Klopp, Klinsmann, Kuntz? Who will become Germany's next permanent manager?

Seb Sternik
9 March 2021

After 15 years at the helm of one of the world’s most successful international teams, Joachim Löw will be stepping down from his post after the Euros. The question is, who will be his successor?

Löw took over the national side from Jurgen Klinsmann back in 2006. Germany had just finished third at the 2006 World Cup and the new man in charge was under immediate pressure to maintain the country's fresh wave of success.

Jögi stepped up to the task and led his side to the final at Euro 2008 followed by a third-place finish at the 2010 World Cup.

Löw then led his men to another semi-final at Euro 2012 before finally winning the World Cup in 2014.

Joachim Low and Bastian Schweinsteiger emotionally celebrate after the 2014 World Cup final

Euro 2016 saw him lead Germany to yet another semi-final before a total collapse at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Germans bowed out at the group stage and returned home early as calls for Löw's resignation continued to grow.

Just as the situation couldn't seem to get any worse, a recent 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Spain put Löw's position under serious threat.

Germany manager Joachim Low during a training session

The DFB stood by their man and refused to sack their longest serving manager in spite of crisis meetings taking place after the defeat.

Nevertheless, the 61-year-old has now made the decision for himself to step aside and the upcoming European Championships will be his last.

The question now turns to who will be the successor. Here's the lowdown on all the favourites for the job.

Stefan Kuntz - Manager of Germany's U21s (11/4 SkyBet)

Stefan Kuntz is the current manager of Germany's Under 21s

One of the leading candidates is the current manager of Germany's U21s, Stefan Kuntz.

The 58-year-old may be at the centre of many jokes however, his footballing abilities cannot be questioned.

As a player, Kuntz won the Bundesliga, the DFB Pokal, the DFL Supercup and the 1996 European Championships. Interestingly, the forward represented Germay 25 times as a player and not once did he face defeat.

Stefan Kuntz is the favourite to take over the vacancy

In 2016, Kuntz became the manager of Germany's U21 side. A year later, he won his first title as the Germans claimed the 2017 European Championships with a victory over Spain in the final.

Two years later, both Germany and Spain met again in the 2019 final however this time, it was the Spaniards who took the spoils.

Kuntz is currently preparing his side for the 2021 European Championships in Hungary and Slovenia. The question is, will that be his last tournament before a promotion into the first team?

Jurgen Klopp - Manager of Liverpool FC (5/1 SkyBet)

Jurgen Klopp dismissed rumours about becoming Germany's next manager

In the minds of many fans, pundits and experts, Jurgen Klopp would be the perfect appointment for the German national side.

Unfortunately for them though, Klopp himself has ruled out the possibility of taking over the vacancy after the summer.

Speaking at a recent pre-match press conference, the 53-year-old said: "Am I available for the job after the summer? No. Someone else will do the job and, with the number of good German managers, I am sure the German FA will find a good solution.

"I will now not be available as a potential coach for Germany. I have three years left at Liverpool, don't I?"

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool could miss out on a top four finish this season

Some will try to make the case that Klopp is simply being diplomatic with his answers however, history shows that the German does indeed respect the length of his contacts. He has done so at both Mainz and Dortmund; his two previous managerial jobs.

You can read more about this story on Football365: Low news sparks fears Klopp could leave Liverpool for Germany...

But it's also worth mentioning that not everything is up to Klopp. Should Liverpool's form continue to deteriorate, the German may no longer be the manager at Anfield. Such a scenario would surely attract the attention of the DFB.

Jurgen Klinsmann - Currently out of work (6/1 SkyBet)

Jurgen Klinsmann took Germany to a third place finish at the 2006 World Cup

This is a man that needs no introduction to German soccer fans. The former Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich striker took charge of the German national side back in 2004; his first managerial gig.

Klinsmann was building a team for the 2006 World Cup and faced heavy criticism for the way he went about things. Poor results, a weak defence and controversy around goalkeeper Oliver Khan put a lot of question marks over his credentials.

Nevertheless, Klinsmann delivered when it mattered. The 2006 World Cup - which was hosted by Germany - ended in major success for the manager as he saw his side claim third place.

Jurgen Klinsmann's last managerial post was with Hertha Berlin

The performance at that tournament announced Germany's return as a major force in international football. However, that is where this story ends. Klinsmann rejected a contract extension and left his assistant, Joachim Löw, to take over.

Since then, Klinsmann has enjoyed managerial spells with Bayern Munich, the United States and most recently, Hertha Berlin. The last of those ended in embarrassment as the 56-year-old announced his departure from the Berlin club via Facebook and after just ten weeks at the job.

A return to the national team would certainly make for a great story however, would the DFB be willing to make that gamble after the fiasco at Hertha? That's rather unlikely.

Arsene Wenger - Currently out of work (7/1 SkyBet)

Arsene Wenger, former Arsenal manager and FIFA head of global development

Arsene Wenger has been linked with near enough every major managerial vacancy since his departure from Arsenal in 2018.

The Frenchman hasn't officially retired and remains the favourite for the Germany job amongst non-Germans.

The 71-year-old is a footballing legend and neutrals would love to see him return to the sport one more time.

That sort of love may not be reciprocated with Germany's supporters who will most likely prefer the appointment of somebody younger. Someone such as this man…

Hansi Flick - Bayern Munich manager (10/1 SkyBet)

Hansi Flick has enjoyed great success as manager of Bayern Munich

Hans-Dieter Flick is not a name that most football fans would have known before 2019. However, his current tenure with Bayern Munich has thrust him into the limelight.

The German has won more trophies over the past year than most will claim in their lifetime. What's more, since Flick took over the reigns at Bayern, the Bavarians have become one of the world's most dangerous teams.

Joachim Low and Hansi Flick won the 2014 World Cup

One reason why a potential appointment of Flick would make sense, is the fact that he's worked for the national side before.

Flick was Joachim Löw's assistant from 2006 to 2014 - Germany's most successful period under the outgoing manager.

While the 56-year-old is currently enjoying a sensational spell with Bayern, his return to the national side cannot be easily dismissed. What's more, at the price of 10/1 he's certainly worth a punt.

Ralf Rangnick - Currently out of work (8/1 SkyBet)

Ralf Rangnick has been out of work since leaving RB Leipzig

They call him a football professor but he his also a massive control freak. Ralf Rangnick has been talked about as a future German manager for years but could his time finally arrive?

The 62-year-old is currently on the unemployment line after his most recent tenure with RB Leipzig came to an end in 2019.

Ralf Rangnick led RB Leipzig to a cup final

Rangnick is a well-respected tactician however, he only takes jobs where he knows he can do things his way.

It's also worth pointing out that Rangnick was a contender for the England job a few years ago. The FA decided to go with Sam Allardyce and we all know what happened after that.

Rank outsiders

Marcus Sorg is Joachim Löw's assistant manager

One man who could be promoted to the job is the current assistant coach, Marcus Sorg. The 55-year-old has worked alongside Joachim Löw since 2016 and has previously been involved with the German U17s side.

Sorg is priced at 14/1 to follow in Löw's footsteps.

Niko Kovac has spent a large part of his career working in Germany

Niko Kovac is another name that has cropped up in this conversation. The Croat is currently the manager at Monaco and has previously worked at Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich.

The 49-year-old is priced at 14/1 to take the job.

Miroslav Klose has already work with the German national side

There is another name that certainly deserves a mention. Miroslav Klose doesn't appear amongst the contenders listed by SkyBet but the current Bayern Munich assistant coach is priced at 4/1 with Bet-At-Home to take Löw's job.

Klose worked with Löw from 2016 to 2018 before moving to Bayern Munich. The legendary striker would be a marquee signing however questions remain over his managerial abilities.