ENGLAND KIDS ARE PURE GOLD
ENGLAND will always have a special place in the heart of Euro ’96 winner Stefan Kuntz.
That is why returning tomorrow as Germany’s Under-21s boss fills him with such happiness.
Kuntz enjoyed the “biggest moment in my career” at Wembley 23 years ago, the night Germany dumped England out of the Euro ’96 semis and dashed their hopes of ending 30 years of hurt.
Germany’s clash with Aidy Boothroyd’s Young Lions at Bournemouth will be the first time Kuntz has been involved in a game here since the final.
“It is a pleasure to come back to England,” he said. “I come completely full of happiness.”
Forward Kuntz, now 56, played a huge role in Germany’s Euro ’96 triumph, not least in their rollercoaster win against old foes England.
He scored the Germans’ equaliser during the emotionally draining semifinal, before burying a crucial spotkick in the shootout.
Kuntz asked boss Berti Vogts to take the fifth as he felt England’s penalty curse, which included their 1990 World Cup semi-final defeat to Germany, would strike again and the shootout wouldn’t get that far.
But when England’s first five takers all scored, Kuntz had to quickly clear his mind to try to take the shootout to sudden death.
“I was scared a lot,” he admitted. “And I was thinking, ‘How can I win against this fear?’
“I was thinking of my kids and how they’ll get through the next day in school if I missed?
“Everybody will tell them, ‘Hey, your f ***** g dad, he missed, and that’s why we are out!’
“I scored, thank god. If you see the pictures, I cannot celebrate it because I was so full of rage and concentration.”
The rest is history that current England boss Gareth Southgate would rather forget as his miss from the next penalty paved the way for Andreas Moller to score the winning kick.
What happened after
Germany prevailed in the shootout also left a permanent mark in
Kuntz’s mind.
He said: “When we were going this long way across the pitch to our locker room, English supporters were giving us a standing ovation.
“It is so deep in my brain that this is fair play, perfect for our sport.
“I was deeply impressed that even after we defeated their team, they had the respect for our performance.” Kuntz (below) never got to experience that English spirit again during an impressive playing career that featured over 600 games, almost 300 goals, and lasted until he was 42.
But he might do as a manager, after tomorrow night, with his reputation growing after winning the 2017 Under-21 Euros, and German managers now much sought after in England.
Kuntz, who describes himself as a mix between an old-fashioned boss, who emphasises the importance of values such as behaviour and respect, and a modern coach, added: “The coaching education is good in Germany.
“You can tell me if this is right, but if you’re looking at German teams and coaches maybe they bring things like more concentration, professionalism and attitude. Maybe the wish is to bring them in some percentages to English clubs. I think it works well.
“We are a little bit more happy and proud when managers leave Germany for England. It is proof they are doing things well.
“I am happy with my job right now and concentrated on the European Championship (this summer), but England gives me a special feeling, I cannot lie.” ENGLAND will be one of the “big favourites” to take Germany’s title as Under-21 European champions this summer.
Germany won the competition in Poland two years ago, beating England in the semis on penalties. But ahead of the
2019 tournament Germany’s Under-21 boss Stefan Kuntz said: “England and France, those are the big favourites.
“How we do depends on how many of my players are with Jogi Loew (Joachim Loew, the senior German boss).
“Right now there are six players in the A team and I hope that we will succeed in the group stage.”
England have the big billing following the success of their younger sides over the last two years.
Kuntz has seen two of England most gifted youngsters, Jadon Sancho (right, top) and Reiss Nelson (right, bottom), shine in the Bundesliga, for Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim respectively. And he was at the Etihad recently to see a goalscoring cameo from Young Lion Phil Foden as Manchester City thrashed Schalke in the Champions League. Kuntz, Germany’s Under-21 boss since 2016, said: “The FA started a lot of years ago improving their education and organisation.
“I know that they are looking to Germany because we did the same thing at the beginning of 2000 and did a good job.
“I think they saw the faults that we made and avoided them.
“Sancho and Nelson are really good players with great individual quality.
“Foden has everything you need for a top talent.
“He has a great club, a great coach, and great team-mates and is at a very high level.
“So we cannot avoid the fact that he will be a very good international player for England.”