Gündogan: Hansi let down
Rudi Völler has ruled out coaching the national team beyond the international match against France in Dortmund on Tuesday. “For me this is a unique thing,” said the 63-year-old on Monday. “I feel it’s my duty to help out in a game like this.” The DFB relieved national coach Hansi Flick of his duties on Sunday, so Völler, together with Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner, is taking over at short notice.
He was aware of the situation, said Völler, who was in charge of the DFB team as team boss from 2000 to 2004. “I still don’t like it now.” The new national coach should be found very soon before the trip to the USA in October, said Völler, that is “the main task” for the association. For the home European Championships in 2024, it is important to create “a certain euphoria”. “Of course this is only possible with results, but with a new person, a new national coach it is absolutely possible,” said Völler.
Nagelsmann, Hasenhüttl & Co.: These trainers are currently on the market
His goal is to support the new national coach “just as he did with Hansi Flick, but then with better results,” said the former world champion. In the public debate about Flick’s successor, it was repeatedly mentioned that Völler could remain in office as a temporary solution until after the home European Championship – especially if the DFB selection was convincing against France.
The DFB leadership has not yet given much thought to Flick’s successor. “Of course there are names of coaches who could be considered. Of course Julian Nagelsmann is an absolute top trainer – like many others,” said Völler. Discussions have not yet been held.
DFB interim coach Völler: “One, two, three changes” against France
Interim coach Völler has also announced “one, two, three changes” to the starting line-up for the international match against France. “There won’t be that many,” said the 63-year-old before the game on Tuesday (9:00 p.m./ARD). “I don’t want to get ahead of myself.” It’s also about the professionals “feeling ready to really push themselves,” says Völler. “We want to show ourselves with a really good performance in front of this wonderful home crowd.”
Niclas Füllkrug (30) will definitely be missing on Tuesday. His BVB teammate Niklas Süle (28) is currently expecting the birth of his second child, which depends on whether he returns to the DFB team for the game. When asked about the position of Joshua Kimmich (28), who played as a right-back in the 1:4 against Japan on Saturday, Völler replied: “I don’t want to get ahead of myself, there are certainly some considerations.” Some players, whom Völler did not name, were injured. Kimmich, for example, did not take part in the entire team training in the evening, but completed at least parts of the final unit individually.
Gündogan remains DFB captain – “Feeling of having let Hansi down”
“I would love to promise a great result, but that’s not possible,” said Völler. But he could promise for the first game after Flick that “the attitude will be right. The players are on fire.” Völler had already made an announcement to the team, which was still led by Ilkay Gündogan as captain, after the “embarrassing” 1:4 against Japan, when he had not yet spoken as interim team boss. “No one should be fed up.” Gündogan meanwhile answered whether Germany was an outsider against France with one word: “Yes!” Nevertheless, it was “time to achieve a decent result.”
All captains of the German national team since Lahm
In his comeback to the DFB coaching bench 19 years after his resignation, Völler wants to stop the national team’s decline and, ideally, bring about a change in the mood in the country. And for this, the former fan favorite places particular responsibility on the players who were no longer able or unwilling to deliver under Flick. “We have to try to regain credit,” warned Völler. “The players can do it too, they all come from top clubs and show their performance – and I expect the same on Tuesday.” After conceding 13 goals in the last five international matches, Völler named one main problem that annoys him: “The most important thing is that our defensive behavior has improved dramatically.”
It is now the players’ turn, Flick is no longer an alibi. Gündogan spoke of “a mix of sadness, frustration, disappointment” in the team. “As a player, I have the feeling that I have let Hansi down,” said the 32-year-old. But the look is forward. With a view to the big challenge against the “Équipe Tricolore”, Kimmich denied fear (“Zero!”) and instead gave the route: “It’s not about us playing nicely and getting into the game via passing relays. It’s important now that we bring other attributes to the pitch, passion and all that. That’s what it’s all about now.” Gündogan added: “First of all, we want to correct our individual mistakes.”
Only one weaker than Flick: All national coaches based on average points
To home page