Klose, speaks on turning German team into winning machine

 

FRANKFURT – Germany players must make a bigger effort in games and reconcile the fans after a run of modest results and early exits from big events, according to World Cup record scorer and winner Miroslav Klose.

Former Germany striker Klose told Monday’s edition of Kicker sports magazine that the current generation of players doesn’t lack quality but that more passion and a bigger effort is needed to get results.

“The fundamental questions for the last 10 or 15% are: How much is each player there for the other, how much does everyone put their ego behind them?” Klose said.

Looking back at the winning 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he became record scorer at the global tournament, Klose said: “What passion we had in training in Brazil! There was a lot of passion.”

Germany have since gone out in the group stage of the next two World Cups 2018 and 2022, and in the last 16 of Euro 2020.

The team has only won three of its games this year, with new coach Julian Nagelsmann criticising a lack of emotions after a first loss during his tenure on Saturday, 3-2 against Turkey, and ahead of the final game of the year on Tuesday in Austria.

Klose also urged a big effort in the final countdown to next year’s home Euros and beyond, which is also needed to win the fans back.

“The team has something to make up to their fans,” he said.

“I hope that the players will remember that they embody the German national team, which has gone far in most tournaments in the past. You can’t just start making an effort in the round of 16 or quarter-finals.”