Experiments instead of progress – Flick’s crisis is coming to a head dangerously
Waiting for a sense of achievement: Germany’s national soccer coach Hansi Flick
Source: dpa/Christian Charisius
The defeat in the test match in Poland is sobering for the German selection. The pressure on Hansi Flick is increasing. His experiments don’t work out. On a bitter evening, the association bosses refrain from verbal support for the national coach.
Arom the players’ locker room at the National Stadium in Warsaw, there is a very long way to the teams’ buses. It goes past ambulances and dumpsters, the bright neon light is reminiscent of a subway shaft. On Friday shortly before midnight, Rudi Völler walked this way. The sports director of the German Football Association (DFB) didn’t want to say anything about the national team’s 0:1 (0:1) against Poland, but his facial expression and posture said a lot. Völler looked dejected and thoughtful.
Shortly before, a game had come to an end, which has exacerbated the crisis of selection. Although it was just a test match. But with the national team, it’s all about the atmosphere and the impression they give on and around the pitch, even in non-competitive games. And they are bad, a year before the start of the home EM. Association President Bernd Neuendorf also had to walk down the long aisle and did not comment either. On this bitter evening, none of the DFB officials protected the national coach with public statements.
“The situation is deadly serious,” said winger Robin Gosens in the neon light of the catacombs. “Of course I hoped, for myself personally, but also for the whole team, for the whole country, that we would finally celebrate a sense of achievement, that we would get into a spirit of optimism. We know that getting the country behind you is all about results. That’s what’s missing. And that just sucks.”
Nine changes in the starting XI
After the 3:3 against Ukraine it was the second sobering result in five days. The criticism of national coach Hansi Flick is great. Compared to the Ukraine game, he had made nine changes in the starting XI. The experiments of the 58-year-old continue. There is currently no progress under him. The pressure increases.
Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen can’t save a header that goes into the goal to make it 1-0
Source: dpa/Christian Charisius
Flick’s team acted largely without ideas 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 need to be more compelling in front of goal.”
Central defender Antonio Rüdiger said: “Results are important for us, for self-confidence. It’s bitter.” Poland 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 are players, we are not coaches.” The last greed, the last pass was missing.
“Maybe we need to lower our expectations”
Germany is only average in an international comparison. “Perhaps what we saw today is also the current level of performance,” said ARD expert Bastian Schweinsteiger, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany. “Maybe we need to lower our expectations.”
A bright spot was Malick Thiaw 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 new best German player was on the pitch. “He played great and showed personality. A very, very good debut,” said Rüdiger. “Unfortunately, the result wasn’t right.”
Disappointed faces: the German players Marius Wolf, Niclas Füllkrug and Julian Brandt (from left)
Source: dpa/Christian Charisius
Midfield boss Joshua Kimmich, like Flick, has recently been heavily criticized. He said Friday night in the stadium: “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 EM is something special, “you don’t often experience such an event as an athlete. We have to make sure that the joy spills over.” And on the subject of Flick, Kimmich said: “We as a team are behind him.”
Tuesday (8.45 p.m., RTL) is the last game of this international trip, in Gelsenkirchen Germany welcomes Colombia. “We need a win,” stressed Rüdiger. “You can see that we’re not overrunning any opponents at the moment.”