Stuttgart coach praises Undav while remaining silent on Nagelsmann
Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness stands on the pitch ahead of the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart at the Millerntor Stadium. Harry Langer/dpa VfB Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness has backed his striker Deniz Undav without entering a debate on comments from German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann. Undav scored a late 2-1 winner for Germany against Ghana on Monday.
Nagelsmann said post-match that he continues to see Undav as a reserve player who may have not scored if he had been a starter. Nagelsmann was criticised for the remarks on Undav, who is the best German Bundesliga striker this season with 18 goals. Hoeness did not want to join the debate ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga duel with Borussia Dortmund.
But he said on Thursday that "Deniz gives the answers on the pitch" and that "in the end we profit from a good national team with a good Deniz. " Hoeness said that “In Deniz, we have a player who’s capable of deciding games,” especially big ones like against Dortmund. Stuttgart are third in the standings and Dortmund second.
A Stuttgart win would boost their chances of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League. “Dortmund are having an outstanding season and are a top side. One advantage is that we’re playing at home and have our fans behind us.
That’s definitely going to be fun,” Hoeness said.