Klose Targets Promotion With Nürnberg, Praises Kane and Füllkrug

Miroslav Klose has reaffirmed his ambition to bring Nürnberg back to the Bundesliga after an eight-year absence. Two years after being appointed head coach, the 47-year-old now sees his team competing at the top of Bundesliga 2 and is confident about promotion.

Klose, who played for Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, and Lazio during his career, believes Nürnberg's revival this season rests on team spirit and healthy internal competition. "The key is the team spirit and the high level of competition within the squad. We have several players for every position with different qualities and profiles," he said in an exclusive interview with the Bundesliga.

According to Klose, squad depth allows rotation without a drop in quality. He also highlighted the role of substitutes, who often make a significant impact. "The players we bring off the bench can also make a difference. For us as a coaching team, that is fantastic," he added.

Since taking over in June 2024, Klose has not changed the squad composition much. He has focused more on players' character and how they fit into the team. "We pay close attention to the characters we bring into the dressing room, how they fit together, and how the different parts work within the team," he explained.

The change is felt off the pitch instead. Klose senses a new enthusiasm from the fans. "I can feel it in conversations with the fans, how much they enjoy coming to the stadium. They like seeing the team play good, attractive football while also achieving success," he said.

As a coach, Klose has adopted the playing style he loved during his career: dominating possession. "As a player, I always liked having the ball for long periods, and that hasn't changed. When you have the ball, you have a certain level of dominance," he said. But he also stressed the importance of adaptation. "We keep showing the players different ways out of situations. It's great to see them develop," he added.

Klose took a gradual path into coaching: managing Bayern's youth team, then Rheindorf Altach in Austria, before finally joining Nürnberg. "My experience as a player showed me that this is a path I'm comfortable with. At every stage of my career, I learned a little more," he said. He admits he is now far better as a coach than three years ago. "I am always willing and eager to learn, and I have always been a hard worker. That will not change," he stressed.

On the role of the centre-forward in modern football, Klose welcomes the trend away from the false nine. "Fortunately, we have moved somewhat away from the idea of a false nine or a second striker playing around the main striker. For me, the most important thing is that you need someone there to score goals. You need someone in the box," he explained.

He stressed the importance of refining the final ball, whether crosses or shots. "When you develop certain patterns and the players know each other better, that's when you see harmony on the pitch. It can make everything look easy, but it involves tremendous hard work," he said.

Klose also praised Harry Kane, who has just won the Ballon d'Or. According to him, Kane has always been able to score, but is now surrounded by more specialist players. "The game is more tailored to him, especially in and around the box. At the same time, he has players around him who are also very dangerous," Klose said.

He highlighted the double attention Michael Olise often receives, which frees up Kane. "That naturally gives Kane a certain freedom. You can always see his quality, and he has worked very hard to reach his position. That's why he deserves the award," he stressed. Klose holds Kane up as a role model for his young players. "I often tell my players that they should look at someone like him as an example. Young players cannot yet have the instinct and experience he has developed," he added.

Regarding Niclas Füllkrug, Klose hopes the Werder Bremen striker maintains his fine form. "I hope he can keep up his current form for a long time because I know what it feels like as a striker when you get momentum from scoring a lot of goals. It's fantastic," he said. Klose believes Füllkrug has an instinct in the box, a good right foot, and strong aerial ability. "If you can involve him in the game, both inside and outside the box, I think he can be a real goal threat," he concluded.

With a clear philosophy and the fans' belief, Nürnberg under Klose are no longer just a dark horse. The question is whether they can maintain consistency until the end of the season and end the eight-year wait. Bundesliga 2 is long, but Klose's direction is already clear.