Germany's 4-1 home defeat to Japan prompted the German Football Association (DFB) to sack Hansi Flick, despite only nine months left before they host Euro 2024.
Hansi Flick in the 1-4 loss to Japan on September 9 - his last match as head coach of the German national team. Photo: imago
"The national team needs new motivation after recent disappointing results. We need optimism and confidence as we head into the Euros at home," DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said in announcing Flick's dismissal on September 10.
Neuendorf still highly values Flick's ability, considering the dismissal of the 58-year-old coach and his entire assistant team the most difficult decision since he took office as the DFB's supreme leader. "Sporting success is the DFB's number one priority at the moment. Therefore, we have to act," the manager added.
While waiting for the appointment of a new head coach, Germany will use a temporary coaching staff to prepare for the friendly against France at home in Dortmund on September 12. This group has three members, including DFB director Rudi Voller - who led the team to the runner-up position at the 2002 World Cup, U20 coach Hannes Wolf, and 35-year-old former striker and former national team player Sandro Wagner.
The decision to sack Flick was made by the DFB less than a day after Germany suffered a 4-1 defeat to Japan at home at the Volkswagen Arena. Junya Ito, Ayase Ueda, Takuma Asano and Ao Tanaka scored for Japan, while Germany only had one goal through Leroy Sane. This was the third consecutive defeat and extended Germany's winless streak to five matches. Before that, Flick's team lost 2-3 to Belgium, drew 3-3 with Ukraine, lost 0-1 to Poland and 0-2 to Colombia.
After the match, Flick admitted his disappointment, but still insisted that he was the most suitable coach for the current German team. However, Rudi Voller called the defeat a "disgrace" for German football and refused to guarantee Flick's future. Meanwhile, many former players such as Lothar Matthaus, Philipp Lahm... and many German football experts have called on the DFB to immediately replace the head coach, to stabilize the team towards Euro 2024 taking place from June 14 to July 14 at home.
Rudi Voller (right), 63 years old, is currently the Director of the DFB. During his playing days, he played as a striker for Bremen, Marseille, Leverkusen, and was a mainstay of the German team that won the 1990 World Cup. Voller was the head coach of the German team from 2000-2004, leading the team to the 2002 World Cup final. Photo: DFB
Flick was Joachim Low's assistant on the German coaching staff that won the 2014 World Cup. He made a splash in his two seasons leading Bayern, including a six-title win in the 2019-2020 season, including the Bundesliga, German Cup, Champions League, German Super Cup, European Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
After Low left in the summer of 2021, Flick was appointed as his replacement, but was under a lot of pressure when Germany was eliminated from the group stage of the 2022 World Cup. In 25 matches under the 58-year-old coach, Germany won only 12.
Nhat Tao
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