National team: Hansi Flick rules out resignation – but successors are already being negotiated

At the end of this bitter evening for him, Hansi Flick stood in front of his team and gave a short speech. Around midnight, the national coach said goodbye to the players who were leaving Gelsenkirchen for vacation. Shortly before, the German national soccer team had lost 2-0 (0-0) against Colombia. After the 3-3 win over Ukraine and the 1-0 loss against Poland, it was the third disappointment in the third and final game of this enormously sobering international tour.

After the cabin speech, Flick came to Schalke for the press conference in the stadium. “It went haywire,” said the 58-year-old. “Fucked up completely.” It was more than a defeat in a test match. It was an achievement with too few ideas and security. A game in which the spectators in the stadium whistled goodbye to the team at half-time. Someone held up a placard: “Flick out”.

You can see their disappointment: Emre Can (left) and Leon Goretzka walk across the pitch after the game

Source: dpa/Bernd Thissen

Anticipation for the home European Championship 2024, which begins in a year, looks and sounds different. A lot of trust was lost at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and in the six months that followed. The “Bild” newspaper wrote: “Help! Flick is destroying the EM.”

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During the international match

The national coach said: “Of course we are incredibly disappointed. Also about the way we played. And from the result. I’m really sorry for the fans. ”What you tried didn’t work. “That’s why we have to analyze and see what we can do better. We will do that.” Before the game, everyone in charge, coaches and players in the German camp had emphasized: A win is needed.

“Nevertheless, we have a good team”

The criticism of Flick will become even greater in the coming days than it already is. The project with him as national coach is on the brink. Although his personnel and tactical experiments did not work, Flick ruled out an immediate resignation.

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“Of course it’s a situation for me that I haven’t experienced in this form before,” he told reporters in the arena’s press room. “I hate losing. I said I would go down this path uncompromisingly in June. I can train with the best players in Germany and have a super team around me. I just enjoy preparing the team for the tournament. Even if one does not look to the future quite so positively – and rightly so from your side. Nevertheless, we have a good team that is capable of development.”

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Against Colombia he had surprisingly ordered Emre Can from midfield into defense, leaving striker Niclas Füllkrug out again. The players stand behind Flick. “The coach has set us up really well,” said Can. “He wanted to try something, which is also his right. That didn `t work. But we shouldn’t question the coach.” His colleague Leon Goretzka also emphasized: “The condition is dramatic.”

The next international matches are in September

What is Flick planning now? He and his coaching team will try to “tie down a tribe of ten, twelve, 14 players. So that they know clearly who is playing and what position is in.” And who is number one and number two in the positions. “That might give the players a bit more self-confidence.”

Flick hasn’t seen his team for almost three months now, the next international matches against Japan and France are in September. There will now be a final analysis. He remains convinced of his idea of ​​playing football. And about “that we draw the right conclusions”.

Rudi Völler, sports director of the German Football Association (DFB), had himself driven away from the stadium in a car after the defeat. And made a thoughtful and angry impression. Shortly before the departure, he presented himself to Flick in an interview with RTL: “Some were still missing, these are a bit the winners,” said Völler about the players. He held the team accountable. “Despite all our efforts, one or the other will reach their limits. Without naming names, but you will see that in the next nomination.” And further: “For one or the other it will not be enough for the very high level, for an EM.”

Völler says Flick is the poorest sow

Völler publicly gave Flick a job guarantee on Sunday. Also in case of another defeat. But what these words are worth remains to be seen. With the events of Tuesday evening, a threatening dynamic for Flick is likely to develop.

The name Jürgen Klopp is mentioned, Julian Nagelsmann (most recently at FC Bayern) has no job at the moment – ​​there are already discussions among experts and fans about who could take over as Flick’s successor. And whether Klopp could train both Liverpool FC and the national team for a while. As a kind of project worker who is only hired for a few months. Roger Schmidt is very successful with Benfica Lisbon. And Völler has already stepped in as national coach. Matthias Sammer is a member of the DFB task force.

Völler said Flick was the poorest sow. Flick himself stated: “We didn’t have much momentum in the game. That also has to do with self-confidence.” A lot of things went very well in training. “We can’t show it in the game at the moment. We want to be active and bravely defend forwards.”

“You have the right that we play better”

Flick also said: “We use the games to take a close look at who has met our expectations. And who doesn’t.” But he wanted to analyze this first and not express himself out of emotions. “It’s just not enough what we achieve in terms of results. We are the German national team, that’s what we’re measured by. We have to gradually regain the winning mentality. It starts now with Japan.”

He has now passed this on to his players: everyone should check what they can contribute. “And what he might not be able to do now.” It’s about being honest with yourself. “I’m convinced that the fans want to see us,” said Flick. “You have the right that we play better. I can promise that we will see a different team in September.”

Then Flick headed towards the stadium exit. He is currently experiencing an enormous crisis, one of the most difficult phases of his career. The end is open.