Against Switzerland, Nick Woltemade was given an opportunity to showcase his skills, despite the strong form of Deniz Undav. For the national coach, this was a decision rooted in intuition and player psychology.
Julian Nagelsmann vehemently defended his somewhat unexpected choice to field the out-of-form Nick Woltemade over Deniz Undav during the German national team’s thrilling 4-3 victory.
He clarified why Woltemade, and not the currently top-performing Undav, was brought on for Kai Havertz in the 63rd minute. Firstly, Nagelsmann explained that it was ‘a super intense game’ where Undav’s ‘many great qualities, especially when he himself has a lot of the ball,’ might not have been optimally utilized.
Secondly, and apparently the more crucial factor, Nagelsmann overtly aimed to bolster the fragile confidence of the «England-based player» (Woltemade) with some much-needed playing time in the DFB team.
Woltemade is enduring a challenging period at Newcastle United after an impressive start to his season, scoring four goals in his first five league appearances. He frequently finds himself playing in a much deeper role, unable to fulfill his preferred position as a central striker. Nagelsmann had previously lamented this situation in a press conference, even delivering a subtle jab at fellow coach Eddie Howe regarding the player’s deployment.
‘I can promise that with us, he won’t be 80 meters away from the goal,’ Nagelsmann had previously stated. On Friday evening, he reiterated this point and highlighted Woltemade’s strong goal-scoring record for the national team (4 goals in 9 appearances).
Undav or Woltemade? Nagelsmann’s Critique of Psychologists Who ‘Will Say the Opposite’
‘Nick has an excellent scoring rate with us but is currently struggling at Newcastle. Now, I have a choice: do I continue to give confidence to a top striker who is already performing brilliantly, or do I risk sidelining another top striker who isn’t quite on form right now? We could ask a few psychologists what they think,’ Nagelsmann asserted, defending his decision before immediately addressing those very psychologists. He suggested they would ‘probably say the opposite of me,’ adding: ‘That’s the pastime of psychologists who aren’t actively coaching – they always enjoy contradicting all the coaches.’
Looking ahead to the summer World Cup, Nagelsmann also emphasized the potential importance of the 1.98-meter tall, technically gifted player. ‘I believe it’s prudent for Nick Woltemade to get back into rhythm with us. Things aren’t going smoothly at Newcastle, and Deniz is already on a fantastic run. Whether he played today or not, it won’t impact his confidence for this week.’
Undav in Top Form at VfB Stuttgart — But Overlooked by the DFB Team?
In stark contrast to Woltemade’s situation at Newcastle, at VfB Stuttgart, it seems everything Undav touches turns to gold. The 29-year-old is enjoying the best season of his career, currently boasting an impressive 23 goals and 13 assists across 38 competitive matches.
Nevertheless, following Nagelsmann’s widely discussed interview in early March, there were speculations that Undav might not feature in the World Cup plans under the national coach, despite his exceptional form.
These rumors were further fueled by an Undav interview shortly thereafter, where he remarked that Nagelsmann didn’t need to contact him at that moment. The national coach promptly dispelled any suggestions of a strained relationship with Undav during the squad announcement, stating that ‘everything is in the best order.’
The relationship would likely be even stronger if Nagelsmann were to grant Undav a well-deserved opportunity to further prove himself in the national team’s upcoming match against Ghana next Tuesday. However, Nagelsmann refrained from promising a starting spot for the VfB star.
‘We haven’t made that decision yet. We need to see how everyone recovers from the game, and whether everyone is healthy,’ Nagelsmann stated evasively.
Deniz Undav and Nick Woltemade: Performance Data and Statistics
| Player | Matches | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Woltemade | 48 | 11 | 5 |
| Deniz Undav | 38 | 23 | 13 |