Richard Buxton: Pep's hand in Germany's revival
Sane, Guendogan play starring roles for Loew's new-look side, as does Kimmich - all of whom have benefited from Guardiola's tutelage
Sainthood has been a recurring theme in Pep Guardiola's illustrious coaching career.
From Barcelona to Manchester, he continues to walk on water - with one glaring exception.
Germany refused to fall under the Catalan's spell during a three-year stint at Bayern Munich from 2013 to 2016.
Even lifting triple Bundesliga crowns did little to endear Guardiola to his erstwhile parish.
Failing to win the Champions League was not the only crime.
Some were quick to cast him as the architect of their sharp international decline, with his time in Bavaria supposedly shifting Die Mannschaft's emphasis away from core results and more towards possession statistics.
But Guardiola may turn out to be German football's saviour, yet.
Insubordination almost derailed Joachim Loew's best-laid plans in Wolfsburg yesterday morning (Singapore time).
The four-time world champions were booed off after a first half against Serbia in which they had tried nothing and already appeared fresh out of ideas.
Pre-match tributes to Thomas Mueller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels, all recently consigned to early retirement by the national coach, threatened to be a foreshadowing for Loew.
Only belatedly giving Guardiola his dues offered Leow a lifeline out of a false start.
He pushed Ilkay Guendogan further forward, following an ineffectual opening 45 minutes in holding midfield, and allowed Manchester City teammate Leroy Sane to assume centre stage.
Sane's failure to make the final cut for Germany's catastrophic World Cup defence saw him plagued by claims of a poor attitude. Similar accusations followed when the 23-year-old was subsequently overlooked for City's game with Newcastle United at the beginning of September.
Yet Loew's past reasoning mirrored the one which remains on show at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola has routinely been forthcoming with praise of City players. For Sane, he does not reserve his most effusive. Like Raheem Sterling, he is continually told that he can always do better even when he has managed to redefine already lofty personal standards this season.
Even a hand in four goals against former club Schalke in the Champions League's Round of 16 this month was deemed impressive but still not quite good enough for Guardiola.
Tough love in a continual pursuit of perfection clearly has the desired effect for Sane.
Putting the winning experience and pedigree of Mueller, Hummels and Boateng out to pasture was considered a major gamble in Loew's attempts to breathe fresh life into a Germany side who had become both tired and alarmingly complacent over the previous nine months.
In the absence of such leadership, however, Sane appears to be the most natural successor.
He was one of the few who emerged with any credit from a disastrous Nations League campaign and his performance against Serbia was merely the latest case in point.
Not only did the winger drive on his homeland to a draw at the Volkswagen Arena, but he also unlocked a sense of adventure that had been missing even before their World Cup debacle.
Guardiola's impact in Wolfsburg was felt in more than just Sane's Man-of-the-Match display and Guendogan's growing prominence.
Joshua Kimmich's evolution into one of the leading players for both club and country also stemmed from the former Bayern coach's tutelage.
There can be no dispute that Pep is already helping Germany's international revival, even if the Bundesliga still refuses to bow down to his majesty.
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