For the first time in their history, the German soccer players were eliminated from a women’s World Cup after the preliminary round – it’s a sporting disaster. National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg announced a “meticulous” work-up. The national players hope for loyal fans.
The site of Christ Church Milton borders directly on the 50,000-seat stadium in Brisbane. The old wooden house with the small turret doesn’t just look like it’s from another time. The School of Philosophy Brisbane is housed in the outbuilding of the small church. A place where you can certainly philosophize and discuss wonderfully.
As the crow flies, less than 100 meters away inside the stadium, national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg answered questions from journalists after the historically poor performance at the World Cup. But MVT didn’t want to have any discussions so soon after the bitter disappointment. “Please give us the opportunity to analyze and work through things objectively. I can say something about the game today and what we have planned. That we imagined it differently,” said the 55-year-old himself played 125 times for Germany and added: There is no point in philosophizing without knowing whether it would have been better otherwise.
How does German football compare?
Voss-Tecklenburg and her players had declared their third World Cup title as their goal after 2003 and 2007. “We just wanted to confirm our performance,” said experienced defender Kathrin Hendrich. The exhilarating EM in England last year had brought back the self-confidence of the DFB team.
The case was all the harder now – which brought much more than just tears. He raised questions about the quality of German women’s football in a global comparison. After the quarter-finals in 2019, things didn’t progress, but even several steps backwards. And he raised the question of what will become of the boom that the great EM 2022 fueled.
Lattwein: “Maybe we should have changed something”
“There were doubts,” admitted Lena Lattwein, who came on as a substitute against South Korea, referring to the poor results in the final games before the tournament. The loss to Brazil was followed by a very difficult performance against Vietnam and then defeat by Zambia. The midfielder spoke of hope and trust in her own strength: “But maybe we were wrong. Maybe we should have changed something.”
problem area defense
Which brings us to philosophizing. South Korea’s coach Colin Bell said after the game that he appreciates the DFB players Chantal Hagel and Svenja Huth – but they are not full-backs. Confronted with the statement, MVT explained: “We know that we didn’t have the full-backs on the pitch, but we lost a bit there.”
With Giulia Gwinn and Carolin Simon, two full-backs didn’t even go to the World Cup due to injuries. Felicitas Rauch was injured after the first game.
Roles were clearly assigned and discussed
Nevertheless, the national coach went her own way undeterred. The exact role for the World Cup was discussed with each player at the preparatory camp in Herzogenaurach. The starting eleven knew just as much as the second row, who had also been told clearly who they were backing up for.
It was similar before the EM – and was very well received by the team. In Australia, however, it seemed as if Voss-Tecklenburg had tied himself up unnecessarily. Because this time it didn’t work – and a rethink might have helped.
Would Huth have helped more on offense?
Hagel was not able to take the part of the injured and particularly strong Felicitas Rauch in the “dynamic back three”. When the offensive wing pincers weakened – already against Colombia – Huth was not brought forward from the right back to their usual position on the right wing. She had to continue tilling the line from back to front. She hit by far the most dangerous crosses at the World Cup.
Voss-Tecklenburg announces meticulous refurbishment
“If the result isn’t right, you have to take responsibility,” said Voss Tecklenburg, who announced a “meticulous” review and talks with her team and every single player. “We have achieved and pushed a lot in the last two years and we want to continue to build on that despite this setback,” she wrote on Instagram the day after the game.
However, there was also bad luck with injuries: in addition to the full-backs, defender Marina Hegering and midfield driver Sydney Lohmann were simply absent for too long. The latter showed in the final phase of the game against South Korea what a positive influence it could have had on the entire German game at the World Cup.
Was the load control correct?
Load control is likely to be a major topic in the analysis. The national coach indicated that she may have taken too much consideration of the club’s interests in the preparation. In addition, the Bayern Munich players joined the team later than initially discussed. But things may not have gone well at the World Cup either.
Even if Julius Balsmeier’s team of fitness trainers had worked out a precise plan, it might have been necessary to spend more time for the automatisms to set in. And if – despite the striking number of free afternoons – enough time should have been spent on it, it might have been the wrong players. But at this point at the latest, it is again about questions of philosophy.
Hendrich: “We want to get the chance to do better”
The players now hope that the failure will not have any drastic consequences. “I have hope that despite everything, the development that we have made with women’s football after last year will not stop now, that we will not stop now,” said captain Alexandra Popp and Hendrich added: “The result is not good for our football. But I hope that the fans stay loyal to us, that we get the chance to do even better.”
Olympic qualification starts in September
The hope is alive and should not be unfounded. The step that German women’s football has taken in recent years was too big. And too soon the important games will continue again: In the Nations League, in which the qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games is at stake. And in 2025 the European Championship will follow in Switzerland.
The fact that there is also a small cemetery on the grounds of Christ Church Milton in Brisbane directly in front of the stadium wall should not serve as a symbol. Stadium, church and the philosophy school – for the DFB team, Brisbane is simply a place to forget.