Julian Nagelsmann: Liverpool's interest, Bayern sacking and why Chelsea & Tottenham passed on him
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Julian Nagelsmann: Liverpool's interest, Bayern sacking and why Chelsea & Tottenham passed on him
Julian Nagelsmann in contention for soon-to-be vacant Liverpool job
Current Germany boss was fired by Bayern Munich in March 2023
Chelsea and Tottenham considered Nagelsmann last summer but decided against moves
By Sean Walsh, Ben Jacobs
11:10 AM GMT+1
Nagelsmann is currently Germany boss
Nagelsmann is currently Germany boss / Lars Baron/Getty Images
Julian Nagelsmann's managerial career to this point has been fascinating. His most exciting chapters may yet still be written in years to come.
At the age of just 36, he ranks among the world's top coaches. He has already ticked off several achievements of note despite his youth - leading minnows Hoffenheim into the Champions League for the first time, taking RB Leipzig to the semi-finals of that same competition, winning three trophies with Bayern Munich and then taking charge of Germany.
Nagelsmann's contract in charge of the German national team expires at the end of Euro 2024 this summer and he is keen to return to club football, with sources telling 90min he is open to receiving quick and firm offers, otherwise he'll wait until after the European Championships to decide his next move. Liverpool are but one side monitoring his situation.
But since leaving Bayern in March 2023, Nagelsmann's route back into the club game has proven difficult. News of his sacking by Bayern came as a shock to fans, media and players alike. The Bavarian giants were going strong in their pursuit of a treble and the club's decision to part ways came out of the blue to the wider world.
Chelsea and Tottenham's interest and reason for Bayern sacking
Julian Nagelsmann
Nagelsmann's reputation soared at Leipzig / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
Behind the scenes, 90min understands Bayern had concerns over his maturity. His coaching pedigree was always respected but some at Bayern felt his swagger bordered on arrogance at times, and this was a factor in his departure. Bayern's hierarchy believed Nagelsmann didn't want to change his ways despite an inconsistent 2023, and key also players became frustrated by that.
Those close to Nagelsmann strongly and firmly deny any question marks over his character, but Bayern are not the only club to question this and his methods.
Chelsea spoke to him as part of their search for a permanent successor to Graham Potter when he was sacked a couple of weeks after Nagelsmann left Bayern. However, while the Blues preferred to go through a thorough interview process, sources close to the club claim Nagelsmann wanted his interview to be more of a procession and they ultimately decided he wasn't the right personality or strategic fit.
On Nagelsmann's part, his camp accept he was frustrated by what they felt was Chelsea's drawn-out process, adding he was the one to walk away from talks with Mauricio Pochettino eventually offered the job.
Tottenham Hotspur also briefly considered Nagelsmann as a replacement for Antonio Conte, but nothing advanced and no meeting was taken following due diligence. Spurs instead turned to Arne Slot of Feyenoord before finally settling on Celtic's Ange Postecoglou.
Liverpool job contention and Nagelsmann's other options
Julian Nagelsmann
Nagelsmann was sacked by Bayern last year / Alexander Hassenstein/GettyImages
If Nagelsmann is to get a Liverpool job interview - and 90min understands he is one of the names discussed internally after scoring high on a data-led shortlisting - he would need to prove he is a fit beyond only the coaching side.
Liverpool began planning for Jurgen Klopp's successor back in November when he privately informed the club of his decision to stand down at the end of the season. Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi are two other names who made quite a 'long' shortlist, with the former scoring particularly well.
Nagelsmann's profile has a lot to like but if talks are to advance, Liverpool would need to be sure he is a cultural fit. As it stands, others are ahead of him in the race to replace Klopp, who Liverpool are calm about replacing and have multiple names in mind. They were never reliant solely on Xabi Alonso, who confirmed he's staying at Leverkusen last week.
In recent weeks, Nagelsmann has also been sensationally linked with a return to Bayern to replace his initial successor, Thomas Tuchel. 90min understands while the club are publicly remaining coy on concrete names to replace Tuchel, it would be very difficult for Bayern to bring Nagelsmann back. They would have to accept they were rash to dismiss him in the first place.
Along with Tuchel and Hansi Flick, Nagelsmann has been touted as one of three German coaches who could take the Barcelona job, but he is considered an outsider.
Nagelsmann could also end up staying on as Germany boss if Euro 2024 goes well. It's perhaps more likely a club option presents itself, and this is his preference, but success this summer could yet change his mind. The German FA are certainly open to discussing something longer-term.
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Surprise semi-finalists set up unforgettable DFB Pokal conclusion
FotMob - April 2, 2024, 9:48 AM
None of the four DFB Pokal semi-finalists have lifted the title for nearly three decades. Two of them have never gotten their hands on the trophy. Three aren’t even top-flight teams! Clearly, we are approaching the very business end of an incredibly magical cup season.
By Neel Shelat
“Die Magie des Pokals” is the German equivalent of “the magic of the cup”, so that must be being said a lot around the country at this time of year. As we approach the final four of the DFB Pokal, we are promised a memorable end to an incredible season of the cup as giants such as Bayern Munich, defending champions RB Leipzig, and Borussia Dortmund have all fallen.
Instead, it is surprise Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen chasing their second-ever cup trophy who are the favourites. In fact, they are the only top-flight team still standing as the other semi-finalists include giant killers Saarbrücken of the 3. Liga as well as two sides from the 2. Bundesliga.
Ahead of the upcoming semi-finals, let us take a look at each of these four teams and how they got here.
Saarbrücken
The story of the DFB Pokal season so far has to be Saarbrücken’s unbelievable run to the semi-final.
A third-tier team overcoming the country’s strongest team in Bayern Munich, recent Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Mönchengladbach is a crazy enough story in itself, but it would even have made a smidgen of sense if they were runaway promotion favourites. Instead, Saarbrücken have firmly been a mid-table side in the 3. Liga this season.
It is impossible to say what is possessing them in the cup, but they are somehow putting together incredible performance after incredible performance to hold off Bundesliga attacks and hit them on the counter. That formula has served them well enough to equal their best-ever cup run (they also made the final four in 2020!), so they will now hope that it can take them one or even two steps further.
FC Kaiserslautern
Just a couple of years ago, FC Kaiserslautern regularly faced Saarbrücken in the 3. Liga, so their reunion in the cup semi-final is sure to be a truly special occasion.
In fact, if FCK pay too much attention to their cup campaign at the cost of their league form, they may have to make the trip to Saarbrücken more regularly. At the moment, they sit in the relegation play-off spot, just one point above the direct drop zone from Germany’s second tier.
Kaiserslautern have been a touch fortunate with the draws so far as they have only come up against one Bundesliga side – relegation battlers FC Köln in the second round – and only need to overcome a third-tier team to reach their what would be their first cup final since 2003.
They have the worst defensive record in the league with a grand total of 1 clean sheet so far, so their approach to games certainly is one of outscoring their opponents no matter what. 14-goal striker Ragner Ache has been key to that approach, so the timeline of his return to fitness from a hip injury could prove decisive in Kaiserslautern’s cup campaign.
Bayer Leverkusen
Without a shadow of a doubt, Bayer Leverkusen are now the firm favourites to win the DFB Pokal. If they get the job done, this could be just their third major trophy. Die Werkself’s ambitions will be far greater, though, as they are still unbeaten all season en route to a potential treble.
Their path to the semi-final has not be an overly dramatic one as they eased past lower-tier opponents in the first few rounds, but did get a real run for their money in the quarter-final. Fellow Bundesliga overachievers Stuttgart pushed them all the way in what was one of the best matches of the season in Germany – from a tactical and entertainment standpoint. After the game swung in all sorts of directions, centre-back Jonathan Tah won the day for Leverkusen with a header in the 90th minute!
Leverkusen easily have the quality to cruise past any of the remaining semi-finalists, but as their close-run Europa League tie against Qarabağ would have warned them, they must be careful in their approach of balancing three separate title charges. Xabi Alonso’s men will certainly be keen to avoid a repeat of the club’s 2002 treble horror.
Fortuna Düsseldorf
Fortuna Düsseldorf are enjoying their best cup run since 1979/80 when they sealed back-to-back titles – their only post-War major trophies. If Bayer Leverkusen do slip up, they will be likeliest to make it three as they are also in contention for promotion to the Bundesliga.
Under Daniel Thiourne, they certainly have the firepower to give this cup a really good shot as their return of 59 goals in the 2. Bundesliga is the highest in the league.
They also have the joint second-best defensive record in the league, although that has not really shown in the cup yet as they have failed to keep a single clean sheet despite never coming across top-flight opposition. Their success against 2. Bundesliga leaders St. Pauli in the quarter-final was very encouraging, though, so they will hope to see that momentum carry on in what promises to be their toughest match of the season against Bayer Leverkusen.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the DFB Pokal live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
