Wolfsburg’s Maximilian Arnold has no great hopes for the World Cup

The three-time national player Maximilian Arnold from VfL Wolfsburg is a “realist” with a view to a possible World Cup participation. He doesn’t have high hopes for a ticket to Qatar in 2022, the 27-year-old told the kicker and described his experiences with ex-coach Mark van Bommel.

Arnold was called back to the DFB team for the first time since his debut in May 2014 and was substituted on twice by national coach Hansi Flick in November. “He told me that I was still in the field of vision and that I had to perform at VfL,” said Arnold.

However, he knows “about the competition in my position and why I was there now. But I have seen that I can keep up. When my qualities are needed, I am ready.” His two club colleagues Ridle Baku and Lukas Nmecha would have “better chances” for the World Cup.

Arnold about van Bommel: “The intensity was missing”

Arnold had a good relationship with the dismissed coach Mark van Bommel, but despite the good start, “we didn’t have the intensity that distinguished us last season. The victories felt different”.

Last year there were games where Arnold knew his team would not lose. “That was no longer the case, at most maybe at 2-0 in Fürth.”

Ex-trainer Oliver Glasner previously had a very clear philosophy, which the team required. Arnold: “We trained that over and over again under Glasner. He was obsessed with his idea – and that carried over to the team.” A coach has to annoy the team, he added.

It looks similar with the new coach Florian Kohfeldt. The ex-Bremer put his finger in the wound, “but of course it takes a bit of time for us to internalize his philosophy.”