German head coach Julian Nagelsmann has insisted he would like to continue even after a shocking World Cup Round of 32 defeat to Paraguay on Monday.
After a 1-1 draw, in which Germany fought back to remain in the game, the Europeans were eliminated from the post-match penalty shootout as the extra time could not produce the winner.
Now under full scrutiny, Nagelsmann is adamant, and the former Bayern Munich manager says he would like to continue.
“I am not someone who runs away,” Nagelsmann said, as quoted by The Guardian. “This is not the first time this has happened, and there are some things about today that need to be changed. But if the DFB wants me to continue, I am going to continue.”
“I know the mechanics of football; I know how the industry works. I know a lot of people will want me to leave, but I would love to continue if the football association wants me to.”
Waiting for DFB decision
Now, Nagelsmann’s fate lies with the DFB, Germany’s football federation, after the 2024 World Cup winners were eliminated at the first knockout stage of the ongoing tournament.
“They (DFB) have talked to me gently; they comforted me. They’re not going to offer me an extension of my contract two minutes after I lost this match. They are not going to talk just after the defeat,” Nagelsmann admitted.
“If we did a survey today in Germany, people would not speak positively about me today. But in football you win some, and you lose some; it’s always been that way. We haven’t really done much in this tournament to make people celebrate, but I have a lot of confidence that we could have done a better job.”
Bitter exit
Nagelsmann has described the loss to Paraguay as ‘bitter’ and said that his charges did not do enough to win.
“But I don’t think that everyone in Germany will agree with me staying on as manager of the Mannschaft. It was very difficult because they were ultra-defensive,” he said.
“We didn’t give enough. When you exit the World Cup after you play Paraguay, then it is very bitter. If you do not score many goals, then it is not enough. It is very hurtful.”
Paraguay became the second South American country to reach the Round of 16 after Brazil, who defeated Japan.
