The DFB women’s European Championship games have so far been anything but convincing. With a win in the quarter -finals against France, national coach Christian Wück could prove it himself – and show the critics.
Before it gets serious for the DFB women at the games in Switzerland, Wück is always looking for contact with his family in the stands. Because the national coach, father of two daughters, has plenty of support with his first big tournament as the national coach of women. The group is easy to recognize in the stadium – all wear white jerseys with the number eleven and the name Wück. And the group is large, the contingent of ten cards, which is also available to the internationals, is exploited.
Before the quarterfinals on Saturday in Basel against France (9 p.m., in the live ticker and in the audio live stream on sportschau.de), the 52-year-old can use the support particularly well. Because not only the team, but also he personally are under great pressure.
Everyone should Quarter-finals radiate
Nia Künzer takes this day “With calm, very focused” true, “To tackle the next topics”. After discussions and the analysis of the 1: 4 against Sweden, the main thing is “The anticipation and optimism to convey that we are here in an EM quarter-finals and that we can play again in Basel in front of a good setting”added the DFB sports director. All of this should radiate that.
We want to go to the next game with our self -confidence, which in my view can still be there.
The whole DFB-Tross seems to be surprised these days how negatively about the previous European Championship services in the German public is reported. However, not least, the players themselves with the very early goal of winning the title in Switzerland also laid the latte very high.
Construction sites are paving Wücks away with the DFB women
The national coach has had a lot of experience with headwind in his still very short term. The German national team of women is significantly more in focus than, for example, the U17 juniors with whom he had become world and European champions.
Last autumn, for example, when the results left to be desired and quickly discussed whether his demanding football idea was really the right one. Or in the question of the right communication, as not or only less nominated players, not to speak to them sufficiently (or not at all).
Sometimes irritated and smawy
And now at the European Championship when he fueled the discussions about Ann-Katrin Berger’s risk to play. Although the experienced goalkeeper had made no mistake, she was suddenly in focus. And even if both you and the trainer (“Definitely not unsettled”) said that everything was fine, the 34-year-old against Sweden was noted that she designed the game structure far less self-confident than before.
The otherwise calm and deliberate Wück, who otherwise takes the time at press conferences to think briefly about the right words, sometimes go through the Gäfe from time to time. Then the football teacher “answered” unpleasant questions in a smack, in short and scarce. With the calm described by Künzer, it is over, then the national coach looks rather irritated.
Many question marks after the Sweden game
However, the central topic is the performance against Sweden this week – and about Wück’s share in the 1: 4 defeat. The assessment is difficult.
Wück says the problem was that the team in the very dominant initial phase should have added 1-0 after the 1-0. “We analyzed the Swedes very well. And when you saw the first time, I think everyone was happy how we got into play”the national coach said after the game and added that you had to see exactly how it came to 1-1, “Because we were on the pusher”.
The criticism only starts afterwards. How can it be that Germany was subsequently demonstrated and lost the game within 20 minutes? Klara Bühl was also annoyed that “We felt that we felt the same goal three times”. The phase ended with the penalty hit to 3: 1 for the Scandinavians because Carlotta Wamser had fended off a shot on the goal line. Wamser also saw red.
Of course, he imagined the game differently, like everyone else.
Wück only really reacted in the half -time when he changed, prescribed a defensive chain of three and explicitly spanned Bühl and right -wing fire into the defense work.
Even without dismissal, Germany would have returned 1: 3
It is idle to discuss whether Germany would have won against Sweden if the 2-0 had fallen in the initial phase. The question of the same thing will remain unanswered whether the DFB women would have returned if Wamser had simply let the ball pass on the goal line and the team could have tried to make up for the 1: 3 deficit.
The fact is, however: Wück’s team should have scored at least two goals without the dismissal. Even before the dismissal, a lot had run in the wrong direction. A reaction from the trainer on it obviously came too late.
“The wrong players” for a defensive tactics
Since the final whistle, a lot has been discussed as to whether and if so which adjustments would now have to be made in the exhibition and tactics. “We try to stay with ourselves very much. And we focus on what is important for us to prepare us as best as possible”Künzer said to refer to the experience in the team of coaches. Wück does not make his decisions alone, but with his assistants Maren Meinert and Saskia Bartusiak, who have experienced pretty much everything in women’s football.
However, Wück has already made it clear that – as always – there will be adaptations to the opponent, but no major changes. More compactness and better protection of your own game are a must. And a chain of three is also an option against France. But for a defensive approach according to the motto “We just want to react and destroy”so the 52-year-old said “Do we have the wrong players”.
Wück and his team have already proven resilience
Especially since the game of the French against the Netherlands (5: 2) did not show that “Les Bleue’s” is completely vulnerable. And Wück and the team have shown in the past few weeks and months that they can handle setbacks. Despite criticism from all sides, the national coach captured his offensive football and confidently led Germany to the Nations League final.
At the European Championship, the team cope with the failure of captain Giulia Gwinn, put several VAR decisions away against themselves and was already shot in the game against Denmark (2: 1). There is no more.
However, all of this is not worth little if Germany fails against France on Saturday and, as at the European Championship 2017 and the 2019 World Cup, depart in a quarter -finals. For the fist pan, the certainly loud support in the Basel St. Jakob-Park could again be a lot of support. And when Christian Wück looks at the stands, his family will certainly be back.