“This is the wrong way”
Völler criticizes fans for whistles against Woltemade
Updated on September 12, 2025 – 12:50 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Nick Woltemade provided a lot of conversation in the transfer summer. According to Rudi Völler, the interchangeable theater has left its mark on the national striker.
Nick Woltemade is facing his new club Newcastle United – and at the same time before one of the most challenging phases of his career. According to DFB sports director Rudi Völler, the change of the national player from Stuttgart left traces to the island.
“The overall package is burdening him,” said Völler in the podcast playmaker from 360Media. What is meant is the high transfer fee as well as the accompanying circumstances of the departure at VfB Stuttgart. All this plays into the current situation of the 23-year-old, who has recently serious in the DFB jersey.
Woltemade had left VfB at the end of August and switched to the Premier League to Newcastle United. There he could be used in the league for the first time on Saturday. Völler expects regular minutes of play: the attacker will “probably” play more in England than at Bayern, who also showed interest in summer.
At the recent international match against Northern Ireland, Woltemade had been replaced in the final phase – under whistle. Völler expressed little understanding for this: “I don’t think that Nick Woltemade will whistle during his replacement. This is the wrong way. You pull a player down even further.”
The past few months have been shaped by success for the offensive man. A lot of things worked both at VfB and in the U21 national team with which he became vice-European champion in summer. But now he has to learn to deal with setbacks. Völler was optimistic: In Newcastle, the striker would develop further – “not just his English”.
The 1990 world champion praised Woltemade as a “wonderful kicker”, but also sees development potential. Especially physically and in the header game, the national player has to buy. This is particularly crucial in the Premier League. But Völler is convinced: “This is precisely why we will still have a lot of fun with him.”