Philipp Lahm recently wrote a column for the publication “Die Zeit”, offering high praise for Miroslav Klose, calling him a manager who carries the genetic makeup of a good coach. Klose is currently in his third year working with 1. FC Nürnberg, a team positioned second in the second division. Lahm and Klose played in more than 80 international matches together; notably, they won the World Cup in 2014, and the Rio final served as their last game for the German national team.
Lahm noted that what sets Klose apart is his ability to keep things simple, avoiding unnecessary complicating factors. Furthermore, he commented that Klose has a knack for identifying exactly which players fit a club’s expectations and which do not. Klose also favors building a stable core group of players, drawing heavily from the club’s own youth system. This approach, Lahm noted, mirrors the methods used successfully by current Champions League winners like Paris Saint-Germain and FC Arsenal.
However, Lahm also issued a warning regarding certain trends in German football management. He criticized many coaches who lack a professional playing background for deviating from standard sporting success models, often because they feel the need to constantly change their system and formation. As a prime example, he cited Julian Nagelsmann, arguing that he prevented the national team from developing due to “numerous fundamental changes.” Another problem Lahm highlighted is the tendency of many Bundesliga clubs to neglect their own academy players, even while paradoxically maintaining expensive training facilities. In these eyes, Miroslav Klose stands out as one of the few positive exceptions in Germany.
