Germany: Jürgen Klopp unveils his selection method

Jürgen Klopp has unveiled his first squad since taking charge of Germany. At a press conference, he also explained how he plans to use data to identify and assess international players.

Data alone is not enough to convince Klopp

Jürgen Klopp does not question the usefulness of statistics in modern football. When a player is relatively unknown, certain data can in particular help the staff better understand his physical profile and performances. Speed is one of the indicators observed. Klopp nevertheless recounted that a player who had been clocked at around 38 km/h had not been selected for his squad.

« You cannot sprint your way into a place in the national team », the German coach explained. For the former manager of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, a spectacular statistic therefore cannot sum up a player’s value. What matters is his ability to meet the needs of the collective.

Klopp prioritises the pitch and dialogue

The national team coach wants in particular to analyse the players’ behaviour on the pitch and talk to them in order to better understand their profiles. Their attitude, their understanding of the game and what they can bring to the German project will therefore also be taken into account. « We have to remain open to new developments », Klopp reminded reporters.

Jürgen Klopp intends to build his squad around a balance between data and observation. Statistics can draw his attention to a player, but they will replace neither his own assessment nor conversations with the international players. Germany’s next match against the Netherlands will now provide an opportunity to discover the new national team coach’s first sporting choices.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr

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