DFB World Championship Announcement: Mr. Flick, what did you just do?

Tuesday 12 October 2021

Announcing the World Championship of Federation Stars
Mr. Flick, what have you done?

By Tobias Nordmann

Germany failed miserably at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. In EM three years later, it was a huge disappointment. The top of the world seems far away. But then Hansi Flick came along and became a national coach and anything seems possible. What is going on there?

Manuel Neuer announced just a few days ago that the goal should now be to become world champion. When the captain said his sentences, it was not yet official that the DFB team would travel to Qatar. But let’s take the drama out of it all: It would have taken an unimaginable miracle of qualifying for the World Cup to prevent it. So the ads weren’t disrespectful, just adapted to the new German (euphoria) wave. But that’s really cool, isn’t it? Under the guidance of national coach Hansi Flick, anything seems possible.

However, this is the case: in the squad it seems quite controversial how one should convey self-confidence after five international matches under new guidance. Noir chose the full throttle variant. Kai Havertz also believes that you don’t have to waste your goals. One had to do enough often in the past few years. Leon Goretzka, for example, sees it differently. Like Manuel Neuer, he also plays for Bayern Munich and shouldn’t have too big ambitions, but he still talks about “smaller laps” to be baked. Not a pretty phrase, but it might be true.

No one, not even unrestrained ecstasy, should be able to give a serious answer right now about how far the DFB has already traveled on the way back to the world elite and how far they still lie. Because the performances were exciting at times, including the second half in North Macedonia against Macedonia (4-0), the strength of the opponents was very modest. Certainly, the Romanians can play football well (2:1), and the Armenians have proven that too. And Macedonia had already rocked Germany on March 31 (1:2). But those were other times. Prohibited times along the house in the era of Joachim Löw.

There is a strong “but”

You can speak with these opponents aggressively. But this would also be a stupid form of self-deception. Because these teams might do well as a group and have one or two very good players in their ranks, but they are not Spain, Italy, Belgium or France. These four teams had just hinted at the Nations League final tournament how good they looked in this match. Even if no one in this country has seen him. The French around Kylian Mbappe had snatched the title, but the Spaniards about super talent Gavi were excited.

Hansi Flick knows all this. But it doesn’t scratch him. “The quality of our players, if you look at where they play, you just have to say that they also have the quality to be able to withstand Italy, Spain, France and Belgium. I am very confident.” You don’t want to contradict him. Because if the team’s learning curve continues to climb that steep, it will definitely be one of those nations vying for the Gold Cup in Qatar. There is still a lot of requirement here. Flick would like to replace this bit by bit. This means in his words: The team still has to take development steps.

Recently, the problem areas of the national team have been clearly identified. The optimal occupation of the defensive wings was not found. Thelo Kahrer urges himself more and more. He can do it left as well as right, as the emperor probably calls it, but he can also do it in the middle. Niklas Sule and Antonio Rudiger have made a name for themselves there and are working hard to start the World Cup in this constellation. You made good arguments, but by no means did you dispel all doubts that it could really be the most stable alternative. You can still see the shadow of Mats Hummels and sometimes the shadow of Jerome Boateng.

Flick, the healer player

Another problem area is the storm center. Timo Werner is my favorite guy out there. Not everyone likes her, his sometimes unfortunate manifestations have become a national issue. In the collective despair of a savior in the middle, Simon Terodde was spoken of aloud. Even Lothar Matthaus thought the idea was a good one. You should know that Terodde is 33 years old and probably the best second tier striker ever (over a long period of time). Plus, of course, Hanover legend Dieter Schneider. Flick has now found his attacker Werner’s criticisms aggressively exaggerated. I spoke to him forcefully. In public and towards the team.

And what can you say, this flick did it again. Werner not only did well against North Macedonia, but also scored two goals. His testimonies were very confident. Yes, it is amazing what is happening now. with the team. with the players. It sounds like deja vu. The man from Bammental has already made an amazingly fast turnaround at Bayern Munich. He built the most dominant team in Europe from an insecure crowd. Players like Boateng or Thomas Muller have switched from emergency bolts to load-bearing walls. Flick, he’s a great therapist too.

In the national team, not only did Flick manage to do this budding sports assist with Werner. His influence on Leroy Sané was more formative. At the European Championships, the Munich resident failed again due to himself and his claims that he was finally a different player. He dragged this fatal case with him to Munich (where he received the whistles) and then to the German Football Association team. Sunny worked hard and regained happiness. About conquering the ball and a lot of desire and passion. Suddenly the heavy things on the ball seemed light (by foot) again.

Somehow this national coach managed to awaken the mentality of the players. He doesn’t have to teach them the game again. Flick has already planted that greed for goals and victories, and the will to do everything possible, into the team’s DNA. Even after a deficit like a deficit against Romania, nothing collapses anymore. Head rises, running forward. Sometimes he’s a little reckless, but he’s always driven by “everything”. “How far we are now, I don’t know. But I know for sure that a lot can be done with this mindset.” And Manuel Neuer has already revealed exactly what it is.