The mood among the DFB women in the training camp in Herzogenaurach could hardly be better. The players around Co-captain Janina Minge cannot expect the European Championship in Switzerland to finally start.
“We are simply happy that we are finally back together and that we can finally start,” said Minge on the second day of training in Herzogenaurach. As the deputy of the captain Giulia Gwinn, she also has not much to do because of the anticipation of the final round (July 2-27): “We have an incredibly good team structure.”
The following applies to the ambitious minge: nothing more than the title would be a sense of achievement at the European Championship. The reason is simple: “We have an extreme quality in the team. And we not only have eleven good players, but also a squad of 23 or maybe even more who really play at a top level. So I would say that we can achieve very big ones.”
DFB women are brimming with self-consciousness
After a more bumpy first half of the year under national coach Christian Wück, the DFB women are now bursting with confidence. Finally, five games in a row were clearly won (with 24: 2 goals). The recent successes against the Netherlands (4: 0) and the 6-0 in Austria – although the halftime score already corresponded to the final score in Vienna were particularly important.
Co-trainer Maren Meinert now described as normal that everything did not work in the beginning. The goals conceded at the beginning, not least from individual mistakes. In the meantime, the players “made it almost perfect as a team,” emphasized Meinert.
Fine grinding in defensive and offensive
Nevertheless, Wück’s assistant still sees a need for action: “We want to find a little more on the defensive as a team.” In addition, midfield pressing should become “natural behavior”. “And then we want to see that we further reinforce the things we have done well.”
Christian Wück has the gift of trusting the players that they simply find real solutions if they have enough tools. And let go of the team a little bit.
On the offensive, Meinents specialty in the coaching team, it is therefore about being even more determined and switching better. As before every tournament, the standard situations come into focus.
In short: only a little should be filed at all corners so that it will run “still rounder” in the future. A last test game was deliberately dispensed with. Everything should be taken to Switzerland “what we have developed in the Nations League”.
Wück’s system was internalized by the team
The changeover from the rather simple 4-4-2 system under Horst Hrubesch, which, however, has shown itself as a recipe for success with Olympic bronze, seems to be much more demanding 4-2-3-1.
The game is much more designed for possession of the ball, and Wück relies on playful solutions. The mistakes, which also led to two defeats at the beginning of his aegis, were minimized. Last but not least, three zero games in the last four games of the preliminary round testify to the Nations League.
Team is already causing enthusiasm
In the first part of the training camp (until June 24) there are a total of seven units in Herzogenaurach. In the second part (from June 27th to departure to Switzerland on 30th), another four follow. Meinert explained that she was enthusiastic about how the players presented themselves in Herzogenaurach. The liveliness is already back, the great joy too. It is not much time to start. Apparently there is no longer so much to do.