“I would go through fire for him” – Freiburg defender hails Klopp aura ahead of potential Germany debut
| Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images |
SC Freiburg right-back Philipp Treu has shared his first impressions of new Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp after linking up with the national team for the first time.
As the 25-year-old revealed in an interview with Bild, Klopp has already won him over.
"Because of his relaxed and positive manner, and the way he smiles at you, you immediately think to yourself, ‘He’s a great guy, I really want to work with him.’ That’s how it was for me, too. You could immediately tell that I would go through fire for him," he said.
“I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how tall he is. These days, people talk about this aura, and it was already there when he walked into the room. You naturally have a certain amount of respect for him, but that goes away because of his easy-going manner. He simply gives all of us a really good feeling.”
With Klopp having announced that Joshua Kimmich will move from right-back to midfield, a spot has opened up at Treu’s natural position, giving him a real chance to make his debut in the starting XI against the Netherlands on Thursday.
“We’ll see what happens on Thursday. But for now, I’m looking forward to showing what I can do in training, and I’m really looking forward to that. And if I manage to make my debut or get on the pitch on Thursday already, I would be incredibly happy," he said.
“The fans can look forward to me giving everything when I’m on the pitch. That’s also my style of play. I want to lead from the front. And if I play, I’ll leave my heart on the pitch.”
Treu's main competitor at right-back in the 24-man squad for Germany’s first two of four upcoming UEFA Nations League games is VfB Stuttgart’s Josha Vagnoman.
