Firecracker threatens in the preliminary round of the World Cup
Flick shoos, Bierhoff warns of a World Cup test
03/22/2022, 17:07
National coach Hansi Flick is approaching the first training session of this World Cup year briskly. The German national soccer team should definitely be fit for the big goal that Manuel Neuer names: the “World Cup title”. Even before the first game it is clear that the way there could be difficult.
With a bright red whistle around his neck, Hansi Flick energetically directed his Qatar candidates. “Play clean passes, men,” roared the national coach over the Frankfurt training ground in the brightest sunshine. Right at the start of the preparations for the first international double of the year, the national coach left no doubts during an intensive training session: The countdown to the World Cup in the Persian Gulf has begun for the national soccer team. The great ambitions remain clearly defined despite the recently indicated concerns about a sufficient breadth in the DFB squad.
“We as professional athletes are measured by trophies and titles. For me there is only one goal, that’s the world title,” captain Manuel Neuer renewed his own and Flick’s annual goal. “We have made it our mission that we have the vision of pursuing this goal from day one. I’ll stick to it,” said the German number 1. Oliver Bierhoff also considers the fifth World Cup star to be a logical claim. “It’s definitely realistic. We have top players in our ranks,” said the DFB director in the neat team quarters south of Frankfurt.
Koch is absent due to Corona
Flick wants to quickly get the necessary tournament focus. The national coach knows very well that the eight months until the World Cup kicks off on November 21 in Doha offer little opportunity for thorough preparation. Bierhoff also warned that there was no time to lose. The dramaturgy of the football year runs directly towards the World Cup as the highlight of the year. “You can’t prepare for a tournament like this overnight,” said the DFB director. You have to “deal with the topic early and mentally”.
The run-up to the games on Saturday is free of worries (8.45 p.m./ZDF and in the ntv.de live ticker) in Sinsheim against Israel and three days later in Amsterdam also not at the moment. The fact that defender Robin Koch finally had to cancel due to a positive PCR test and the current squad was reduced to 23 players was a reminder of Corona as a major crisis in the recent past. After all, the arena in Sinsheim could be full with 25,600 spectators. According to the DFB, 21,000 tickets have been sold. It would be the first home country game to be sold out since the pandemic broke out more than two years ago.
The war in Ukraine is currently also causing great sympathy and concerns in the DFB circle. Saturday was declared a fundraiser match day. The national team will also contribute around 100,000 euros. And then there is the dispute with Qatar as the controversial World Cup host, which Flick must keep in mind apart from the burning sporting issues. On Tuesday evening, Bierhoff invited human rights experts from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to the team hotel. He hopes for “intensive discussions to get a deeper picture,” he said.
Against Brazil, France, Spain?
At the same time, a message from FIFA in Zurich could be interpreted as a sporting reminder. Germany will most likely not be seeded in Pot 1 of the top seven teams plus hosts Qatar in the group draw on April 1 in Doha. If Italy or Portugal qualify in the World Cup playoffs or if the Netherlands are not beaten in the second test next Tuesday, the DFB team is definitely only in pot two. Then she has to fear a cracker against Brazil, France or Spain in the preliminary round at the World Cup.
Flick now wants to use the preparation intensively to compete against these sporting calibers. “If everyone is healthy and we don’t have to live with cancellations at short notice, we will have a very good squad,” Bierhoff said of the basic concerns already indicated by Flick about a lack of squad depth. And if not everyone is healthy in autumn? “In terms of breadth, you can see that Hansi is bringing in players,” replied Bierhoff.
In view of prominent failures such as Niklas Süle or Leon Goretzka and possibly also Joshua Kimmich, who is waiting for the birth of his third child, Flick is continuing his trial mode for possible replacement candidates. Julian Weigl from Benfica Lisbon is such a candidate, as is Julian Draxler, who does not get enough playing time at Paris Saint-Germain. In November you need players “who are in the juice, who have confidence,” said Bierhoff.