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Didi Hamann: Germany can't get complacent despite our scintillating start

German World Cup runner-up Didi Hamann gives his lowdown on the Euro 2024 host nation

Germany's Kai Havertz
Germany's Kai Havertz Credit: Alex Grimm

Germany have started the tournament well, scored plenty of goals, only conceded one and the public is right behind them – but I'm not getting carried away.

Comfortable wins over Scotland and Hungary have ensured we get into the knockout stages.

And I'm pretty convinced we'll go through as winners of Group A because I don't see Switzerland beating us on Sunday.

There is a lot to like about the way Julian Nagelsmann is going about his business with a strong nucleus of just 13 or 14 players and it's good to see.

But there are questions and they still haven't been answered.

Let's not make too much of the Scotland game. We've seen a lot of nations struggling against teams that sit back and Scotland sat back yet still every attack looked like it would result in a goalscoring opportunity. That said far more about Scotland than Germany.

Hungary made it a bit harder and probably exposed one or two deficiencies in the 2-0 win on Wednesday.

So what are the concerns? Well the lack of pace is a worry. You get away with it against a team like Scotland when you can dominate the ball but against better teams, when you are sitting back more and need to launch 50 or 60 yard attacks to stretch sides – that's not what we are good at.

We also look vulnerable at set-plays. My feeling is that it might not take much to unsettle us and if, as I expect, we play Serbia in the round of 16, that's exactly the type of physical side which won't suit us. Denmark would also cause us bother from free kicks and corners.

There are also a number of players who are completely unproven at this level. Players like Max Mittelstadt, Jonathan Tah and Robert Andrich have had good seasons but we're heading towards the knockout stages of a European Championship which is a very different and challenging situation for all of them.

We have started well and it would be easy to get carried away but our record in recent tournaments shows we can't be complacent.

I'm looking forward to seeing if my outright tip Portugal improve against Turkey.

The Portuguese have a German or English side to them – you always get a feeling they are just doing enough. That mentality famously won them the Euros in 2016.

But I think we need to see more of them because they have got such talent in the squad. And I do think Turkey, who were outstanding against Georgia in one of the games of the tournament, will ask questions of Ronaldo and his team.

I still fancy Portugal to win in Dortmund but maybe with the wake-up call that might change them for the better going forward.


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Now is the time for Southgate to be brave

Getting out of the group is all that matters in tournament football and England are on course to do just that, but any enthusiasm I had for them before the finals has gone now.

They were poor for periods against Serbia after taking the lead, awful against Denmark and I certainly wouldn't take them at a short price against Slovenia.

And you know what – Gareth Southgate looks scared of getting it wrong.

But now he needs to be brave. Trent Alexander-Arnold has to go from midfield and Jude Bellingham needs to be dropped back alongside Declan Rice. Put Phil Foden in the ten role and bring in either Jarrod Bowen or Eberechi Eze.

And would he be brave enough to leave out his skipper, Harry Kane? Ollie Watkins did more in five minutes when he came on against the Danes than Kane had done for a match-and-a-half and the Aston Villa man looks like a central striker who will stretch the game.

Benjamin Sesko of Slovenia stretches defences as well – Kane isn't doing that.

Obviously Kane is a sublime finisher but if England aren't creating chances there won't be many opportunities to convert.

Southgate won't drop Kane but he took him off against Denmark and that's a start. The manager needs to make brave decisions – just how brave is he prepared to be?

Now is the time for Southgate to do something different because this isn't working. In the knockout stages they will be playing teams of the quality of Spain or France or Portugal and the way they are set up at the moment I couldn't see them beating any of them.

Compare England to Spain and it's chalk and cheese. There's a freedom about Spain which England simply don't have.


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