One place, one word: Hartford. Boris Becker and John McEnroe played a legendary Davis Cup match here in 1987. And here Julian Nagelsmann is making his debut as national coach today against the USA. It should be the start of a new, successful chapter.
The press conference room Rentschler Field in Hartford is very narrow in contrast to the otherwise large dimensions of the arena, which can accommodate almost 40,000 fans. Five rows of chairs in front of the podium, a screen on the wall to the right. All in all, nothing special.
If it weren’t for this sign on the left wall. Depending on how you interpret it, the lines on it sound like an ode to the stadium, or as an example of the often somewhat exaggerated American patriotism. This “Chaos of Steel” be the place where “Heroes created, legacies set, legends born”is written there, among other things.
Nagelsmann was “very impressed” by his team
The words are by Dan Orlovsky. The now 40-year-old once had a very successful college career quarterback at the University of Connecticut, whose American football team plays its home games at Rentschler Field in Hartford.
Julian Nagelsmann doesn’t know Orlovsky, but included his quote at his final press conference before today’s friendly against the USA in Hartford. The national coach said he believes that in his team “in general there are a lot of legends” be present. He was especially at the training session on Wednesday “very impressed” been from the team. “Extraordinary spirit, but also very, very good content”said Nagelsmann.
Hard work, good mood, sunshine
He’s not the only one who seems happy. Returnee Mats Hummels, who last wore the DFB jersey when they were eliminated in the European Championship round of 16 against England on June 29, 2021, emphasized that he “completely happy” be and “really fun” have.
In general, in the last four days there were four training sessions in Foxborough, on the grounds of New England Revolution from the Major League Soccerto identify a positive mood and attitude. Hard work paired with a good mood – all in sunshine and temperatures around 18 degrees.
Only Beckenbauer and Ribbeck lost debuts
But what it’s all really worth will be shown today in the twelfth duel against the USA. Victory be to him “of course important”says Nagelsmann – and immediately adds: “It would be important that the victory would be important to everyone – and not just to me.” But he has that this is the case “Already felt it this week“.
The 36-year-old is the twelfth national coach/team boss of the national team. Of his eleven predecessors, only Franz Beckenbauer (1:3 against Argentina) and Erich Ribbeck (0:1 against Turkey) lost their debuts. With the exception of Joshua Kimmich, who is ill, all players are available to Nagelsmann.
National coach wants active, aggressive football
He didn’t reveal anything more about the line-up, but spoke in detail about the style of play he would like to see against the USA and against Mexico on Tuesday in Philadelphia. “We want to play active, aggressive football and create more scoring chances through our own periods of possession than was perhaps the case recently,” said the coach and added: “The people watching should have fun.”
Thomas Müller, one of five professionals who were trained by him at FC Bayern Munich until Nagelsmann’s dismissal on March 23, identified a “relatively similar approach” to Nagelsmann’s days at the record champions. However, the coach also emphasized that he didn’t want to “keep it too complicated,” adds the veteran striker. After all, with the national team the coach doesn’t have as much time as he does with the club.
European Championship opener in Munich in eight months
In exactly eight months, the European Championship will begin on June 14th with the German team’s opening game in Munich. And after the trip to the USA, there will only be one DFB course in November and one in March, before preparations for the European Championship begin. That’s why it’s now “about results,” says Müller.
In Hartford there was already a very important result from a German perspective – combined with a legendary tennis match. Just three miles from Rentschler Field, across the Connecticut River. They were there from July 24th to 26th, 1987 Civic Center the USA and Germany face each other in the Davis Cup. It was about staying in the world group.
Becker plays “biggest match” of his career in Hartford
At that time, this competition was much more important. He attracted millions of people to their TV sets – and he offered games like Becker’s against McEnroe, who met in the second match on July 24th. The atmosphere was heated, also because McEnroe kept waving his arms and encouraging his 10,000 compatriots to be even louder than they already were.
The 19-year-old Becker, already a two-time Wimbledon winner at the time, still prevailed in a 6:21-hour thriller in five sets and then spoke of “Greatest match I’ve ever played”. Germany won 3-2 and thus managed to stay in the league. Becker ran across the field with a huge, black, red and gold flag. Davis Cup record winners USA, on the other hand, had to be relegated for the first time.
Potential is only valuable if you exploit it
For Germany, the victory in Hartford was the beginning of the most glorious Davis Cup era in the association’s history. Becker and Co. won the title in 1988 and 1989. Now the German footballers cannot be relegated to Hartford, but they could at least stop their downward slide – and perhaps, like the Davis Cup team once did, lay the foundation for a successful, even legendary chapter.
Legends or even a ghost would arise, says Nagelsmann, if you win games and play well. His team has the potential to do so. But potential only makes sense if it is exploited. And this is exactly what we ultimately want to do “we are all responsible”emphasizes Nagelsmann.
By the way, he didn’t notice anything about Becker’s legendary match in Hartford. Nagelsmann was already born, but was only a day old on July 24, 1987.