Manuel Neuer is reportedly on the verge of a comeback to the DFB team. For Oliver Baumann, this would be a personal tragedy for which Julian Nagelsmann would be responsible. The return of the Bayern goalkeeper would also shatter the national coach’s credibility. It’s a communicative disaster that could have been easily avoided. An opinion piece.
If there was one thing Julian Nagelsmann could hardly be criticized for during his time as national coach, it was that players always knew where they stood with him. Even around the home European Championship 2024, the 38-year-old ensured that players had clarity regarding their intended role within the team, preventing misunderstandings from arising. At times, Nagelsmann’s pronouncements were almost too explicit, as seen in his much-discussed handling of Deniz Undav.
To Undav, Nagelsmann revealed that despite his strong performances and impressive statistics for VfB Stuttgart, he would not be seen as a starting striker for the upcoming World Cup. This caused significant debate, especially during the recent international matches against Switzerland and Ghana.
It is therefore all the more surprising that the national coach is showing such a lack of clarity and decisiveness in his actions concerning the «Manuel Neuer returning to the German national team» affair. During his appearance on ZDF’s ‘Aktuelles Sportstudio’ on Saturday evening, Nagelsmann again refused to give a concrete statement, emphasizing that he had not yet spoken with the players.
«I stand by my initial thesis that I seek conversation with the players first. The player is always contacted first. There is a Day X when the nomination takes place. If I start, just because I feel pressured and Germany is discussing certain topics, to anticipate things and announce them, then I am not evaluating everything I see. I am far from being driven,» the 38-year-old strategically avoided the questions from moderator Jochen Breyer.
However, if Neuer were to be included on the preliminary squad list this coming Thursday, it would be nothing less than a communicative disaster and a complete loss of credibility for the national coach. After all, when addressed on this topic in recent weeks and months, he had consistently stated that a discussion about Neuer’s definitive retirement from the DFB team after Euro 2024 was unnecessary and that he was planning with Oliver Baumann as the number one for the World Cup tournament instead of the Bayern keeper.
Certainly, if there is a U-turn, it would primarily come from Neuer. Nagelsmann would merely be reacting to a reversed decision. But it is far too late for that now!
Manuel Neuer’s Return: Oliver Baumann Would Be the Sufferer
A comeback for Neuer would be a slap in the face, especially for the TSG Hoffenheim goalkeeper. The 35-year-old has hardly put a foot wrong in the national team jersey since his promotion. During World Cup qualification, he was at times outstanding and consequently established himself against Stuttgart’s Alexander Nübel in the competition for the presumed number one status at the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Even on Saturday afternoon, immediately after Hoffenheim’s 0-4 defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Baumann expressed confidence about going to the World Cup as the starting goalkeeper. Nagelsmann had clearly and unequivocally expressed his «trust» to him in a «one-on-one conversation. I have my information. Period.» Should things now turn out differently and the 35-year-old indeed have to step back for Neuer, it would be an unprecedented humiliation.
Especially in the goalkeeper position, where continuity is more important than anywhere else, such toing and froing is absolutely counterproductive. Neuer, should he give the green light for a return, would definitely travel to the World Cup as number one and displace Baumann, who is actually well-integrated within the team, to the bench. The comparison drawn by some experts with Toni Kroos’s comeback before Euro 2024 therefore does not hold true.
Julian Nagelsmann Should Have Spoken with Manuel Neuer
What makes the whole spectacle even more bitter is that it could have been easily prevented by Nagelsmann.
According to Neuer, he and the national coach were in contact. When discussions about a potential return for Neuer heated up months ago, Nagelsmann should have sought a conversation with the keeper and, in a way, put a gun to his head. Nagelsmann should have forced Neuer to make a definitive decision about his future in the DFB team earlier. Now, it seems more as if Nagelsmann has been strung along by Neuer and is only giving the thumbs-up now due to immense public pressure.
After all, from a sporting perspective, not all factors speak in favor of Neuer. While the 40-year-old possesses a wealth of experience that can be immensely beneficial in various situations during such a tournament, Baumann’s season was hardly worse in terms of performance than that of the FCB keeper. On the one hand, Neuer’s outstanding performance in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid stands out, but on the other hand, individual errors have also become more frequent.
Just a few weeks before the start of the World Cup – at a time when the team should be fully focused on the tournament – avoidable side issues are dominating the picture. These are not likely to quiet down quickly, because one thing is also completely clear: no matter who ends up in goal, if there is a mistake, the next fundamental discussion will immediately follow.