Germany have managed to do something that once felt almost impossible, and not in a good way. They have gone and fallen at another World Cup in a manner that leaves their fans staring at the ceiling wondering how on earth it keeps happening. The defeat to Paraguay was not the result of a one-off bad day. It felt more like the latest chapter in a story that nobody in Germany wants to keep reading.
The fallout has been pretty much what you would expect. Questions flying around, fingers pointed in every direction, and a fanbase that has gone from one of the most confident in world football to one that genuinely does not know what to feel anymore. That is a strange place to be for a country that has won four World Cups and always seemed to have another good generation waiting in the wings.
So what happens next? Well, this is where it gets interesting, because the name on everyone's lips is Jurgen Klopp. Now, Klopp has been taking a break from football after his time at Liverpool, and by all accounts he has been enjoying himself. But the idea of him stepping in to manage the German national team is the kind of story that writes itself. He is charismatic, he understands German football from the inside out, and he has a track record of turning things around at clubs that felt a bit lost.
The big question is whether a man of his energy and personality would actually want the international job. Club management lets you work with players every day and build something over time. International football is a completely different beast — you get your squad for a few days here and there and hope for the best. It suits some managers brilliantly and drives others mad.
Germany need someone who can cut through the noise, get the players believing again, and build a style of play that actually gets results when it matters. Whether that is Klopp or someone else entirely, the clock is already ticking. Let me know your thoughts.