The bottom line is that Bayern will do what is best for Bayern. I would expect Bayern to be more supportive in releasing him the German NT than the USMNT but it's not a youth team where he can be denied a callup....either way, he needs to get to Bayern 1 first. A lot can happen between Bayern 2 and Bayern 1. I would be surprised if his playing time at Bayern will be limited by anything other than what Bayern thinks is best for Bayern.
I think it more both than either/or. Depending on tactics, game situation, availability, injuries, etc. It is nice to have guys who can function in both spots. If you add Aaronson & Reyna to the CM pool, I'd put it at 7. LDLT will likely get some more run as a 6 with Acosta out for a bit. If he proves competent, then someone like Sands becomes less necessary for the 3rd #6. Adams: DM/RB McKennie: CM/WM Musah: CM/RM Acosta: DM/CM/FB LDLT: CM/DM Aaronson: CM/CAM Reyna: CM/CAM I think that is enough in CM. Though there is probably room for 1 more. Certainly if 26 go. These 7 + 3 GK + 8 defenders + Pulisic, Weah, & 2 CFs is 22. Another CM or WF/CF would be my pick for #23. If 26 go, you don't have to pick, you take one of each: #23: WF #24: CM #25: CF #26: Another defender
Not sure what you mean by has to get to Bayern 1 first? Tillman is already a Bayern 1 player. He joined the first team in July 2021 and has a contract until 2024. Bayern still considers themself the core team for the German NT and take great pride in that status. We will see how aggressively they support Malik's career now that he has switched.
What I mean is just that he needs to show he is a regularly used player at Bayern 1. I admit that I don't know much about him but there have been an awful lot of posts mentioning his play with Bayern 2. He has scored a goal with Bayern 1 (you mentioned it in your post) but it certainly wasn't in a B1 game. Wikipedia lists him as having 4 league appearances. More than Green but still not earthshaking. My impression of Malik Tillman is that he is currently a first team player with Bayern in the same way that Green was a first team player with Bayern before he got loaned out, or perhaps Chris Richards before he was loaned out. What I am saying is that Bayern hasn't made a decision; at least not publicly. I know he has a contract, but all I am trying to say is that he has an awful long way to go before he has a spot with Bayern first 18 locked up and until he does, there is a pretty good chance that he will move on to another club like Richards, Green and many more before him.
And as it turns out, Hoffenheim was more than good enough to help develop Richards. Tillman isn't a starter for Bayern and he may never be. But a solid B1 starter is what we're looking for at the moment. And I think Richards' ceiling is way up there. Tillman? We'll see but he's got skill and a talented brother who's also signing.
I guess your point is that players don't go from Bayern youth to Bayern 1 permanently? I agree, I can't remember the last Bayern regular to make that direct transition, even Lahm had to do a 2 year loan spell. Bayern buys it's players and that will likely not change. The fact that Tillman has been making the bench and has gotten playing time and even a BuLi start positions him for a top loan assignment, maybe even BuLi. I know that Schalke could use him and he could certainly get playing time.
yeah that’s all I was saying. It wasn’t a knock on Tillman Just saying he isn’t quite there yet. His path may seem likely, but it’s still far from certain. If I were to compare him to a player right now it would be Richard’s….right before his loan spell that, other than a slight setback due to injury, has gone quite well. I certainly have very high hopes for Richard’s, so that is definitely a favorable comparison.
Honest, no-bullshit answer. “I would say that I have a chance to play in the World Cup this year,” Tillman said. “With Germany, I think I wouldn’t be with the team for the next two years. If I have a great career, the next two years, maybe I can have a chance with the German national team, but I don’t really see the chance with them like I see it here.” https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/usmnt-malik-tillman-bayern-munich-20220603.html
Tillman made a positive first impression for Rangers this weekend: https://theathletic.com/3463145/2022/07/31/malik-tillman-rangers-bayern/
This kid has a bright future. We'll definitely see him in 2026. I think he might be just a few months too late to make the final 26, which is not his fault. I'm so glad that Gregg capped him. He needs a full season at Rangers to get a WC spot, so the timing just didn't work out for him.
You could see great vision in moments with the USMNT. That plus the physical tools make one optimistic. Inexperience is the only downside. His chance for Watar may depend on whether the manager prefers a low risk/low reward player over a high risk/high reward player. And we seem to have an excess of attacking midfielders right now, depending on where you put Reyna and Aaronson. The more I watch the pool develop the less sense it seems to make to play a traditional CF.
Malik Tillman Rangers debut vs Livingston (7/30/22) pic.twitter.com/YMSjgbErdD— Justin Moran (@kickswish) July 31, 2022
Involved, active, making mostly good choices, but some missed scoring opps. He seems to get down on himself, even when he plays well. Hope he stays positive. Scotland is not typically a place to find a lot of positive reinforcement, but I bet the fans will like his aggressiveness.
I would advocate for almost zero of our players to go to Scotland, but I think it’s actually a good move for Tillman. He’ll learn how to use the skill and soccer IQ he’s already got against grown men in a very physical league. One season with Rangers and he’ll be ready for the Bundesliga, hopefully. as far as Bayern spiking his career, I don’t see it happening. Most likely he’ll be on the Chris Richards track: a couple of loans, and then sold for a nice chunk of change. If he were good enough to play for Bayern we’d already know that.
Rangers has an option to buy, which IIRC Hoffenheim never had with Richards. Still high on him, think he ultimately ends up as an 8 rather than the 10ish role he played with the US this summer. If he's ought, which I would think he would be, 2-3 years in Scotland would not be the end of the world. I think he can be a factor for 2026, but rn he is likely 4th on that depth chart after Reyna, Aaronson and probably Mihailovic, so he probably barring injury is not going to Qatar.
Any decent player playing for Celtic or Rangers is going to look pretty good against the competition in the Scottish League.
I like that he is a passer first. Could be a good compliment to our having enough dribblers already. Probably a little late for him to sneak in for 2022, but he could very well be a big part of he next cycle. Then again, Berhalter seems to be high on him, recruited him to make the switch and then capped him immediately. I don't think we should be shocked if he makes camps between now and Qatar with a shot a getting on the plane.
But both teams have done ok to good in European Competition. I actually am liking those two teams as stepping stone clubs for young players.
Scotland somehow has two Champions League berths, so we all know the two clubs going. We can watch those games to asses them better, although it's unlikely Rangers makes it past the qualifying rounds. PS: Rangers has done well in the Europa. But in the Champions... well, they were back last time after a long hiatus.
I really, really like his play style. It's just something we've been lacking -- we've got the flash, but we don't have the guy they play off. He has the physical attributes to stand up at the highest level; now it is just a question of whether he can product enough in an attacking position or can transition his game enough to move back. I think people will be surprised at what Tillman looks like as a player in 3 or so years but he needs to get the right support and playing time. I could definitely see him morphing into a player that plays much more like Mihailovic in that time, but with more physical stature. Serves as an attacking passing hub in the half space, attacks the net with runs to goal, not incapable as a dribbler but one on one dribbling is not his game. Or a I could see him getting pushed back and ending up more where his brother or Julian Green have ended up. A fine, solid, ball secure midfielder without a ton of impact. I think it'd be a shame to move him back before really giving him a chance to attack. Hopefully he gets that at Rangers.
I have seen quite a few people state that Tillman isn't an option for 2022 and at least one nut who is angry that he was called in. He clearly looks to have the potential to fit in with this group and Rangers look to be a good spot for him to evolve. I expect him to be a different player by November and would expect him in Qatar given his versatility. Looked promising in his first start... Malik Tillman vs St. Gilloise (8/2/22)Champions League qualifying pic.twitter.com/Xur9RkIzD1— Justin Moran (@kickswish) August 5, 2022