Klose puts youth at the heart of Nuremberg promotion push

Miroslav Klose has outlined the development work behind Nuremberg’s promotion challenge, with his side second in Germany’s second division behind Hertha Berlin. In an interview published by BBC Sport on Tuesday, the coach described giving young players first-team opportunities while building an attack that is currently joint-top of the league’s scoring chart.

BBC Sport reports that seven of Nuremberg’s 11 most-used players this season are aged 22 or younger. Citing Transfermarkt, it puts the squad’s average age at 23.3, the youngest in the division. Klose stressed that opportunities must be accompanied by individual assessment, including attention to physical development and the experience needed around younger team-mates.

His work with emerging players predates his arrival in Nuremberg. The club’s account of his coaching career records that he began as an assistant with Germany’s senior national team in 2016. He took charge of Bayern Munich’s under-17s from 2018, later assisted Hansi Flick and then managed Austrian club Altach before moving to Nuremberg in June 2024.

Youth development was also central to the appointment announcement. Klose identified the club’s existing academy work as a foundation to build upon. Sporting director Joti Chatzialexiou highlighted his experience of improving young footballers and said his approach fitted the football Nuremberg wanted to play, alongside the detailed preparation he brought to coaching.

The club subsequently announced a contract extension on 12 February 2026. Chatzialexiou said both men had wanted to continue working together and had discussed issues important to Nuremberg’s future. Klose likewise described constructive internal discussions and expressed appreciation for the backing of the club’s leadership and supporters.

Klose’s playing career supplies another part of that background. FIFA’s historical account records his 16th World Cup goal in Germany’s 7-1 semi-final victory over Brazil in 2014. That strike took him beyond Ronaldo’s tournament tally, and Germany went on to win the trophy.

In the BBC interview, Klose emphasised practising the delivery into scoring areas and helping players understand one another’s strengths. He also cautioned that promising midfielder Marc Kornwachs, 17, still needs consistency and further development. Nuremberg’s current position follows finishes of 10th and eighth under Klose, with the club seeking its first Bundesliga return since 2019.