As Jürgen Klopp was given the job by the German national team as a manager, everyone was hoping for heavy metal football, high-energy pressing, and an unstoppable wave of momentum. But his first appearance at home had been supposed to be a grandstand launch for this new exciting period. A well-controlled Greek side, however, broke the party, taking a dazzling 1-0 win after a 74th-minute save from Dimitrios Kourbelis, a ball that was deflected. Football seldom plays fair games, and that is what this depressing defeat demonstrated; even the most popular manager in the world couldn’t do the magic in one night.
Having possession can make a team look big on paper, but it does not win games without it. Germany had almost 80 percent possession in the first half, playing with a good degree of comfort and waiting for a break. Control without a killer instinct, however, soon becomes harmless passing drills. Greece waited and, when the moment was right, fired back with great energy. When the chance came their way on the counterattack, however, they made the most of it, as they always will; efficiency in front of the goal is always more important than empty possession numbers.
For Klopp, this early setback is less of a tragedy and more of a reality check. International management is vastly different from club football because coaches get days with their players instead of months on the training pitch. Experimenting with squad rotation and uncapped players inevitably leads to dynamic hiccups, but Klopp himself remains completely unbothered by the noise. He views these growing pains as vital data points in his larger mission to rebuild Germany’s competitive edge before the major tournaments arrive.
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