Lahm on Germany crisis: 'We have been falling behind for 10 years'

Germany's football crisis has deeper and more long-term causes than the recent last-32 exit at the World Cup, former national team captain Philipp Lahm has said.

Lahm said in a column for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that there are too many experiments, not enough leadership and no more top coaches as Germany is losing contact to the top nations.

“We have been falling behind for 10 years because we are not adapting to current developments. Instead, we keep pursuing our own special paths, most recently with the comeback of man-marking in the Bundesliga,” the 2014 World Cup winner wrote.

"If we continue doing this, we will continue to fail.

“Germany is taking a different path from the rest of the world and is not adapting."

In addition to criticizing coaching and talent development in German football, Lahm lamented a lack of continuity that characterizes all top teams.

“Players are frequently deployed in a wide variety of (wrong) positions, and the system is often changed,” he said.

Lahm said that these experiements were "always my criticism of Julian Nagelsmann. For me, clarity and order are what matters.

Nagelsmann resigned as coach a few days after Germany’s elimination in the round of 32 against Paraguay. Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp is set to take over.

Looking at coaches, Lahm said: “What has been lost in Germany in recent years when appointing coaches is footballing quality and personal experience at the highest level.

"What is missing are former professional players who continue to develop methodologically, who take the time to learn the profession from the ground up in order to achieve excellence over the years.”

He cited France coach Didier Deschamps, Italy’s Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil), as well as Spaniards Mikel Arteta (Arsenal FC), Pep Guardiola (most recently Manchester City), and Xabi Alonso of Chelsea FC as top level helsmen.

Lahm said that the German Football Federation (DFB) lacks leadership in this regard.

“The DFB describes its academy as a place for exchange and discussion and does not see itself as an authority that sets a direction,” Lahm wrote.

Lahm also criticised that German clubs “unfortunately sign solid but not outstanding foreign players to a considerable extent.

"This approach is an easy way to maintain the overall level. But it prevents development because homegrown youth players do not get opportunities,” he said.