Julian Green’s stellar play for Bayern Munich offers hope for his future at the storied club.
Kyle Bonn
“I’m really happy to be here. I work hard every day, and we will see. It’s my goal to work hard every day, and show the coach who I am. That’s my only chance.”
That’s what Julian Green –you know, the kid who scored in the knock out rounds of the World Cup- still fighting for a place in the Bayern Munich squad – told TYAC prior to Bayern Munich’s preseason friendly against Inter Milan in Charlotte, NC.
A day and three goals later, the 21-year-old finally jockeyed himself into a solid position to make Carlo Ancelotti’s first team following a 4-1 win over Inter where Green showed solid movement and even better finishing.
Less than 18 months ago, Green was stuck in Hamburg’s reserve squad, having found himself out of favor with his loan club and low on confidence. “I needed to defend myself,” Green said in a statement after Hamburg’s sporting director Peter Knabel looked to rid himself of the U.S. international during the 2015 winter transfer window. Green was under fire, for both his performance on loan and perhaps more troubling, for whispers that his attitude and work-ethic were lacking commitment.
Now, after a summer where many around Bayern Munich have praised his commitment and spirit, his fortunes may have done an about-face.
Mario Gotze has left the team, returning to rivals Borussia Dortmund. With his departure, that leaves Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Kingsley Coman, and Douglas Costa as Green’s main competition for a place in the Bayern attack.
“He’s getting very valuable minutes,” Xabi Alonso said of Green’s preseason showing. “Hopefully it will be important for his development into the first team.”
Green used those minutes Saturday – a full 90 minutes against a storied Serie A side – to the fullest. His first half hat-trick was nothing spectacular – a pair of tap-ins and a well-placed poke to the corner – but the youngster showed a knack for finding space off the ball and exploiting it. And, most importantly, when given chances, he took them. Green had three shots in the first half, and all three found the back of the net.
The biggest problem for Green at Bayern for the moment seems to be finding where he fits into the squad best. The fit on the teamsheet has to match up with his abilities – thus far an iffy proposition. Between Muller and Lewandowski, Bayern seems set at striker, but that’s exactly where Green excelled in Charlotte, and it’s where his manager sees his future as well. Ancelotti was also quick to dismiss the suggestion that Green only was moved to forward to deal with Bayern’s limited numbers while on their American tour.
“I think that his best position is central striker,” Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti said following the win in Charlotte. “He is really quick, really fast, and really smart in the box, and so I think that this is his best position. Of course he can play on the outside, but he would be, in my opinion, less efficient.”
Of course, the player- this time with a smile-disagrees.
“I can play on the left wing, on the right wing, or up front, it doesn’t matter to me,” Julian said. But on the wing – where Bayern probably can use him the most with aging stars looking – he still appears to be an awkward presence, preferring instead to drift inside, counter to what Ancelotti appeared to instruct in Saturday’s match.
The move to forward was a telling suggestion that Bayern still believe in the young American’s technical quality, particularly as a finisher. And the consistent repetitions on tour in America aren’t just crowd pleasers- they are an opportunity, for Green to either stick with the first team or earn a quality loan, where he could demonstrate both the technical growth and improved maturity that have impressed the club this summer.
After the three goal performance, Green remained on an even keel.
“It’s my job, I’m a striker. That’s soccer – one day it’s not so good, the other day it’s good, so I’m really happy about it.”
Green’s long-term future will likely be decided in the next two weeks.
Should he find himself a solid place on one of Europe’s most powerful rosters, it would mark a pivotal moment in not just the 21-year-old’s development, but also in American soccer history. With Christian Pulisic shining at Munich rival Borussia Dortmund, the US program would have two of its most promising youngsters in the fold at two of the world’s elite football clubs.
Should he miss out, it would likely spell the end of his Bayern Munich stay, barring a very successful loan. But even a loan shouldn’t be frowned at: a good spell elsewhere could help his chances at finding a long-term home conducive to growth in the near future. It’s hard to tell right now which way that swings, but he most certainly has done all he can to put his name back on the club radar, either at Allianz Arena or somewhere else.
Kyle Bonn has written frequently for The Yanks Are Coming. His work has been featured on a variety of websites, including NBC Sports. Follow him on Twitter @the_bonnfire.