Final sprint in the preparation for the World Cup! In the Nations League games Friday against Hungary in Leipzig and Monday in England, everyone in the squad can draw attention to themselves again. National coach Hansi Flick (57) also emphasizes: The door is not closed to anyone – and he announces a surprise center forward!
Classic center forwards such as Niclas Füllkrug (29/Bremen), Nils Petersen (Freiburg/33) and Schalke’s penalty area striker Simon Terodde (34) can certainly hope for a nomination for the tournament.
Flick: “Because we have three more options, it’s a fact that we in the coaching team also think: What kind of quality and qualities do you need that someone brings with them in certain situations – so a kind of ‘if-then- Strategy”. It’s possible that we’ll take a player with us for that special moment.”
And further: “I can’t answer the question with yes or no. It’s a process in the coaching team. That’s why we want to wait for the two games and see what these 23 players offer us. And then we have another six or seven weeks. I also told the players that I expect everyone to develop. We’re not quite there yet to be able to play at the top level, which is in the final stages of a World Cup – in the knockout games. That’s why each individual still has to work on themselves, which also helps us as a team.”
Flick currently only has Lukas Nmecha (23/Wolfsburg) on board as a centre-forward, but he has not yet completely convinced the DFB.
Flick gives other German center forwards hope. Leipzig star Timo Werner (26), who is under Flick, doesn’t mind either: “We need every good player we can have. Of course we are a bit more flexible with the strikers when I play up front or someone else, because we have a rotation in the game and change positions every now and then.”
Werner emphasizes: “If you have a fixed point up front who can also play with high balls and we have one in Germany – why not. This gives our game different options. But I still believe that we can and will work very well with the players we currently have up front.”
Bierhoff verraet That’s why the team has “anger in their stomachs”
20.09.2022
There is still some time before the 26-man squad is nominated in mid-November.
There was already a surprise in the squad in 2006 – back then with David Odonkor (38). The then Dortmunder was allowed to take part in the home World Cup as a complete surprise, as he had a special weapon with his speed. Now there should again be a place for a “specialist”: a joker who can surprise the opponent with a special ability. One like Füllkrug, Petersen or Terodde…
