Horst Hrubesch is “not worried at all” about German football despite the miserable preliminary round knockout of the German U21s at the European Championship. The 72-year-old said that in an interview with “Sportbuzzer”.
There are always years in which everything runs by itself and in others not. “It is clear that we always have to question: What has worked? Are we on the right track? – That applies to the DFB, the state associations and the clubs. Change is important, but it can only be done together,” said the former National player – although the failure of the U21 once again mercilessly revealed problems in German youth football.
From his point of view, it is crucial “to give the boys more match practice. England, for example, is showing the way. The earlier we bring the players into the senior division, the faster they get used to it. We have to push this process forward,” Hrubesch demanded, a change would work but not in 14 days or three weeks.
“By the way too little”
At the European Championships in Georgia and Romania, Germany failed miserably as the defending champion after Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat against England in the last preliminary round game sealed the preliminary round – the earliest end since 2013 as bottom of the table. After two unfortunate performances against Israel (1:1) and the Czech Republic (1:2), a class difference was particularly visible against the EM favorite England.
All U21 players are still in development, according to HSV legend Hrubesch. “Nevertheless, you have to ask yourself whether there was a team on the pitch that stood by each other. In the final phase against England that I saw, the way I saw it wasn’t enough for me. The team is responsible for that Hold your head and stand up for one another. I haven’t seen a chief who pulls the others along and carries them along,” said Hrubesch, who worked in various positions for the German Football Association from 2000 to 2016, from 2000 to 2009 and from 2013 to 2016 as U21 coach.
Hrubesch believes in German EM chances
In 2009 he won the European Championship for the first time with the “Golden Generation” around the later world champions Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira. Before leaving the association, Hrubesch led the DFB youth team to the 2016 Olympics and won the silver medal there. He was also responsible for the U18, U19 and U20.
Despite the poor performance of the national team and the national coach Hansi Flick, who has come under criticism, he is optimistic about the European Championships at home next year. “If Germany hosts a European Championship, the national team will play a decisive role. I’m sure of that. Hansi Flick’s team has to get used to it in the remaining year. I trust them. I don’t want to paint everything black just because of this summer was disappointing.”