Will Flick stay national coach? “Yes, of course,” says Völler
Conversation on the sidelines of a training session on the DFB campus: national coach Hansi Flick (left) and sporting director Rudi Völler
Source: pa/GES/Markus Gilliar
After the tenth game without a win in the last 14 international matches, the pressure on Hansi Flick is increasing. But the national coach still enjoys support within the association. Sports director Rudi Völler even gets enthusiastic.
MWith a training session on the DFB campus, preparations for the international match on Friday in Poland begin this Wednesday (8.45 p.m., in the WELT sports ticker). The players used the evening before for a team-building event – and drove from Frankfurt, where they are currently staying, to Oberursel, 31 kilometers away, for a joint bowling event.
Hansi Flick, the national coach, was not there. No coach, no supervisors – just the players.
After the recent disappointing performances of the DFB selection – on Monday evening they only played 3: 3 against Ukraine – the 58-year-old coach is not available. Rudi Völler, the sports director, made that clear again in an interview on Wednesday morning. When asked whether Flick would stay, Völler replied on Hit Radio FFH’s “Promi-Takeover” program: “Yes, of course”. Flick is, added the former national striker, “an absolute top coach who does everything to ensure that we bring the enthusiasm back to Germany in the next few games”. The 3: 3 in Bremen against Ukraine was the tenth winless game from the last 14 international matches under Flick.
Völler attests to the pomad appearance of the players
The emerging criticism of the national coach is “a bit part of our business,” said the 63-year-old Völler. “You have to take that seriously, of course, but you shouldn’t overestimate it either. That is also out of a certain disappointment.” Flick still carries “the mortgage” from the preliminary round at the World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022 on his shoulders. But before that, and at Bayern Munich, he showed “what a great coach he is. Every day he thinks about how we can improve a few things and we will.”
Völler continued that the draw against Ukraine was annoying. He described the appearance of the national team as “a bit too pomadig”. Völler: “We played wonderful football, especially in the first 20 minutes. (…) Of course, it was far too little for our requirements.” Accordingly, there was “not a good atmosphere” within the team afterwards. “Everyone knew that you can win against Ukraine or sometimes have to.”
Exactly one year before the kick-off of the opening game of the European Championship at home, the former DFB team boss was positive about the future. “As soon as we play really good football and the level of commitment is what we all imagine, we’ll have the support we need next year,” said Völler.