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National coach Joachim Löw at the squad announcement in Frankfurt
Photo:
Thomas Böcker / dpa
Joachim Löw is a man of principles. In the past 15 years, this fact has always come to the fore when he has nominated his squad for the major tournaments. Public discussions about players were just as uninteresting for the national coach as the performance principle. Those who struggled with problems like Miroslav Klose 2010, Lukas Podolski 2016 or Manuel Neuer 2018 but belonged to the inner circle of the national team didn't have to worry.
Julian Draxler was also part of this group for years. Since the 2014 World Cup, the highly talented but occasionally phlegmatic offensive player has always been in the tournament squad. That has now changed, Löw changed before his last big appearance as national coach. Paris professional Draxler is not in the squad for Euro 2020, which has been postponed by a year, but another player from the French Ligue 1 is driving: Kevin Volland.
Draxler's summer off was to be expected after it was not considered for the international matches last March, Volland's invitation comes as a surprise.
Now it has always been one of Löw's principles to nominate a player for tournaments that hardly an expert expected.
This time it would be Christian Günter from SC Freiburg, who only played in a DFB jersey seven years ago.
Volland, on the other hand, has already played ten international matches, but has been ignored since the end of 2016.
Volland and Löw, or maybe Volland's style of play and the national team - they didn't seem to go together.
Draxler plays a lot, but not convincingly
When Volland moved from Bundesliga club Leverkusen to AS Monaco at the beginning of this season, his DFB fate seemed sealed. Out of the national focus and into Ligue 1, which is rather neglected in this country. But in retrospect, it was the right decision for the 28-year-old striker. Volland played an outstanding season under coach Niko Kovač, he has so far been involved in 26 goals in 38 competitive games, and in the evening he can win the cup with Monaco against Draxler's Paris Saint-Germain.
Draxler, on the other hand, has played significantly more games compared to the previous season, although he had to sit out injured in the meantime. He is regularly used under the new coach Mauricio Pochettino. However, Draxler was not able to convince throughout. And that is exactly what Löw registered, in March he called for a significant increase. She stayed away. Draxler has to leave the inner circle for the time being.
Another victim of Löw Konsequenz is Dortmund's Julian Brandt.
The 25-year-old was never a regular under Löw, but he was always there.
Until now.
Brandt has played 35 international matches and will be absent from the European Championship.
That is understandable after this season at BVB.
Brandt was unable to establish himself as a regular player with coach Lucien Favre or his successor Edin Terzić, his game has been characterized by inaccuracies and a lack of consistency for months.
Ridle Baku (VfL Wolfsburg) or Mahmoud Dahoud (BVB) might have earned a place in the DFB squad, but the overall impression remains that the performance principle has been given more weight at Löw.
Müller and Hummels belong in this squad
Ultimately, the national coach could not ignore Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels. The two world champions from 2014 are constants for champions Bayern and cup winners Dortmund. You are a leader and have qualities that would otherwise have been lacking in the squad. Müller as the organizer on the offensive, Hummels with his commands and his opening of the game in defense. How the two will stir up the hierarchy of the team is likely to be one of the most exciting questions of the coming weeks.
Her return has been publicly discussed for months.
Perhaps that would have deterred the Löw in recent years rather than inciting them to help both of them make a comeback.
It was his firm conviction that he could do without Müller, Hummels and Jérôme Boateng in order to rebuild the national team.
But this restructuring kept coming to a standstill, be it due to the 0: 6 debacle in Spain or the 1: 2 home defeat against North Macedonia in March.
Now, Löw's development process also includes the fact that he was able to free himself completely from questions about the future in order to be nominated for the European Championship.
He stops after the tournament, he doesn't have to worry about whether Müller and Hummels will stay in the team after the EM.
Löw can put success above everything else.
With this squad he took the first step.
