Two European Championship qualifiers are scheduled for the U 21s in October, it is the games one and two after the Kuntz era. Successor Antonio di Salvo announced the line-up for his debut as head coach on Thursday.
“Our goal is to continue on our successful path and to develop the players both individually and as a team,” di Salvo is quoted as saying ahead of the clashes with Israel in Paderborn on 7 October and with Hungary in Szeged on 12 October. To that end, the new U-21 coach, who succeeded Stefan Kuntz on the coaching bench in Turkey after the latter’s departure, is fielding five newcomers and can welcome two returnees.
Vincent Müller (PSV Eindhoven), Luca Netz (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jan Thielmann (1. FC Köln), Malik Tillman (FC Bayern München) and Kevin Schade (SC Freiburg) will be among the reigning European champions for the first time. In addition, Yannik Keitel (SC Freiburg), who was stricken in September, and Jordan Beyer (Borussia Mönchengladbach) are back in the now 23-man squad; Kuntz had only called up 21 players at the last training course.
“I am sure that the new boys will also integrate quickly. “
ANTONIO DI SALVO
“We started well in September with two wins in the qualifiers,” di Salvo said. “Not only on the pitch, but also off it, the team has come together quickly. I am sure that the new boys will also integrate quickly. Our goal is to continue on the successful path and develop the players both individually and as a team.”
For the time being, goalkeeper Luca Plogmann (Werder Bremen), St. Pauli’s Finn Ole Becker (adductor complaints), Marco John (TSG Hoffenheim), Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer (Dynamo Dresden) and Kilian Ludewig from RB Salzburg are no longer part of the team.
The German U 21 line-up:
Goal: Nico Mantl (Red Bull Salzburg), Vincent Müller (PSV Eindhoven), Luca Philipp (TSG Hoffenheim)
Defence: Maximilian Bauer (SpVgg Greuther Fürth), Armel Bella Kotchap (VfL Bochum), Jordan Beyer (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Noah Katterbach (1. FC Köln), Lars Lukas Mai (Werder Bremen), Jean-Manuel Mbom (Werder Bremen), Luca Netz (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Malick Thiaw (Schalke 04)
Midfield/Attack: Shinta Appelkamp (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Jonathan Burkardt (FSV Mainz 05), Yannik Keitel (SC Freiburg), Tom Krauß (1. FC Nürnberg), Jamie Leweling (SpVgg Greuther Fürth), Roberto Massimo (VfB Stuttgart), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Schade (SC Freiburg), Erik Shuranov (1. FC Nürnberg), Angelo Stiller (TSG Hoffenheim), Jan Thielmann (1. FC Köln), Malik Tillman (Bayern München)
