Germany national team coach Klopp gave an exclusive interview to the German Football Association. In the first part, Klopp discussed the selection criteria for the new squad, Füllkrug's return, and why he called up Brajan Gruda and 17-year-old Wael Mohya.
Reporter: Jürgen, the last two national team matches of the year are about to begin. First comes an away game against Serbia in Belgrade, then a home game against the Netherlands in Berlin. This is your second squad selection as Germany head coach. The 44-man squad from September has been cut to 24 players. How difficult was it to make these choices?
Klopp: First of all, I'm very excited about the upcoming training camp and the next two matches. I've made selection decisions countless times in my career, and a decision is always made in favor of a certain player, never against anyone else. So finalizing the squad itself wasn't that difficult. But of course, it also means that some lads won't make it this time. We try our best to tell each player the decision in person.
It often works like this: if I pick another player in a certain position, it simply means I decided to go with that player. It is certainly not a decision against the lad I regrettably have to tell that he hasn't been selected. The decisions are difficult, but that is actually good news, because, to be honest, more players deserve to be called up.
Many players have been in very good form since our last gathering. After this week's matches, there's still the Europa League today and a full Bundesliga weekend, nine games will have been played during this period. The schedule is fairly packed, and naturally a lot has happened. Unfortunately, there have been some injuries too. But so far the situation is still good, even though we can't knock on wood right now. I certainly hope everyone stays healthy through the weekend, because we definitely want to have these players with us.
Reporter: Looking at this squad list, 13 players were not in the squad for the four World Cup matches this summer. That means that, despite the reduction in squad size...
Klopp: Yes, squad selection usually works like this: the first consideration is the upcoming matches. But if you look further ahead, like planning a season, you first ask what the vision is for the starting eleven and the first 13, 14 or 15 players. Then you ask what happens if an emergency occurs.
This squad was put together with that in mind. It combines very young and very experienced players, with players of different technical profiles in the same position. So working out and shaping this squad structure is a lot of fun. I really enjoy sitting down and rehearsing various tactical scenarios.
For now, if we can bring all these lads along and they all stay healthy, we feel the squad depth is very solid. And, which is a huge advantage of having had the 44-man squad, we basically have backup plans for every position in case of further injuries.
There were some very difficult choices, but that's how it should be. The more high-level players you have, the harder the decisions become, in a positive sense.
Reporter: Let's look at the list more specifically. One name stands out because he wasn't selected in September: Niclas Füllkrug was probably the most discussed candidate beforehand. He has extensive experience and, as the Bundesliga's current top scorer, his form is outstanding. You had also been in contact beforehand. Were these the decisive factors in his return to the squad?
Klopp: Yes, staying in hot form and scoring goals constantly is never a bad thing, absolutely never! As I said, quite a few games have been played during this period, and Füllkrug has been exceptional, scoring all sorts of goals, almost all of them brilliant, and in a variety of ways.
He has an incredible influence on Werder Bremen's game, not just through goals but also through the presence and style he shows on the pitch. His experience naturally helps a lot here.
I don't think he has had such a huge impact on a team at every stage of his career, although he is definitely a positive person overall. At Bremen, he does. When someone feels good and is in his element, you can see the kind of energy that can be unleashed. We hope to pass this feeling on to all the players in the national team, even though our training camps are not as frequent as at a club.
Looking back, I don't think everything I said in the halftime interview was perfectly appropriate, but everything I said about Füllkrug at that time was true. Later, while watching a sports program, I thought: we've talked about each other through the media so many times, it's time to sit down and talk directly. So we had a phone call, long before this squad announcement. I think that was the first time we really spoke to each other.
With people who often appear in the media, there's often a feeling, and many people must feel this way about me too, that you already know each other well. We were in that situation, although we didn't really know each other before. But it was a very pleasant conversation. No promises were made on the phone. I just told him that we've been watching and we certainly see what he's doing. He knows that very well, and so do I.
If the European Championship finals were tomorrow, and I know there is no European Championship tomorrow, we would certainly take him, no doubt! From that perspective, calling him up for this squad was a fairly logical decision. Making it was a joy, and telling him personally was a joy too. So everything is good.
Reporter: Two other attackers who weren't selected in September are Brajan Gruda and Wael Mohya. Can you explain the decisive reasons for calling them up and what plans you have for them?
Klopp: We've known Brajan for several years, of course. Even though I haven't been in charge of the national team for long, I knew him before that because he was a very attractive player at Mainz 05, and that has to be acknowledged. We don't have 40 alternatives for his position, so Brajan has always been high on the list of squad candidates. He was actually under consideration for the first camp. He's the type of player for that position: a right winger who can play in the half-space, with the instincts of a street footballer, a very agile player. There's no doubt about that.
I think his potential is far from fully tapped, and there's no need to rush at his age, but he has already shown many very positive signs. He was originally going to be called up for the first camp, but unfortunately he was injured at the time. Given his recent good form, his inclusion this time is natural.
Wael Mohya is a special case. Very few 17-year-olds are currently playing in the Bundesliga, and that alone is remarkable. But he plays really well and has been truly outstanding. I have always stayed in close contact with him and his family. We discussed together how we should take this path step by step.
I'm very eager to work with these young lads and look forward to starting this future with Wael, but that absolutely doesn't mean making any hasty promises. As a coach, your responsibility isn't just to make sure players are in the right position and performing at their best. You also have a responsibility to nurture and look after them, and the younger the player, the heavier that responsibility. I have been dedicated to developing young, highly talented players for a long time, and I'm passionate about it.
I shared these thoughts openly with Mohya's family, and we agreed that this time the main purpose of bringing him to the national team is to observe him up close. We'll have about a week together. The trip is a bit longer, but there are about six to seven actual training days. The focus is on watching him firsthand in training, because whenever such an opportunity arises, I think it is extremely important. As long as conditions allow, we hope to keep doing this in future camps and always reserve a spot for a potential rising star, first to see how he's doing, whether he can play, or even whether he can make the matchday squad.
This of course always depends on his actual performance in training. But the key is to experience personally how such a young man conducts himself on and off the pitch. I had three conversations with him, and they were great, that's all I can say. At 17, I wasn't as confident as he is, and my football was far worse than his at that age! So I'm really looking forward to having Wael and Brajan with us.