The game against Poland is part of Hansi Flick’s experimental phase, but the pressure to succeed is growing. The national coach is fighting and refuses criticism of Joshua Kimmich and Co.
There is still one year left until the European Championships at home, the tournament in June 2024 with which there are so many expectations: a colourful, atmospheric football festival with a bold German team. The next stage on the way to the European Championship is the friendly against Poland on Friday (8.45 p.m., live on the first and on sportschau.de) in Warsaw.
One year – that’s enough time to get the ailing national team in shape, you could say. In any case, national coach Hansi Flick continued to exude optimism on Thursday (June 15, 2023): “We are convinced of our path and that next June we will have a team that is well prepared for the Euros.”
Flick: “It’s not the system”
But you could also say: One year – that’s enough time to correct the course we have taken, in the most consistent case with a new coach. Hardly anyone says this publicly. But that could change if the DFB team disappoints again in the upcoming tests against Poland and on Tuesday in Gelsenkirchen against Colombia (8:45 p.m.).
The most recent friendly against Ukraine (3:3) was food for the doubters. Flick’s surprising three-man chain wobbled, but he only accepted criticism of the tactic to a limited extent. “It definitely has nothing to do with the formation we play in, nothing to do with the system. In the end, it’s individual mistakes. The basics just have to be there: how do I go into a duel, who protects, how do I hold the ball under pressure .”
Emre Can will play against Poland
He failed to mention that an ill-fitting system encourages individual errors. But he seems to be accepting that, at least for the time being, in order to be able to test it. “We said in March that we wanted to try it out a bit and reserved June for that,” said Flick. From September onwards, when Germany plays Japan (09/09) and France (09/12), the focus will be on stability.
At the game in Poland, Flick wants to see more fighting, more physicality. Dortmund’s Emre Can has exactly the virtues mentioned and received a starting guarantee in defensive midfield from the national coach. “He’s good for the team” said Flick.
Flick compares Kimmich to Bryant and Jordan
This postscript could be interpreted as a dig at Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), who is supposed to be the champion in central midfield and has rarely been so lately. But criticism of his current captain is far from Flick, on the contrary. He demonstratively defended Kimmich at the press conference on Thursday, comparing his will to win with that of basketball legends: “Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan had this mentality: I give everything to get the best out of myself. He leads the way and is a role model.”
Kimmich also has the right to have a bad phase. And then Flick made an appeal to the journalists in the room: “We need every single player at the European Championships at their best. You can only do that if you have a certain amount of support. You’re welcome to criticize me, but please leave the players outside.”
Ilkay Gündogan not there yet
Such appeals are unlikely to make the media landscape more merciful. A convincing performance against Poland would be more important. Flick will probably change significantly for this, Thilo Kehrer from Conference League winners West Ham United is a candidate for defense, Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig) could revitalize the flanks.
The situation is different for the Champions League finalists Robin Gosens and Ilkay Gündogan who traveled later. Gosens (Inter Milan) is a candidate for an assignment, said Flick, while Gündogan (Manchester City) will take a break and only get involved on Tuesday. The ailing Leipzig players Timo Werner (ankle problems) and Lukas Klostermann (muscle injury) have left.
Jamal Musiala in the starting XI
In addition to Can, the current number one Marc-Andre ter Stegen (FC Barcelona) and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala will certainly be in the starting XI. The noble technician should liven up the offensive, possibly alongside Kai Havertz (Chelsea FC), who brought momentum against Ukraine as a joker.
When asked about the mood in the team, Musiala already reported a lot of positive things, they know each other, they laugh a lot. “We just have to win games now and then everything will be even better.”