“Not quite fair”
DFB striker Woltemade feels judged unfairly
June 10, 2026 – 6:29 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Nick Woltemade believes the criticism of his goal drought at Newcastle United is unjustified. A mental trainer should help him deal with the difficult phase.
In an interview with Stern magazine, Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade commented on his weak second half of the season in the Premier League. After four goals in the first five games, the 24-year-old only scored once until the end of the season. Because he was temporarily used in other positions, he feels judged and treated unfairly as a pure striker.
Woltemade said: “The force of the criticism and the associated unrest surrounding me surprised me.” He considers questions about his goal drought to be “wrong” and “not entirely fair”: “At Newcastle, I helped out in other positions, even as a defensive midfielder. Nevertheless, I was still judged as a striker by some experts.”
To deal with the situation, the attacker works with a mental coach. He still knows him from his time at the then third division club SV Elversberg. Woltemade: “We talk on the phone every two or three weeks, and sometimes he visits me.”
The striker feels comfortable in the national team despite his reserve role. Woltemade said: “I may be one of the younger ones, but everyone knows what they have in me. With my goals I helped us qualify for the World Cup. I am a valued member of the family.” And further: “People believe in me, I feel understood.” In the World Cup preparation games he came on as a substitute in the 4-0 win against Finland – he was not used in the 2-1 win against the USA.