" interview, he had imagined his first few months as coach of the DFB squad would be much easier. 

"It was okay against Turkey, but really bad against Austria. I went home and spoke to my partner and said: "It's extraordinary how the whole staff feels after games like that. The way the whole team sits in the dressing room. They were like beaten dogs," said the national coach, recalling the defeats against Turkey (2:3) and Austria (0:2).

"I was crushed"
Nagelsmann makes no secret of the fact that this time really got to him. "That kind of crushed me, because I thought: We're playing soccer and we're allowed to talk about it - and we totally collapse into gloom and play two such bad games."

The now 37-year-old was all the happier when his team got back on track in time for the home European Championships. "Seeing the sparkle in the players' eyes was very special," recalls Nagelsmann of the major event on home soil. Next Saturday, the DFB team will face Bosnia and Herzegovina before hosting Hungary on November 19.