It feels unsettling: Jürgen Klopp may have missed a big opportunity with the Germany team

This Nations League meeting with Greece was historic for the DFB team on several fronts. It was Jürgen Klopp's first home game as Germany coach and the first home international with standing sections for 28 years. But after Germany's first defeat against Greece, the team heard not just encouraging applause but whistles too when they went over to that new standing section afterwards.

That mood turned quickly. Only moments earlier, Klopp's appointment had sparked a level of euphoria and belief across the country about a successful future for the national team that had not been seen for a long time. A fortunate draw in the Netherlands and a home defeat against Greece were enough to bring out the first signs of discontent among German fans.

"That's fine, but not necessary," Klopp said at the press conference after the game, before demanding: "If anyone wants to whistle, whistle at me." He made that the central message of his remarks and repeated it in different forms. "If anyone wants to be critical, do it with me and leave the lads alone."

Jürgen Klopp's tactics are as obvious as they are logical

Those remarks are a little surprising given the threats he made at his introductory press conference in July, when Klopp declared: "If you say tomorrow that he's shit, I'll be gone." He even referred back to those words at the current press conference. Although the interpretation is actually quite clear, Klopp said there had been a "misunderstanding", it had not been meant like that at all.

His current communication tactics, though, are as obvious as they are logical. His reputation and the basic trust in his ability that exists in this country are still so strong that he personally, despite his now sudden and openly stated willingness to take criticism, can expect hardly any pushback at this stage. The situation is very different for the players he is so vehemently protecting, especially those involved in the disappointments of the recent past.

Right now, Klopp is bigger than the national team. Augsburg already showed that when his name was shouted louder during the line-up announcement than the names of all the players. After the first footballing disappointments, he understandably wants to use that bank of trust to head off any criticism of his players that could unsettle them even more.

So should Klopp be criticised? He should not be criticised for the disappointing results and performances so far or for the worst start of any Germany coach. Nobody could have expected Klopp to instil attractive and successful football into this national team, which has been reliably disappointing for years, without any lead-in time. Against the Netherlands, the DFB team at least produced one good half and showed a new mentality overall, while the thoroughly poor display against Greece was then a clear step backwards.

DFB team: Was Klopp's two-squad approach a good idea?

Even so, it is fair, at least as things stand, to ask whether the very bold and much-praised two-squad approach was really a good idea. It is entirely understandable that Klopp wants to get to know as many players as possible personally. But perhaps it would have been wiser to call up at least a core group of potential future first-choice players for the whole international window and, for example, rotate only the back end of the squad.

Either way, it feels a little strange that (captain Joshua Kimmich, who was unfortunate against Greece) now has to leave the squad. The same goes for designated first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and defensive leader Jonathan Tah. Key players like these should provide continuity and act as anchors, especially in difficult phases. Kimmich himself presumably sees it the same way. In Augsburg, he stressed that he would prefer to stay with the team.

Beyond that emotional factor, there is a rational one too. Klopp is currently introducing a new philosophy (overrun football) and a new formation (4-3-3) with the national team. Whatever the personnel experiments, he could have used this unusually long international spell to give his potential first-choice players the maximum time to adapt. The first two games clearly showed how long the road still is towards a functioning system. Perhaps Klopp missed a major opportunity here.

During his hugely successful club spells, he could teach his strategy over months in daily training. The conditions are fundamentally different with the national team. Training sessions and matches are extremely scarce. In the 12 months after this international block, there are only six more matches, and then the European Championship begins just three quarters of a year later. But now an entirely new squad will first come into contact with Klopp's ideas and already be under a degree of pressure for the awkward matches against Serbia and in Greece.