Former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeneß has cautioned that new Germany coach Jürgen Klopp, while a capable manager, is not a saviour figure for German football, warning against hero-worship surrounding the appointment.
Hoeneß took particular aim at the involvement of Klopp's advisor Marc Kosicke, who was presented as a co-coach for strategy, development and innovation and seated in the front row at the Frankfurt press conference, yet went unmentioned in the DFB's official announcement. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said Kosicke would serve as an external collaborator with full association access. Hoeneß characterised the arrangement as a "friendly takeover" of the DFB and called for the national teams to be spun off into a separate limited company with independent management.
Hoeneß, who described Germany's World Cup 2026 performance as a national embarrassment, praised Per Mertesacker's incoming role as sporting director from 2027, citing his experience at Arsenal.