Joachim Löw does not want to change his decision from the previous year
Photo:Alex Grimm / dpa
After all, it was not until the fourth journalist question that the names Thomas Müller and Jérôme Boateng appeared at the national coach's press conference for the first international matches of the year. The return of the two Bayern players has been a public issue since winning the Champions League on Sunday at the latest. The usual opinion leaders like ex-Bavarians Lothar Matthäus and Dietmar Hamann have commented on it, and it was clear that Joachim Löw had to say something about it when he made his first appearance in front of the media for months.
He did that too. And the way he did it, the subject should be off the table for now.
Before the Nations League played against Spain (September 3) and Switzerland (September 6), Löw has not coached an international match for ten months, which is "the longest break since World War II", as DFB President Fritz Keller emphasized at Löw's side. It is roughly the ten months in which Löw's former DFB assistant Hansi Flick has shaped FC Bayern back to its former strength. A ten-month run through to the coronation on Sunday in Lisbon - and a run that can be exemplified by the shape curve of the two national players Boateng and Müller, who were eliminated by Löw last year.
A clear announcement as a rejection
"Both showed a very good performance and made a significant contribution to the titles," said the national coach. They are "two special players". But then he was quick to say "yes, but". Last year he decided "to give other players space and time to develop," and he sees "no reason to change anything in this direction at the moment," said Löw. A clear announcement or a clear rejection.
Löw has been with the DFB for 16 years, 14 years as the responsible head coach, and in those 14 years he has not become known for revising decisions that he once made. In the past, media pressure was repeatedly built on him to nominate players who had consistently performed well in the league. But regardless of whether it was about the attackers Stefan Kießling or Kevin Volland, or the Augsburg defender Philipp Max, the louder the calls from outside, the more Löw closed to them. Some call it being in principle, others call it stubbornness.
Despite their appreciation for Kießling and Max, Boateng and Müller are a different house number. Both have become world champions, Müller has made 100 internationals, Boateng 76, they have held their ground at Bayern for ten years now, have proven themselves in an infinite number of important games, and also worked their way out of a performance gap in an impressive way. In addition, Löw's connection with Flick from the time they spent together at the DFB (Flick was his assistant coach) is closer than to any other club coach. Flick, who is now being brought up for discussion as the next national coach. Löw says: "There is no question that I trust him to do that. I've worked with him for eight years. There is a relationship of soul."
So there are reasons to suspect that Löw sometimes deviates from his principles in this case. But even here the national coach remains as he was, as he is. Soulmate or not.
Löw trusts his successors
Ten years ago, Müller and Boateng also had the freedom to grow and develop in the national team over a longer period of time. He now also grants this right to his successors, said Löw. Serge Gnabry, Timo Werner, Julian Brandt, Kai Havertz - "I trust these players," he said. And in fact, the 60-year-old has enough alternatives with the offensive forces mentioned. He doesn't need Thomas Müller. Something like that makes it a little easier to stand by your own decisions.
It looks similar on the defensive. Here Löw relies on Niklas Süle, Boateng's recovered neighbor in Munich, on the mature Chelsea man Antonio Rüdiger, on the reliable Matthias Ginter. To bring back the world champions, which are no longer considered promising in 2019 - for the sake of completeness, you would also have to include Dortmund's Mats Hummels - in 2020 would also be an affront for the younger ones, who Löw has already sworn to their leadership role.
A swipe at those who have made a DFB comeback at Bayern Müller and Boatengs, Löw could not resist on Tuesday: Unlike those responsible in the league, he has not from week to week, but as national coach from tournament to Looking ahead to the tournament, "to the 2021 European Championship, the 2022 World Cup, then the 2024 European Championship in your own country". Löw's contract runs until 2022, but the national coach is apparently already looking ahead. In 2024 he would celebrate his 20th anniversary with the DFB.
He still keeps a back door open for veteran Bayern forces, at least rhetorically. "If there were a different situation at a point in time X, I will be the very last person not to correct a mistake." Yes, he said mistakes. But he doesn't mean it.
Icon: The mirror
