Florian Wirtz's Father Fires Back After Gary Neville's Shocking 'Little Boy' Attack

Hans Wirtz, father of Florian Wirtz, brushed off the mounting criticism directed at his son, stating confidently that "everything is progressing as anticipated."

After Liverpool secured what was then a record-breaking £116 million ($152.6 million) transfer to acquire Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen during the summer window, supporters would hardly have anticipated the attacking midfielder would still be seeking his inaugural Premier League goal or assist come mid-November.

The compact playmaker assisted Hugo Ekitiké during the Community Shield in an otherwise quiet debut performance and facilitated two goals versus Eintracht Frankfurt in Champions League action. Nevertheless, regarding the intensity and physicality of England's premier division, both Wirtz's physical presence and technical abilities have faced scrutiny.

Ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville criticized the German international harshly following Liverpool's disappointing 3–0 loss to Manchester City the previous weekend. "Wirtz presents an issue," the eight-time Premier League winner remarked dismissively. "I believed Wirtz appeared like a child out there. That simply cannot happen."

The elder Wirtz showed little patience for Neville's remarks. "I only acknowledge criticism from former international players in passing," he shared with Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. "Florian is a young player attempting to establish himself in unfamiliar surroundings. We haven't even completed one-third of the campaign.

"Thus far, everything is developing as anticipated; it represents a completely standard adaptation period, totally unrelated to any transfer amount," Hans Wirtz, who functions as one of his son's representatives alongside his wife Karin Groß in an unusual partnership, continued.

"Furthermore: If you examine the statistics more carefully, you'll notice that Florian's numbers regarding his game participation are already quite impressive; only assists and goals remain outstanding."

This perspective was also supported by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, who remarked: "Perhaps Liverpool could assist him by converting some of the opportunities he generates." Nevertheless, some individuals familiar with Wirtz from his Bayer Leverkusen days provided an explanation that goes beyond simply highlighting his collection of key passes.

The Reasons Behind Wirtz's Liverpool Difficulties

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes recruited Wirtz from Köln's youth system and witnessed his development into one of the globe's premier attacking midfielders. According to Rolfes, Wirtz's challenges originate from insufficient involvement. "Despite all his individual talent, Flo is fundamentally one thing: a complete team player," the Leverkusen executive explained to Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

"Flo flourishes through combination play, but currently Liverpool haven't quite meshed as a unit. That creates additional challenges for Flo as well."

Rolfes makes a valid observation. Wirtz recorded over 80 touches per match at Leverkusen, functioning as the attacking centerpiece for Xabi Alonso's squad. At Liverpool, where he has been progressively deployed in wider positions, the 22-year-old manages only 57.7 touches per game, marking a 28% decrease.

The reduction becomes even more pronounced in the final third, where Wirtz has dropped from 45.1 touches per 90 minutes at Leverkusen to 27.3 in the Premier League this season.

While this doesn't completely excuse Wirtz from responsibility, his difficulties finding space between the lines against the Premier League's organized defensive structures has certainly contributed to this decline, and increased ball involvement would be beneficial.

Florian Wirtz Simply Lacks Ball Involvement

Statistics via FBref. Accurate as of Nov. 16, 2025.