'Not strong in the air' - Leeds United sensation Anton Stach gets surprise criticism from Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann... but there's good news for Arsenal star Kai Havertz

One player who appears to be struggling to convince the Germany boss is Leeds United midfielder Anton Stach. He has been a revelation at Elland Road, but it seems a return to the international stage for the upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana is far from guaranteed. Despite enjoying a productive debut season in the Premier League following his move from Hoffenheim, Stach received a surprisingly critical performance review from his national team coach. Nagelsmann’s assessment was particularly focused on the physical and defensive aspects of the 27-year-old’s game. The critique comes at a time when Stach has been earning plaudits in England, having registered four goals and three assists in 23 league appearances.

In an expansive interview with Kicker, the 38-year-old tactician opened up about the difficult choices facing the national team scouting department. While acknowledging Stach's impact in the Premier League, where he recently grabbed headlines with a stunning long-distance strike against Aston Villa, Nagelsmann pointed to specific tactical concerns. He said: “He’s doing well there. But he’s not exceptionally strong in the air and not top in recoveries either. He’s also someone who prefers to have the game in front of him. In my view, his best position at Hoffenheim was the central role in a back three, from where he could drop into the defensive midfielder position.”

While Stach faces an uphill battle, there was significantly better news for Arsenal playmaker Kai Havertz and Bayern Munich sensation Jamal Musiala. Nagelsmann confirmed that both players are central to his plans for the upcoming March internationals, bringing an end to their lengthy injury-enforced absences from the squad. The manager highlighted the importance of integrating his most creative talents back into the group as soon as possible to avoid any loss of tactical cohesion.

Nagelsmann expressed concern over how much time has passed since the duo last featured for the four-time world champions and noted the difficulty of maintaining rhythm when players are away for extended periods. “That’s because it has felt like an eternity since they were last involved. I haven’t seen Jamal with the national team for over ten months, and Kai for even longer. It‘s very valuable to have them back. Otherwise, it’ll eventually become difficult for them to find their rhythm within the national team set-up,” the manager elaborated.

The former Bayern Munich boss was characteristically blunt when discussing the criteria for his future squad lists. He admitted that his decisions might not always align with public opinion or the expectations of the players themselves. “In general, the biggest influencing factor for the national coach is to find the right fit in the squad selection,” Nagelsmann explained. “There will be decisions. I can already reveal that there would surely be a lack of understanding with some of our decisions when the time comes. Not only from players, but also from the wider public. Because a regular starter and key performer at his club might perhaps be a player who is not planned to be in our starting line-up.”

As the countdown to the World Cup begins in earnest, the upcoming matches against Switzerland and Ghana represent a final chance for several players to make their case. Nagelsmann has set the stage for a period of intense competition within the camp. By publicly critiquing some and welcoming others back, he has ensured that every player knows exactly where they stand. The message is clear: performance in the Premier League or Bundesliga is only the baseline; the real test is fitting into the specific vision Nagelsmann has for the national team’s future.