Hansi Flick has taken on many tasks but rarely completed them. As national coach, it is now hardly in his hands. The credit that gave him an exceptional season has been used up.
“Our Way” is the name of the sporting mission statement of the German Football Association (DFB), which is still valid, at least it can still be found on the association’s website. It was developed and presented after the 2014 World Cup. The message was to ensure that we remain at the top of the world, even and especially after winning the title in Brazil.
The mission statement was co-developed by Hansi Flick, who became world champion as assistant to national coach Joachim Löw and then switched to the post of sports director at the DFB. A uniform game approach in all teams, from the elite selection to the U15, is provided, among other things, in the mission statement.
Again and again premature task
That Hansi Flick is currently the national coach, and he sometimes switches during the game from a back three to a back four, sometimes he relies on a classic center forward, and who then fails like Niclas Füllkrug now, he nominates Thomas Müller.
The “Our Way” concept has long been forgotten, just like sports director Hansi Flick, who only lasted a good two years in this role. After the termination of the contract and a short break, Flick was hired as head of sport at TSG Hoffenheim. His contract was valid for five years, but it was over after just under seven months. His interlude as sporting coordinator at RB Salzburg lasted six weeks, and the time as head coach at FC Bayern, which began in November 2019, is far from being an era. After constant friction with the then sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, Flick announced in spring 2021 that he wanted to terminate the contract in the summer, which was signed in April 2020 and was valid until 2023.
Flick’s outstanding season with FC Bayern
Flick hardly got anything done in a responsible position, but all doubts about him that could have arisen were wiped away because of this one season. Flick won six titles with FC Bayern, including the Champions League after beating FC Barcelona 8-2 in the semifinals. Even if the circumstances were special because of the pandemic, Hansi Flick, who had previously only been head coach at FC Victoria in his home town of Bammental and in Hoffenheim 15 kilometers away, was suddenly on a par with Pep Guardiola.
With Flick, it was clear that the German national team would return to the top of the world. That was the consensus of public opinion, especially since the new national coach set a starting record with no one asking that Liechtenstein and Armenia were the vanquished opponents.
Everything always gets better
At some point, however, the opponents were England and Italy. The win rate decreased, in the Nations League they even lost a home game against Hungary in September. Everything will still be better at the World Cup in Qatar, Flick assured, and he had enough credit to take it from him. However, Germany was eliminated after the preliminary round.
Wipe your mouth, everything will be better at the EM in Germany in 2024, they said. But the games against Ukraine (3-3), in Poland (0-1) and against Colombia (0-2) intended to lift the spirits continued to darken.
If everything gets better in September, that was the test phase, which is now complete.
It’s now September and before the international matches of the German national team on Saturday (September 9th, 2023, live on the radio report from 8.45 p.m.) against Japan and three days later against France (live on Erste and in the stream on sportschau.de), the credit will be used up . That is consensus in public opinion.
The sporting situation is extremely precarious. Hans-Joachim Watzke, currently the most powerful man in German football, avoided an unconditional commitment to Flick.
“You shouldn’t worry about defeats beforehand, you should hope to win the games. If they both go wrong, then they should ask again, but ideally Bernd Neuendorf as president, because he has the main responsibility and if it can’t be avoided, you can ask me again,” said the multi-functionary, who as the head of the supervisory board of the German Football League (DFL) is automatically the first vice-president of the DFB.
“Dramatically Overwhelmed”
As if a few more spotlights were needed to shine on Flick, a four-part documentary that provides intimate insights into the national team during the World Cup will also be available from Friday on the “Amazon Prime Video” streaming service. What is striking about the preview, which was also made possible for the sports show, is the bad mood of the national coach during the time in Qatar, his desperate attempts to arouse enthusiasm among the players.
“What one could have guessed is now sufficiently documented: Hansi Flick also lacks any charisma in his internal appearance,” writes the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in a review, “one gets the impression that someone here is dramatically overwhelmed.”
Defiant, stubborn, but also “a man of balance”
Even as a sports director, Flick often seemed stubborn as a defiant, who does not appreciate his work enough, said a former DFB official at the sports show.
That, according to sports journalist Günter Klein, has already distinguished football professional Hansi Flick. The four-time champion with FC Bayern often went to a reporter he trusted to complain about the alleged unfair treatment. Klein, who wrote a biography about today’s national coach that was not authorized by Flick, says: “Hansi Flick is also known as a ‘bruddler’ in his home country, i.e. a grouch. But he is currently coming off badly in public. Flick is one , who ensures balance in interpersonal relationships. He has proven that during his many successful years as Löw’s assistant.”
Contract valid until after the EM
Flick has been the boss for two years now. The contract is valid until after the 2024 European Championship. He wants to finish it this time.
