Were Nagelsmann's NI comments 'disrespectful' or 'deflective'?

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After Julian Nagelsmann concluded his post-match interview following Germany's 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland, former defender Stephen Craigan appeared somewhat surprised.

For 68 minutes, Northern Ireland stayed competitive against the European giants in the World Cup qualifying match, with Isaac Price's impressive goal from a corner equalizing Serge Gnabry's early strike.

Germany, who were experiencing a streak of three consecutive losses, ultimately secured the win thanks to a goal from substitute Nadiem Amiri and an outstanding free-kick from Florian Wirtz, yet it was far from a dazzling performance from the four-time World Cup champions.

"It isn’t simple when every set piece and loose ball leads to a long ball and an attack with ten players going for the second ball.

"There are always plenty of players in our defensive zone. This style of soccer might not be enjoyable to watch but it’s effective, and it’s tough to defend against.

"I believe we had to defend ten or twelve set pieces, conceding only one goal. This reflects a strength of the Northern Ireland team. It’s not straightforward—we may have superior players, but this approach to soccer is not easy to contend with."

Captain Joshua Kimmich of Germany also referred to Northern Ireland's style as "a unique way of playing."

In response to Nagelsmann's remarks, Craigan voiced that he found it "a bit disrespectful" coming from the Germany coach.

Craigan, who earned 54 caps for Northern Ireland, was providing commentary during the game and noted several instances where Germany utilized long balls to exploit the spaces behind wing backs Conor Bradley and Justin Devenny.

This tactic had been evident from the very beginning of the match, prompting Craigan to react to Nagelsmann's comments.

"When he reviews the game... I pointed out a few times throughout the match how many long balls they launched—whether diagonal or speculative over-the-top passes.

"It suited our back three, who handled it comfortably. That was primarily their strategy. Their goalkeeper frequently kicked it long, and there were numerous occasions where he sent it directly out of play.

"To claim that it was Northern Ireland who played that way feels somewhat disrespectful."

Craigan's perspective was echoed by another former Northern Ireland international, Chris Brunt, who humorously remarked, "I can only imagine what kind of reception he'll receive" in the upcoming reverse fixture at Windsor Park in Belfast next month.

"I didn't realize that you had to play attractive football and adhere to what the opposing team wanted you to do," Brunt added.

I believed we were here to turn it into a competition. That is an integral part of our identity and history.

"It shouldn't be something unfamiliar for him, and for him to express that, strikes me as odd."

'The weakest Germany team I've witnessed in ages'

Former Northern Ireland international and Leeds United player Stuart Dallas interpreted those words as indicative of a coach who is feeling the strain.

Germany entered the match after suffering three successive defeats, which included an unexpected loss to Slovakia previously on Thursday.

Despite the hopes of the 50,000 fans in attendance, particularly after Gnabry scored first, the home team faced boos at the half-time break as both teams went to the locker room tied, with Northern Ireland putting up a strong fight.

"It appeared to me he was shifting the focus away from his own team's performance," Dallas remarked.

"This is the weakest Germany team I have seen in a considerable time.

"In my view, he is under a bit of pressure and when he revisits his remarks and reviews the match, he may come to a different conclusion."

Nagelsmann did acknowledge that the encounter in Belfast on October 13 would present more challenges compared to Cologne.

"This will be more difficult since it won’t be our home turf," he mentioned.

"I believe their fans will be fantastic. On Sunday, we could certainly hear the Northern Ireland supporters.

"The atmosphere was intense, and it will be even more vibrant in Belfast. We’ll need to perform at our very best to secure a victory."

Windsor Park always creates a thrilling environment when a major nation visits Belfast.

Now, Nagelsmann's remarks may suggest the crowd noise could reach even higher levels.