SYou often have to pack your suitcases and backpacks these days. The German national football team left the “Radisson” hotel in Warsaw on Saturday afternoon and flew back to Frankfurt. For the third time in ten days, the selection has arrived in the Main metropolis, where they train between international matches on the campus of the German Football Association (DFB). The mood grows more tense with each arrival.
The sobering 3-3 draw against Ukraine last Monday was followed by a 1-0 draw against Poland in Warsaw on Friday night, the goal scored by Jakub Kiwior (31′) from a corner kick. “It’s frightening that we don’t manage to score a goal somehow,” said striker Niclas Füllkrug, 30, who surprisingly came on as a late substitute for national coach Hansi Flick, 58. “And the fact that a corner flies in at the back describes our situation pretty well.”
Under Flick, the selection recently won only four of their 15 games. A year before the European Championships at home, the team has sunk deep into international mediocrity. The atmosphere is characterized by disillusionment and nervousness. “The situation is deadly serious,” said defender Robin Gosens, 28. “We know that getting the country behind you is only about results. That’s what’s missing. And that just sucks.”
National coach Hansi Flick during the bankruptcy against Poland
Source: dpa
It is a long way from the players’ dressing room at the National Stadium in Warsaw to the teams’ buses. It goes past ambulances and garbage containers, the neon light is reminiscent of a subway station. Shortly before midnight on Friday, Rudi Völler, 63, went along there. The sports director of the German Football Association (DFB) did not want to say anything about the game and the crisis, but his facial expression and posture said a lot. Völler looked dejected and thoughtful. Association President Bernd Neuendorf, 61, also walked the long aisle, and he did not comment either. On this bitter evening, none of the DFB officials protected the national coach with public statements.
Criticism of national coach Flick is growing
The criticism of Flick is great. Compared to the Ukraine game, the former successful coach of FC Bayern made nine changes in the starting XI in Warsaw. The experiments continue. There is currently no progress under Flick. The pressure increases. After the desolate World Cup, they announced to the DFB that they wanted to regain trust. That doesn’t work so far. “There is no turning point in sight,” said offensive player Julian Brandt, 27. The record since the World Cup: one win, one draw, two defeats. And too few successful campaigns, too little charisma. The “Tagesspiegel” writes: “Qatar World Cup in a loop.”
Flick’s team acted largely unimaginative against Poland on the offensive. She had a lot of possession at times, but was vulnerable defensively in important situations. “The result is absolutely disappointing,” said Flick. “We have to be more compelling in front of goal.” Doubts about his plan are growing. The national coach has announced that he will no longer experiment from September. Then the stability of the team is in the foreground. A daring plan. Opponents in three months are Japan and France. Central defender Antonio Rüdiger, 30, said: “Results are important for us, for self-confidence. We have lost. It’s bitter.” Poland would have had a chance to score and scored, “unfortunately we need a little more”. The national coach wants to try a few things on this international trip, “we have to accept that. We’re players, we’re not coaches.” According to Rüdiger, the final greed and the last pass were missing against Poland.
Bastian Schweinsteiger won the World Cup with Germany in Brazil in 2014. The ARD expert seemed sober in Warsaw: “Perhaps what we saw today is also the current level of performance. Maybe we also have to lower our expectations.” From September, “tacheles must be spoken, automatisms must be in and the mentality must be there.” Because: “It can’t go on like this.” Schweinsteiger’s worry lines with a view to the home EM 2024 are in any case “ gotten bigger,” said the 38-year-old: “Now you have to say: Thank God we still have a year.”
Thiaw is a bright spot
A bright spot in the game from a German point of view was Malick Thiaw, 21, from AC Milan, who impressed in his first game for Germany as a defender alongside Rüdiger. It says a lot about the condition of this team that a debutant was the best German player on the pitch. “He played great and showed personality. A very, very good debut,” said Rüdiger. Midfield boss Joshua Kimmich, 28, has recently been heavily criticized, like Flick. He said Friday night: “It has to be the way that we find the balance between taking risks and getting control. We’re missing that a bit at the moment.” It’s all about victories. The home European Championship is something special: “You don’t often experience such an event as an athlete. We have to make sure that the joy spills over.” Kimmich said on the subject of Flick: “We as a team are behind him.”
On Tuesday (8.45 p.m., RTL) is the last game of this international trip, in Gelsenkirchen Germany welcomes Colombia. The opponent is 17th in the world rankings, so far 41,000 tickets have been sold. Then Ilkay Gündogan, 32, will play in midfield. In the event of another weak performance by the national team, a threatening dynamic could develop for Flick. “We need a win,” said Rüdiger. “You can see that we’re not overrunning any opponents at the moment.”