DFB team: Hansi Flick apparently kept Ilkay Gündogan from resigning from the national team
GER ONLY Hansi Flick DFB Germany 2021
© Poolfoto / Imago Images
Ilkay Gündogan has had a mediocre European Championship behind him. Hansi Flick has now apparently been able to prevent a resignation from the DFB team.
National coach Hansi Flick can apparently continue to rely on Ilkay Gündogan in the national team, although he had probably played openly with thoughts of resignation before the EM in the summer. That reports the picture-Newspaper.
Accordingly, Flick contacted the 30-year-old midfielder in the service of Manchester City immediately after the European Championship and emphasized that he wanted to plan for the future with Gündogan. However, the ex-Dortmund is said to have asked for a period of time to come to a decision while on vacation.
There should have been a conversation with Flick last week, in the course of which Gündogan informed the new national coach that he would continue to be available for the national team.
Reason for this should be loud picture also the bitter history of Gündogan in the national team. He missed the World Cup and the title win in 2014 due to a protracted back injury, the European Championship 2016 due to a knee injury. At the disastrous World Cup debacle in 2018, he was not only criticized because of a photo in the run-up to the tournament with the controversial Turkish President Erdogan, but also only a meager 58 minutes on the pitch.
At the European Championships in 2021, he missed the round of 16 due to a bruised skull and was only on the bench against England for 90 minutes after starting all three group games. With this sad history, Gündogan did not want to end his national team career, it says in the picture-Message.
Flick debut as national coach: DFB team doomed to win
Toni Kroos is currently the only German national player who has announced his resignation after the European Championship. “This is a decision for the family and for me, because it is good for me that I am more with the family. I also want to be there and be needed as a husband and dad,” said Kroos, explaining this step.
The first international matches under Flick’s leadership as national coach are scheduled for the beginning of September. In the World Cup qualification, Germany will play against Liechtenstein (September 2), Armenia (September 5) and Iceland (September 8). After the 1: 2 defeat against North Macedonia, the DFB team is currently only third in qualifying group J and is doomed to win at Flick’s baptisms of fire.
