Imagine that some players are given one look…once chance in their careers and it comes down to that one moment, while others are gifted opportunity after opportunity despite years of underperformance.
Enter the complex relationship of German national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann and former Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané.
During Germany’s up-and-down 4-3 win over Switzerland, the winger played 63 minutes and — at times — looked detached from what was going on with his squad. Sané lost the ball on eight of his 40 touches and only won two of his seven ground duels. Maybe worse than all of that was that he did not look like he fit in with how the players arounds him were operating.
Yet when Germany submits its starting XI to face Ghana on Monday, Sané’s name will be on the sheet, while other capable players will be stuck o the bench. Why? Because Nagelsmann just can’t quit Sané.
“I don’t always expect two goals and three assists, it’s about the overall picture. He showed glimpses of what he’s capable of. Of course he can play with more intensity and do better, but you have to take his lack of rhythm into account. He will get another chance to do better on Monday,” Nagelsmann said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
It his hard to tell when this infatuation started, but it definitely manifested at Bayern Munich where — to his own detriment — Nagelsmann always played Sané, even through his worst slumps.
And yeah, Sané will probably go out on Monday and give Nagelsmann just enough of a taste to keep him wanting to see more. It seems inevitable, but maybe the coach could learn a valuable lesson from what Bayern Munich did last summer when it just let the winger walk away for free. It was a clear case of addition by subtraction and both sides just needing to move on (though Sané wanted to stay). Sometimes, everyone (including fans) just need a change.
We all know that when Sané was at his best, he was a marvel, but that player is long gone. In a tournament format, can Nagelsmann afford to rely on a player prone to slumping and sulking?
Well, the heart wants what the heart wants.
