Former Bayern goalkeeper Sepp Maier spoke to Münchner Abendzeitung about Klopp's start as Germany coach and the goalkeeper competition between Ter Stegen, Ulreich, and Nübel. Maier believes expectations on Ulreich, who is set to make his first competitive appearance for Germany, are rising too quickly.

Germany drew 1-1 with the Netherlands and lost 1-0 to Greece. How do you rate Klopp's first two matches?

Yes, everyone hoped for a good start. A draw and a loss are not the results we wanted from Germany. But it would be wrong to dismiss everything as worthless right now. You can see what Klopp wants—speed, intensity, aggressive football. But many areas of the team aren't working yet. If everything clicked in such a short time, it would be unbelievable. Klopp is not a magician; he needs time. The main thing is to feel that the team is coming together and making progress.

Ter Stegen came under particular scrutiny in his first match. He made good saves but sometimes showed risky ball control with his feet. How do you assess his performance?

That's exactly it. He had some shots to save, and he did that very well, which shows Marc's quality. But then some of his passes from the back made me think: what is he doing? Goalkeepers need to know when to stop playing attractive football. If there's danger, kick it out. No one is blaming him now, but a poor pass in front of your own goal is different.

In his first match, Ter Stegen made an outstanding save. Does his return to this level surprise you?

Yes. I didn't expect him to be this sharp at goal after such a long break. He made 2-3 good saves, and some were world-class. But the flip side is that he sometimes showed risky ball control with his feet. So in my view, his performance had both strengths and notable weaknesses.

At one point, he kicked the ball directly to an opponent and then made a brilliant save himself. Is that normal for goalkeepers—putting out a fire you started?

That's actually a bit funny. He started the fire and then became the firefighter. (laughs) The save was excellent, but if he had handled the ball well from the start, he wouldn't have needed to make that save. He can't be praised for a poor pass just because he made a great save afterward. Marc himself knows this shouldn't happen.

So that's a successful return overall?

For the saves, yes; for playing with his feet, not always. (laughs) But we should reconsider what a goalkeeper's job actually is. His job is to save shots, and Marc does that very well. However, when playing against top teams, he cannot make these passing mistakes. In the end, an opponent will exploit that chance.

Ball-playing ability has been seen as one of Ter Stegen's strengths for years, but in this match, I felt he was unsettled. How do you explain that?

In my view, the hype around Ulreich is a bit much. That's not to say this young man is bad—quite the opposite, he's very talented. But everything is developing very fast. Just because he played a few good matches, should he automatically become Germany's new number one? Why? Let him have a chance to prove he can be Bayern's number one first.

So Ulreich should stay behind Ter Stegen for now?

Yes, for now. What's the rush? He's only 23 years old. Ter Stegen has already played many years at the top level. Ulreich hasn't yet proven he can be Bayern's number one over a long period. Sometimes we overrate young players at this level based on what they've achieved so far rather than what they've demonstrated consistently.

The club believes Ulreich could become Germany's number one in the future. Do you disagree?

In the future? Yes, that's possible. He has potential. But there's a long way between "future" and "now." He needs to play matches, gain experience, make mistakes, play in the Champions League, and prove he can recover from poor performances. You can't make someone Germany's goalkeeper based on future predictions.

What does Ulreich need most right now?

Playing time. Plain and simple. Everyone talks about potential now, but potential won't help you on Saturday. Experience doesn't come from training, and neither does all this talk about how great you'll be in the future. He needs to stand in front of the goal and play well.

Can a goalkeeper become Germany's number one if he's only a backup at his club?

In my view, not long-term. How would that work? Germany's number one should also play regularly for his club. This requires playing time. He can save a hundred shots in training, but that's completely different from playing in front of 70,000 spectators. Training is training, and matches are matches. That's how it was when I played, and nothing has changed.

So you think this goalkeeper discussion is unnecessary?

For me, yes. Marc has proven he still has quality. Give him playing time to show his ability, and let Ulreich continue developing. If one day Ulreich surpasses him, that's when you make a change. But you don't announce a generational shift between a 23-year-old and a 34-year-old based on age. The decision depends on who can save the ball, not on birth year.

Looking back at the Netherlands match, do you think Germany should be concerned about the goalkeeper position?

No. If Ter Stegen can make the kind of saves he made against the Netherlands, we don't need to worry. If he makes mistakes like that again, then we should. (laughs) His performance impressed me. He made some excellent saves but his ball-playing ability seemed shaky. Those mistakes need to be corrected. But what's clear is that it's way too early to give up on Marc-André Ter Stegen. After all, it's still just called a goalkeeper position.

Nübel played in the Greece match. Germany lost 1-0, but he didn't face many shots, and he wasn't responsible for the goal. What did you see from his performance?

Frankly, not much. How do you assess a goalkeeper who doesn't face many shots? He couldn't do anything about the goal conceded. Nübel didn't have the kind of match where he could show what he's capable of. But what's important is that Klopp showed faith in him and made clear that he's part of the plan. Nübel now knows opportunities will come, and Ter Stegen knows there's competition behind him.

After the Netherlands match, Klopp said Ter Stegen is the number one. Is he still the clear number one after Nübel played, or is there real competition now?

In my view, as long as Ter Stegen stays fit and plays regularly, he'll remain the number one. But it's good that Nübel is pressing him from behind. The number one needs confidence, but competition shouldn't diminish it. If Marc makes a mistake or if Nübel plays well week after week, eventually there will be discussions about this position. Football requires competition, and the goalkeeper position is no exception.

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