The Vietnamese around Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha (left) presented Chantal Hagel and the DFB team with bigger problems than expected.
Photo: image/photo2press
The closing ceremony was reminiscent of the better times of the Offenbacher Kickers. Fans in red jerseys on the back straight of the traditional stadium on Bieberer Berg created a great atmosphere, the team went on a lap of honor, after which everyone cheered together on a souvenir photo. Unfortunately, after the German soccer team’s friendly against Vietnam, the delegation from Southeast Asia alone, with many compatriots in the stands, spread exuberant happiness.
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When Martina Voss-Tecklenburg took the short stairway to the press room after the DFB selection’s narrow 2-1 victory, the national coach seemed aggravated after the unround performance, but at least her explanations sounded far more well thought-out than the incoherent performance of a team that was in this line-up will of course not tackle the World Championships in Australia and New Zealand from July 20th.
Nevertheless, the 55-year-old had not expected that the forgiveness allowed would be so overused by her second row. She even missed the basics: “We all have different requirements.” Her erratic and flawed ensemble was “perhaps a maximum of 40 or 50 percent”. Midfielder Lena Lattwein from VfL Wolfsburg noted that they played as wildly as they were thrown together. Angry tongues among 2.39 million television viewers at ZDF could perhaps claim that the DFB women acted as disturbingly as the men. However, that would be a mixture of cynicism and populism – and that’s why none of the 13,652 fans in the Offenbach stadium whistled.
There is also a crucial difference between Hansi Flick and Voss-Tecklenburg, who write Whatsapp messages to each other at irregular intervals: In contrast to the coach of the German men, the national coach was forced to carry out many experiments. The VfL Wolfsburg players, who were still challenged in the Champions League final three weeks ago, are to be built up carefully, which is why only the outstanding goalkeeper Merle Frohms played through, who after a 2-0 lead by Paulina Krumbiegel in the third minute and Janina Minge tenth Minutes before the final whistle, Thi Thanh Nha Nguyen scored in injury time.
The five players from FC Bayern were missing, who were only allowed to travel to Herzogenaurach on Friday after the dispute with the DFB. A circumstance that contributed significantly to the devaluation of the first World Cup test match. Melanie Leupolz from FC Chelsea or Sara Däbritz from Olympique Lyon, on the other hand, were able to take part after their punctual arrival, although their employers are also members of the European Club Association ECA. Together with the world association Fifa, this had recommended June 23 as the start of the release period for national players.
The World Cup performance will show whether the Bavarian ego trip needs to be discussed again. According to Voss-Tecklenburg, he nevertheless gained some insights against the brave World Cup newcomer. There are still a few topics in the “athletic and physical area”, but fitness will be “pushed up” effortlessly. Rather, she was disturbed by the fact that some of the followers had apparently not internalized the basic principles. And she has difficulties with that: »Does everyone understand the game? Do they all know their duties? Does everyone know their position?’
According to Voss-Tecklenburg, “players in the selection process” could not advertise themselves. Sarai Linder, Chantal Hagel or Melissa Kössler from TSG Hoffenheim, but also Laura Freigang from Eintracht Frankfurt must feel addressed. One or the other will miss the tournament with the group games against Morocco, Colombia and South Korea when the squad is reduced to 23 players after the dress rehearsal against Zambia in Fürth on July 7th.
The national coach also found deficits in the “basic technique” when accepting the ball or in the passing game unsettling, even if she noted that there were “only three course units”. “We still have a lot to do on the training ground,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. However, around a month until the start of the World Cup can also be extremely short. The first preparatory camp runs until Tuesday, the second from July 1st to 8th. The blocks from Wolfsburg, Munich and Frankfurt must be welded by then at the latest if the mission to the third star – the next World Cup title after 2003 and 2007 – is to be filled with content.
After leaving for Sydney on July 11th, a test against an Australian junior team will be used behind closed doors to further refine the automatisms that have already been achieved in the goalless draw against the Swedes, in the 1-0 win against the Netherlands and the 1-2 -The defeat against the Brazilians was rarely seen. Voss-Tecklenburg increased the pressure by demanding improvements “on many levels”. Incidentally, she never once spoke of the “trial” in Offenbach. Someone heard that there was a new nonsense in German football.
