Hoeness urges patience as Klopp takes charge of Germany

Former Bayern Munich chairman Uli Hoeness has warned German fans against putting Jurgen Klopp on a pedestal after the former Liverpool boss was appointed national team coach on a four-year deal.

Klopp arrived after Julian Nagelsmann stepped down following Germany’s early elimination at this summer’s World Cup. The defending hopefuls were knocked out in the round of 32 by Paraguay, a first-ever penalty shoot-out defeat for Germany at a World Cup.

The upset was notable on paper too. Prior to the tournament Germany sat 10th in the FIFA Rankings and Paraguay 41st, a 31-place gap that was the fourth-largest for a knockout tie where the lower-ranked side progressed since the rankings system began in 1994.

Hoeness: Give Klopp time, not hero worship

Klopp’s return to management comes two years after he left Liverpool, where he managed 431 games, the third-most in club history, and sits among the Premier League’s most prolific coaches with 705 points and a 2.11 points-per-game average. He delivered Liverpool’s first Premier League title and ended a 14-year wait for the Champions League.

Hoeness acknowledged the pedigree but cautioned against expectations of an instant miracle.

"I personally consider Jurgen Klopp a very good coach, a really very good coach. But I’m not a big fan of ‘hero worship’", Hoeness told Sky. "He’s already being given this status as if he can walk on water. He can’t change everything simply by laying on hands, either."

"As we know him, he will work very hard. He will also do many things differently. And a lot of things will get better. But you have to give him time, and above all, you mustn’t believe that he is the messiah."

Criticism of World Cup campaign

Hoeness was blunt about Germany’s performance under Nagelsmann.

"I think our team’s performance was an absolute disaster. It was a disgrace for our country", he added. "But there are various reasons for that. Enough has already been said about Julian Nagelsmann. I don’t think he is solely to blame."

He argued the squad lacked both quality and cohesion, pointing to Argentina’s 2022 title as proof a team can still succeed with effort and organisation.

"We don’t have a team of outstanding quality, but you can still have a good World Cup. Argentina proved that. They don’t have a good team, but they threw everything into it like crazy. That’s what I felt was missing from our team."

"Before the World Cup, I said that if we don’t have a great team, then at least we need a well-drilled, settled team. And we didn’t have a settled team."