It is the last international match of the calendar year. The Germany U21s take on Poland in Tychy at 18:30 CET today, in a match intended to serve as the perfect test run ahead of EURO 2017, which will also take place in Poland. “Playing against these opponents should generate excitement throughout our whole team,” said coach Stefan Kuntz. “Our preparations can now begin with this game against Poland and then the draw on 1st December in Krakow.”
Looking back, the DFB sporting director Hansi Flick can be satisfied on all fronts. Having earned a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Rio, Germany’s youth team thrust themselves into the public spotlight. What’s more, since the 2015 European Championship, no fewer than 15 players have been called up to the senior squad by Joachim Löw, with the most recent being debutants Serge Gnabry and Benjamin Henrichs.
After the coaching reins had been handed over from Horst Hrubesch to Stefan Kuntz, qualification for next year‘s tournament was secured with a perfect record of ten wins from ten games. “We can be very happy with these young players,” said the sporting director. “And we’re already looking forward to next summer’s European Championship in Poland.”
Kuntz to ring the changes
With one eye already on the showpiece at the end of the season, Kuntz will continue to experiment with the team, just as he did in the 1-0 victory over Turkey in Berlin on Thursday. “We will make changes to the starting line-up and give the players time out on the pitch,” the coach revealed. “The door to the EUROs is open to all of them, and when you watch our training sessions you can really tell that every single one of them wants to make it.”
Together with his assistants Antonio di Salvo and Daniel Niedzowski, Kuntz has been studying different areas of training over the last few days, whilst also getting his ideas across to the squad in a number of group and individual discussions. “Overall, the boys have already been doing everything we’ve asked of them really well,” Kuntz explained. “Our aim is to make pretty quick tactical progress with the team, even though we’ve got such a big squad.” The idea is to improve the team’s flexibility and versatility, showing once again how the coaching team are looking ahead to the long term.
2017 will feature two different opportunities for the players to experience an international tournament, with the Confederations Cup as well as the 2017 European Championship to come, for which a few are likely to be included. “I think the U21s championship in particular will be a really important experience for all those who could take part in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with the whole process including the specific preparations, group games and build-up in pressure during the latter stages,” said Kuntz. Indeed, the World Cup is yet another tournament that is starting to appear on the horizon.