KThey left the Waldhotel in Stuttgart shortly before 3 p.m. The players of the German national soccer team were driven in two buses yesterday to St. Gallen, where they will play tomorrow (8.45pm, in the sports ticker of the WELT) in the first game under national coach Hans-Dieter “Hansi” Flick in the qualification for the World Cup Meet Liechtenstein in 2022.
The trip to Switzerland took just under three hours – significantly longer than a year ago. The entourage of the German Football Association (DFB) also set out from Stuttgart to the neighboring country. But because an airplane was used for the trip to Basel, just under 250 kilometers away, the association received a shit storm. It was of no use to refer to the regeneration of the players and the two to three hours of sitting, which could endanger fitness and health, as it was called at the time.
This time it was not a problem. Of course, the journey had been discussed, said Oliver Bierhoff, Director of National Teams, before departure. “Technically, Hansi Flick would also have liked to be able to fly. But it was also clear that, after the experience of Basel and the responsibility we have, we would take the bus, ”said Bierhoff. “We will”, he added, “always have to strike the balancing act between professionalism and optimal preparation and of course other values and criteria that we want to meet.”
Flick’s idea of football: a lot of speed
It was not the case that Joachim Löw, whom Flick inherited after 15 years as national coach, had explicitly ordered the trip by plane a year ago. But the choice of means of transport shows that those responsible for the national team are willing to change one thing or the other.
As for the new coach, it was noticeable that he talked a lot in the first few days. With the players, with his assistants. On Monday morning he gave a big speech in front of the team before he asked for training in the afternoon. And there, too, he communicated eagerly. Here a little chat with Leroy Sané, there one with Timo Werner, who was sitting on a ball listening to the national coach.
While the assistant coaches Marcus Sorg and Danny Röhl led the warm-up, Flick stood on the sidelines and gave a short interview before he intervened with the players. Not only in this unit, which is completely accessible to the media, it became clear how Flick imagines football for the national team in the future: with great speed.
He values early pressing and a fast game forward, so that the ball has been captured. To illustrate this, he showed the players video sequences over the past few days, including some games from his time as Bayern coach. The main focus was on the switching play, counter-pressing and the room division.
You can see and hear from conversations about Flick how meticulously the 56-year-old coach works. He goes into a lot of detail. Just like his new assistants. Andreas Kronenberg, who is on loan from SC Freiburg for international matches until June 2022, before he becomes a permanent goalkeeper coach, interrupted his exercises with the goalkeepers on Wednesday morning again and again. Kronenberg explained, Kronenberg improved, Kronenberg gave tips.
Goalkeeping coach Kronenberg with Frankfurt’s Kevin Trapp during a practice session
Source: Getty Images / Alexander Hassenstein
Manuel Neuer, who is suffering from an ankle injury, was absent from the goalkeeper training. He won’t be there against Liechtenstein either. Bernd Leno plays for him. Flick left the day before the game open who would represent Neuer as the captain. “Just before, in the shower, I was thinking about who is the captain,” said the national coach: “There is currently no one, but I have some players in my head who could do that.”
In any case, it won’t be Thomas Müller. The man from Munich left the DFB quarter in Stuttgart due to muscular problems on his left thigh and will be out of all three upcoming games against Liechtenstein, Armenia (September 5) and Iceland (September 8).
While the goalkeepers were training on Wednesday, Oliver Bierhoff also watched them a little before he went to the stands of the stadium in Stuttgart’s Degerloch in glorious sunshine and spoke to the media representatives present. “You can tell that this is a new beginning,” said Bierhoff, “we’re starting from scratch. All players feel like they are doing it with a high level of intensity. You can feel that in every unit. “
Flick has to bring someone like Leroy Sané, who cannot really gain a foothold at Bayern, back on track
Source: dpa / Tom Weller
You could see that on Monday, for example. When training was over, a few players stayed and shot balls over a free kick wall. Even the pouring rain did not stop Joshua Kimmich and Müller, who were among others, from it. The next day, standards were practiced with the whole team for almost 60 minutes during the one and a half hour session. The DFB selection barely knew how to radiate the danger of dormant balls – that is about to change.
In any case, it remains to be seen who will be responsible for the standards in the future after the resignation of Toni Kroos, to whom the shooting of free kicks was previously mostly reserved. The game against Liechtenstein will shed light on that.
Hansi Flick was very optimistic about the departure to St. Gallen, where his premiere as national coach only increases because the opponent’s home in Vaduz is being rebuilt. He radiated satisfaction.
“It’s my first game as a national coach. The way the team and the staff act makes me very happy. I really like the way we treat each other. That’s why I’m looking forward to my first international match. To be responsible for this nation and to nominate the best players in Germany, ”said Flick – and praised the team that has worked well in the past few days and shown a good mentality. “It was very nice to see. The team is tearing itself apart for Germany. That is the be-all and end-all. I am very convinced of this team, ”said Flick.
By the way, before taking the bus to St. Gallen, Flick explained why he would have considered a flight to be sensible. “We have a game every three days,” he said, referring to the timed schedule with the three upcoming games. Regeneration, according to Flick, is very important.
Therefore, contrary to the original plan, the DFB convoy will stay in St. Gallen today and not return to Stuttgart at night. That won’t happen until tomorrow afternoon after a regeneration training session, “with the small lunch package”, as Flick jokingly added. He reckons with three hours of driving time each time, if the traffic is good. “It’s nice for me too,” summarized Bierhoff with reference to the subject of travel, “you sit in, you don’t have to change. The only dilemma: it’s an uncomfortable route. “
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