Leeds United star's international break ends in historic defeat as squad overhaul takes place
One Leeds United international star will not be playing all four games for his country as part of a pre-planned change.
Leeds United midfielder Anton Stach was a late substitute for the second time in four days as Germany fell to a historic defeat at home to Greece on Sunday.
Stach earned a recall to his national team as part of an unusual 44-man squad named by new manager Jurgen Klopp. The group was split in half with 22 players in camp for meetings with the Netherlands and Greece.
Germany drew 1-1 with the Netherlands on Thursday with Stach introduced midway through the second-half. But Sunday’s second Nations League clash ended in a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Greece in Augsburg.
Stach again started on the substitute’s bench and wasn’t introduced until the 83rd minute, by which point the visitors had already taken the lead through Dimitrios Kourbelis. The Leeds man was unable to turn the tide as Germany fell to a first ever defeat against Greece.
"I could have lived with us not winning but you cannot lose such a game," Stach’s international boss Klopp said. "We have been together for a week now, all mixed together, and that needs time. The result is not cool but it is absolutely part of the process."
Klopp has faced scrutiny for his decision to name a 44-man squad and split it in half. It means that after two late substitute appearances, Stach will now leave the Germany camp as a completely new set of 22 players arrive for games against Serbia and Greece.
“Tomorrow morning the boys who are arriving now will train,” Klopp told ARD, as quoted by Goal. “They aren't in sync either, I know that. Nevertheless, from my point of view, there was no alternative but to do it this way (double squad). I stand by it 100 per cent.
“But out there it starts: 'How can you possibly?' That's fine, everyone is allowed to have an opinion. We approached it this way and it felt great. That's what I just told the boys as well. Everything this week was top, except for a large part of this game, to be honest.”
Stach will now get an extended rest period with Leeds not in action for two more weeks. The Whites next travel to Premier League champions Arsenal on Saturday October 10.