Frankfurt/Main (dpa) – Hansi Flick gave Kai Havertz a warm hug and chatted in the Frankfurt spring sun with his offensive trump card, which had been extremely mature in England.
At the start of the year, the Chelsea pro is even more in the focus of the national football team, as he could have a special assignment in Germany’s offensive department at his first World Cup tournament in eight months in Qatar.
There are signs of a key role for the dangerous Havertz, which he has long been playing more often at Champions League winners FC Chelsea and in which the national coach also played him in the test games on Saturday (8.45 p.m. / ZDF) against Israel or three days later in the classic against could simply try the Netherlands. In any case, after the record start with seven wins and 31:2 goals under Flick, the fans should continue to be spoiled with goals from Havertz and Co. “You’re preparing for the biggest tournament. The opponents are becoming more well-known, we’ll try to continue to mature,” said Hoffenheim’s David Raum before his personal home game.
High level of training
On the training ground next to the Frankfurt stadium, people work with a lot of enthusiasm. On Thursday, this happened in two groups one after the other before Flick released the 23 actors after lunch. They were just allowed out of the team hotel in Neu-Isenburg. “The level of training is very high,” reported Julian Weigl, who is making his DFB comeback this week five years after his last of five international matches. “I feel there is a lot of positive energy, that everyone believes in the goal,” said the 26-year-old Benfica midfielder. The goal is the world title.
The attack department got off to a very promising start under Flick in terms of the number of hits. “Hansi Flick really has a lot of choice when it comes to our offensive,” said Thomas Müller. That also applies now, although three attackers are out in his Bayern colleague Serge Gnabry, Dortmund’s Marco Reus and storm talent Karim Adeyemi from RB Salzburg. At the front, it’s already going well in training. “Anyone who is a keen gambler up front, who wants to play football, who enjoys it, you’re happy to be on the pitch with them and like to combine things there,” enthused Müller. “A training game is prestige, you want to win it,” said Weigl.
Happy about Havertz’ development
Flick wants to start the tournament year “top seriously”. He instilled that in his players: “The fans have to feel that we enjoy football!” Havertz quickly comes into play, whose development the national coach is extremely pleased with. Havertz has matured into a player in England who ensures titles: In the 2021 Champions League final and also in the final of the Club World Cup, the 22-year-old scored the winning goal for Chelsea. “Kai scores goals. And you can see that he plays a bit more physically, goes into duels more. We’re happy to see that,” commented the national coach.
Havertz could be a stroke of luck for Flick because Germany lacks a classic center forward. Timo Werner is not. And U21 European champion Lukas Nmecha from VfL Wolfsburg is still in the rank of a national team trainee. “Basically, it’s good if you have a centre-forward,” said Flick. The 23-year-old Nmecha brings “determination, physical presence and good speed,” said Flick, “things that are important.”
Harvertz can also do nines
That is why Havertz comes into play as a contemporary solution in the center. Flick reported on a phone call with Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel. “He’s been saying for a long time that he’s pulling Kai on the position. Kai can fill many positions up front. You can certainly see him as a nine, but also in a flexible system on the outside positions and behind the top.” Müller also trusts his offensive colleague to do the job: “Kai has now played very well at Chelsea, especially at the top and was able to assert himself in the physical Premier League,” said Müller. He praises Havertz: “I’d say you can put Kai almost anywhere in the front and always have the hope that he’ll play a great game.”
Werner (5 goals), Gnabry and Leroy Sané (4 each) were the most successful shooters in Flick’s starting phase. Müller scored three times, Havertz and Reus twice. For Müller, there is a trump card in the different qualities of the attacking players: “They have different characteristics in terms of how they play around the goal and around the penalty area.” Havertz is well versed in tight spaces, Gnabry impresses with power and shooting power, as well as gifted dribblers like Sané and Jamal Musiala.
Flick is also curious to see what his offensive forces will offer him against Israel and then in the big prestige duel in Amsterdam against the Netherlands. “The games are an indicator of where we stand. That’s where the review takes place.” He wants to celebrate more wins and goals.