“Don’t point at coach”
DFB professionals doubt their own quality and support Flick
September 10, 2023, 6:30 a.m
The game against Japan is an embarrassment for the German national soccer team. The continuation with national coach Hansi Flick is more in jeopardy than ever. The players are dissatisfied with themselves and protect their coach.
Several DFB players around Bayern professional Joshua Kimmich and new captain İlkay Gündoğan have bluntly named the current state of the national team after the next international match disaster against Japan. “If you don’t bring quality to the pitch so often and over such a long period of time, we also have to ask ourselves whether we really have top quality everywhere,” said 28-year-old Kimmich after the 4-1 defeat in Wolfsburg.
It was the fifth winless game in a row at the start of the European Championship season and thus a continuation of the rapid downward trend under national coach Hansi Flick. “We’re not talking about playing three games well and then losing one and then playing two games well again,” said Kimmich, given the string of bad games. Recently they didn’t even play against “the biggest football nations”.
Gündoğan also said: “We’re not good enough right now, it’s a very bitter day. The team has to question itself.” Rio world champion Müller said after his short comeback: “The Japanese are playing a good role and are currently certainly among the top 10 and top 15 in the world. And we don’t belong there at the moment.” At least in theory. “In practice it looks different.”
Kimmich did not answer the question of whether he was still convinced that Flick was the right coach for the home European Championships in 2024: “It’s not about pointing the finger at the coach or anyone else.” The players would have to start with themselves. “At the end of the day we have to trust the coach that he makes the right decisions, that he knows what is right and good for the team,” said Kimmich.
Flick received support from goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen: “It’s always easy to say it’s the coach. We were responsible. We can’t get it on the pitch,” said the FC Barcelona number one. Ter Stegen added that he still believes in Flick. The game against vice world champion France is scheduled for Tuesday (9 p.m./ARD and in the ntv.de live ticker).